Nest Obsessed - Five Activities and a Book

It began with a book.  Written and illustrated by my co-worker, Lory Britain, Mama Crow's Gift is about a crow who brings treasures home to her family, making their nest beautiful and cozy.  When disaster strikes and all seems to be lost, Mama Crow's most valuable gift becomes apparent - her optimism and ability to delight in even the smallest beauty. 

After Lory read the book to our preschool class, one of the children picked up on the theme, and played it out day after day, being a Baby Crow while I was the Mama Crow.  

Since then, we have done several nest themed activities with our class, and I have done some others with my son.  Here they are!  Which one is YOUR favorite?

 NEST  #1 - Paper Bag Shred and Glue

 

Run a bag through a paper shredder (or cut it into narrow strips yourself).  Turn a large bowl upside down and cover the bottom with plastic wrap, taping the edges to keep it in place.  Set out the shred and any other materials you want (we used yellow craft feathers and red tinsel).  Also put out a bowl with a generous amount of glue.  With your hand, spread a layer of glue on the bowl.  Then show your child how to dip the nest materials in the glue, coating them fully.  Layer the materials on the bowl.  When it is finished, add another layer of glue.  Let the nest sit for a few days, then gently detach it from the plastic wrap. 

Original idea from The Chocolate Muffin Tree

NEST  #2 - Mud and Grass

Similar process, but this time put the plastic wrap INSIDE the bowl.  Your child will enjoy scooping gloopy mud mixed with grass, flowers, pine needles etc. 

Also from The Chocolate Muffin Tree.  Gotta love that blog!

NEST  #3 -Willow Branches

We didn't make this one.  It is a permanent fixture at our local bird rescue center.  A visit there inspired even more bird-themed dramatic play!  Cascades Raptor Center

NEST #4 - Grass Clippings

My son and I made this after visiting the Raptor Center.

 

NEST  #5 - Pine Boughs with Ribbon and Pipe Cleaner Decorations

This was built by two preschool classes after hearing Lory read her book. 

Do you have a favorite?  Leave a comment and let me know! 

Throwing Paint

As a teacher, I used to be a one-man-show.  I felt that teaching alone allowed me to get into my groove.  When I was hired by the Relief Nursery, I wasn't sure how I would adapt to their team teaching model.  Now, after 6 years, I would never go back to teaching alone.   My teaching partner and assistant offer me encouragement, inspiration, motivation and support.  Not to mention they have awesome activities.  My teaching assistant, Janae, came up with this fun idea.  

Tape a large sheet of paper (or a bed sheet) to a fence or wall.  Give your child some containers of paint and some old wash cloths scrunched into balls and fastened with rubber bands.  Your child can throw the paint-dipped cloth at the paper, or she can walk up to the paper and use the cloth to make prints.  

Variations

Other fun ways to get paint onto a large hanging paper or sheet

Throw paint filled water balloons

Use spray bottles or squeeze bottles filled with liquid water colors

Swat a paint-dipped fly swatter or a pine bough

Mix the paint with some sort of thickener, like flour, and throw globs of it

Fill small paper cups with paint and fling or pour it onto the paper a la Jackson Pollock

Dip a paint brush and then flick your wrist to send the paint flying

Any other ideas?  

What are we learning?

Creative Expression, Gross Motor, Physical Science

Muffin Tin Prints

I originally saw this idea on The Imagination Tree, and it's become one of my favorites!  Teo was about 2 when we tried it, and he was instantly focused on the fine motor task of painting the tin.  I've also done this with kids up to age 5. 

To set it up, lay out a large sheet of paper on a tarp.  Offer some paint, a brush, and a muffin tin turned upside down.  After your child paints the bottom circles, you can demonstrate how to turn it over to make a print.  Then your child can try doing it herself (or maybe she will find another way to explore). 

Variations

An older child might be interested in using a finger or the end of the paint brush to draw letters or symbols in the paint circles before printing.  I'm tempted to do this project myself and write L  O  V  E on the circles and use the finished piece as wrapping paper. 

Once you've tried printing with a muffin tin, let your imagination run wild and try other objects for printing.  Here are a few suggestions.

- a potato cut in half and carved with a shape / letter / etc (an easy way to do this is to press a metal cookie cutter into the potato and use a knife to cut away the extra)

- a child sized rolling pin or a toilet paper tube with cardboard or foam glued on

- wooden blocks with a raised letter  OR  legos

- nature items like pine cones, leaves, stones, etc.

- kitchen utensils (potato masher, fork, the rim of a cup, cookie cutters)

- other household items (clothes pin, fly swatter)

- toy animal / doll foot prints

- body parts (hands, feet, elbows, noses)

As you can see, the possibilities are endless. 

What are we learning?

