I'm happy to have Corinne Jacob guest posting today. She's sharing a few awesome ideas for preschoolers that are just right for springtime!
It’s springtime! The season of bright colors and flowers set the mood to indulge in activities and crafts with the kids that scream of spring. So here are a few fun, cheerful and vibrant activities that suit spring just perfect.
Dandelion Prints
Dandelions can be seen anywhere and everywhere during spring. These beautiful weeds can be put to good use if you invest your creativity in them. Pick up a basket full of dandelions that have fallen on the ground and use them to engage the kids with wonderful spring activities.
The activity will start right from picking up the dandelions. Help kids pick up perfect, fresh ones that are not wilted, discolored, or trampled upon. Wash the dandelions thoroughly under running water. Bring out a bright and large plastic colander and place it upside down and have the kids push the dandelion stems through the holes in the colander. If the stems are very long and they don’t hold well to the colander holes, hand over a pair of kid-friendly scissors to the kids and have them snip the stems before the activity. After the kids have decorated the colander, bring out some poster colors and indulge in another cool spring activity with the dandelions. Squeeze out the colors onto a palette and have the kids press a dandelion against the colors and then press it on a white paper to get its impression. Have the preschoolers repeat this with different colors and then make patterns with the dandelion prints. You will have a colorful painting of dandelion impressions at the end of the activity!
The activity will start right from picking up the dandelions. Help kids pick up perfect, fresh ones that are not wilted, discolored, or trampled upon. Wash the dandelions thoroughly under running water. Bring out a bright and large plastic colander and place it upside down and have the kids push the dandelion stems through the holes in the colander. If the stems are very long and they don’t hold well to the colander holes, hand over a pair of kid-friendly scissors to the kids and have them snip the stems before the activity. After the kids have decorated the colander, bring out some poster colors and indulge in another cool spring activity with the dandelions. Squeeze out the colors onto a palette and have the kids press a dandelion against the colors and then press it on a white paper to get its impression. Have the preschoolers repeat this with different colors and then make patterns with the dandelion prints. You will have a colorful painting of dandelion impressions at the end of the activity!
Sand and Salt Rangoli
Rangoli is the Indian art of making patterns on the floor in living rooms or courtyards using materials such as colored rice, dry flour, colored sand or flower petals. Such patterns are drawn in India during festivals and celebrations. Why don’t you involve kids in making random Rangoli patterns with colors on the floor this spring? Here’s how to make your own non-toxic Rangoli mixture at home.
Mix a small bottle of tempera powder with 100 mg of sand and salt each in a transparent, plastic squeeze bottle. Make different colored Rangoli powders with various colored powder temperas. Shake well to mix the colors. Sometimes the top of the squeeze bottle needs to be snipped off a tiny bit to make the hole a bit wider. Give it a try and hand over the bottles filled with colorful salt and sand to your little preschoolers and invite them to color the driveway with the hues of spring.
Mix a small bottle of tempera powder with 100 mg of sand and salt each in a transparent, plastic squeeze bottle. Make different colored Rangoli powders with various colored powder temperas. Shake well to mix the colors. Sometimes the top of the squeeze bottle needs to be snipped off a tiny bit to make the hole a bit wider. Give it a try and hand over the bottles filled with colorful salt and sand to your little preschoolers and invite them to color the driveway with the hues of spring.
Coffee Filter Flowers
If there’s one thing you cannot get enough of in spring, that’s colors. Well, that’s why this fun spring activity that has a cheerful blend of bright colors on coffee filters is just right for this season. Flatten out a filter and fold it into half and then two more halves and you should have a narrow cone at the end of the third fold. At about 1/3 of the way down, cut an arch at the end (not the tip) of the filter. Carefully unfold the filter and flatten it out again by rubbing your palm against it. Using an ink dropper, have your child add small drops of water color at the center of the filter; first of one color, and then drop another color on it. Adding too much color will reduce the brightness, so avoid adding more than three drops. Stop and watch the colors mix with each other to produce unique and vibrant colors. Glue a Popsicle stick at the back of the filter when it’s dried and use it as a pinwheel.
Isn’t spring fun with activities and crafts like these? I sure am looking forward to hear about your spring activity and craft ideas!
Isn’t spring fun with activities and crafts like these? I sure am looking forward to hear about your spring activity and craft ideas!
Corinne Jacob is a wannabe writer who is convinced that kids learn best when they’re having fun. She is constantly on the lookout for new and exciting ways to make learning an enjoyable experience. Corinne loves all things that scream out un-schooling, alternative education and holistic learning.
Dandelions photo by Randi Hausken
Rangoli photo by Subharnab Majumdar
Paper flowers by beautiful-dissaster
Rangoli photo by Subharnab Majumdar
Paper flowers by beautiful-dissaster