Fine Motor Skills, Creative Expression, Early Math (possibly patterning, counting), Sensory, Language / Literacy (if letters are involved, or if you talk about shape names, etc)

Body Painting

Offer your child a variety of non-toxic WASHABLE paints (I use tempera), and some brushes.  Set him naked or diapered on a tarp / old sheet, and let the body art begin.  Of course, this is more fun if you join in as well!

If you are doing this in a classroom, you can simply roll up the children's pants and offer this activity as Foot Painting instead of full body. 

Check out Pepper Paints to see some lovely African tribal face painting for inspiration!   

What are we learning? 
Body Awareness, Language (names of body parts),  Creative Expression, Fine Motor Skills, Sensory Experience. 

Melty Crayon Skillet Art

I am sure I saw this activity somewhere on the web, and I should give proper credit, but I can't seem to find the original anywhere.  Suffice it to say, this is not my idea, but it is definitely worth sharing! 

Turn an electric skillet on its lowest setting (please read safety note!).  Lay a piece of computer paper in it.  Offer your child a selection of crayons with the paper peeled off (the fat crayons work best).  Explain that the pan is quite warm and should not be touched.  Then either let your child experiment with the crayons, or if she seems unsure, you can demonstrate pushing the end of a crayon onto the paper until it becomes soft.  The crayon will then slide in a delightful way, leaving a colorful trail behind.  

I tried this with children ages 3-5.  They seemed quite mesmerized, some of them drawing round after round of circles, and others making pools of color.  

Variation

If you come back to this activity a second time, try offering only a white crayon.  Tell your child that she won't be able to see her drawing right away, but you have a trick to make it appear.  When the drawing is cooled, offer water color paints.  When your child paints on the paper, the crayoned areas will remain white.  Older children might enjoy writing secret messages!

What are we learning?

Art, Physical Science (transformation, heat, melting)

Safety Note

Please do this activity with caution.  Even older children should have constant supervision when using a skillet.  Also, different skillets surely have different temperature settings.  Mine was cool enough that there was no chance of a burn unless a child held his hand on it for several seconds.  Test yours ahead of time. 

Tin Foil Painting

It can be very intriguing to paint on something other than paper.  Foil offers some interesting qualities - shiny, crinkly, smooth (or crumpled).  I presented this activity already taped to a construction paper frame to avoid tearing, but you could also just give your child a piece of foil by itself.  Because it is so malleable, it might turn into a painted sculpture instead of a flat piece. Try a very large sheet of foil, or a small one for different experiences.  

Variations
Another option, which you can demonstrate for your child, is to spread paint all over the foil (hands work best for this), and then use a finger or the other end of a paint brush to scrape a drawing in the paint.  This is a fun way for your child to play around with writing letters or his name, too.

What are we learning? 
Art, Physical Science (properties of foil)

Coloring Water with Watercolors

Offer your child several cups filled part-way with water (or offer empty cups plus a squirt bottle of water, as shown here).  Your child may discover on her own how to transfer paint color to the water, or you can show her.  You can offer occasional reflections, such as "I wonder what would happen if you mixed red and blue together."  As long as your child won't be tempted to drink the water, you can inspire some dramatic play by asking her to serve you some blueberry / orange / lime juice / etc. 


Variations: 
Different children will approach this activity differently.  She may pour water from cup to cup.  She may simply ask for paper and want to paint.  Your child will enjoy and learn the most if you follow her lead.  

Another option is to offer pieces of tissue or toilet paper that your child can dip into the colored water to watch the color travel up the paper (suggested by Lory Britton, PhD).  Eye droppers are another great prop for transferring water. 

What are we learning?
Color mixing.  Fine motor skills.  

Balloon Painting

Fill the balloon with water and tie it.  Offer your child the balloon, a dish of paint, and some paper, and see what happens.  Your child might hold it by the knot and bounce it, or roll it around, or he might find another technique. 


Variations: 
To expand this activity, offer a second balloon filled only with air.  Your child can feel the difference  between them, and you can narrate his exploration, offering concepts such as light and heavy.  For more gross motor exploration with this, you can put the paper on the ground and attach a long rubber band or piece of elastic to the balloon knot.  Your child can swing and bounce the balloon while standing on the paper (best done outside!). 

What are we learning?
Children construct an understanding of their world in part by manipulating objects in different ways.  In addition to being an art project, this is a physics experiment. 

Shaving Cream Sqeeze Paint

To do these really cool paintings, put shaving cream in baggies with some liquid water color (or food dye) of your child's choice. Mix it up, then seal the baggies and clip the corner so your kiddo can squeeze the paint out onto their paper. Glitter can be sprinkled on afterward. 

Variation: 

This is a great way to use puffy paint, too (just mix a generous bit of glue with the shaving cream, and it will dry thick and puffy).  Without the glue, they are no longer 3D when they dry, but still very pretty. 

What are we Learning?

Squeezing the baggies develops hand strength and control.  This can also turn into a fantastic sensory experience if your child decides to explore the shaving cream with his fingers.