Tape Art

Submitted by: Alison Busby

Toddlers use tape to create amazing effects in their art.

Goals:

• To explore cause and effect
• To practice fine motor skills
• To participate in a hands-on sensory activity

Before You Start:
Gather materials needed: paint in multiple colors, masking or painter’s tape, cardstock or heavy painting paper, paint brushes.

Let’s Get Started!
Step 1.
Apply tape to the paper in the desired design.

Step 2.
Use fingers or painting tools to paint over the tape.

Step 3.
Carefully remove the tape from the paper.

Furthermore:
Try adding additional layers of colors. After painting with one color and removing the tape, put down more tape and paint a second color. What happens in the areas where the paint colors overlap?

Products You May Need:

• Regular Masking Tape
• Colorations® Best Value Plastic Handle Paint Brushes – Set of 30
• White Poster Board, 22″ x 28″ – Pack of 100
• BioColor® Paint, 16 oz.
• Glossy Finger Paint Paper
• Finger Paint Paper Roll – 100 Feet
• Economy Weight White Poster Board – 50 Sheets
• Colorations® Mini Art Trays – Set of 12

Marbling

Make jewelry with beautifully marbled designs.

Goals:

• To encourage creativity and fine motor skills
• To create a unique keepsake or gift

Before You Start:
Gather materials needed for project: BioColor® paint, plastic forks, paper plates, glue, scissors and backings for jewelry (earrings and/or pins).

Let’s Get Started!
Step 1.
For jewelry, use a six-inch paper plate (easy for small hands to use).

Step 2.
Using a Nancy™ Bottle, squeeze squiggly lines of five or six different colors around the entire center of plate.

Step 3.
Tilt and turn the plate slowly to allow BioColor® to merge – colors will remain distinct.

Step 4.
Lightly drag a fork through BioColor® creating a more marbleized effect.

Step 5.
Optional: Spray varnish to seal when completely dry.

Step 6.
Cut out desired shape and glue on backing of choice (earrings, pins, etc.).

Step 7.
Backing of choice (earrings, pins, etc.).

Furthermore:
You can also create your marbled designs on construction paper. Add white paint when marbleizing to create contrast to your pattern. Encourage children to experiment with the shapes and colors they create for this activity.

Products You May Need:

• 9″ White Paper Plates – 100 Pieces
• BioColor® Paint, 16 oz.
• Nancy™ Paint Bottles Twist Tops, 2 oz. – Set of 12
• Nancy™ Bottle Chrome Caddy
• 9″ x 12″ Tru-Ray® Sulfite Construction Paper – 50 Sheets
• Colorations® Comfort Grip Blunt Tip Scissors
• Aleene’s® Original Tacky Glue® – 4oz.

Jackson Pollack

A fun group project that makes a unique wall hanging!

Goals:

• To encourage creativity and fine motor skills
• To have fun with an open-ended art activity

Before You Start:
Gather materials: BioColor® Paint, Nancy™ bottles and canvas or other fabric remnants. Pre-fill Nancy™ bottles with paint, and cover work surface with newspaper or a plastic tarp to protect from paint.

Let’s Get Started!
Step 1.
Place a canvas or fabric remnant on a plastic tarp.

Step 2.
Give each child a selection of BioColor® paints in Nancy™ Bottles.

Step 3.
Invite children to drip and drizzle BioColor® over surface using gross motor movements.

Step 4.
Apply lots of color, then let dry flat and hang to display.

Furthermore:
This is a great way to allow children to experiment with colors and to demonstrate how open-ended and creative art can be. The teacher may also talk to children about the famous painter Jackson Pollack and his unique abstract art techniques.

Products You May Need:

• BioColor® Paint – 16 oz.
• Nancy™ Paint Bottles Twist Tops, 2 oz. – Set of 12
• Nancy™ Bottle Chrome Caddy
• Fabric Squares – 150 Pieces

Fun With My Five Senses

Submitted by: Lynn Hawkins

Children will play with BioPutty® using their fingers for the sense of touch. By adding the primary colors (red, yellow & blue) of BioColor® the activity now becomes not only a touch sensory activity, but also a visual activity.

Goals:

• Increase fine motor skills
• Enhance color recognition
• Introduce color mixing

Before You Start:
Mix 1 cup of BioPutty® solution with 1/3 cup of (primary colors) BioColor® paints, per child.

Let’s Get Started!
Step 1.
Have the children start mixing the solution of BioPutty®. As they play and spread the mixture out it will start to create new colors.

Furthermore:
This activity will help children to recognize color and that when colors are blended together they create a secondary color.

Products You May Need:

• BioColor® Paints – Gallon
• BioColor® BioPutty® Solution – 1 Gallon

Free-Style Painting

The sky is the limit for creativity with this open-ended art project.

Goals:

• To encourage creativity and self-expression
• To develop fine motor skills

Before You Start:
Set out white art paper, Liquid Watercolor™ paints, watercolor paintbrushes and paint cups.

Let’s Get Started!
Step 1.
Colorations® Liquid Watercolor is ready to use, straight out of the bottle. These colors are so intense you can dilute them. Experiment until you find the color intensity you like best.

Step 2.
Have children paint a picture on a piece of white drawing paper. Encourage them to use their imaginations. When it’s “free style,” the possibilities are endless.

Step 3.
Allow artwork to dry. Hang on display.

Furthermore:
Children can use any kind of inspiration they like for this activity. Some suggestions you could provide to get children thinking could include: nature, dreams, family, friends, pets, vacations, special events, occasions and holidays.

Products You May Need:

• Colorations® Classic Colors Liquid Watercolor Paints, 8 oz. – Set of 13
• White Sulphite Paper – 9″ x 12″, 50 lb.
• 6 Paint Cups In A Base

Lacing Door Hangers

Submitted by: Eunice Hill

An excellent activity for reinforcing fine motor skills – and a fun way to teach kids how to tie a shoestring!

Goals:

• To develop fine motor skills
• To teach children how to tie a shoestring

Before You Start:
Prepare each foam door hanger by hole-punching 5 holes along the length of one side, and then hole-punching 5 more holes along the length of the opposite side of the door hanger, making sure the holes are evenly spaced.

Let’s Get Started!
Step 1.
Starting at the bottom of the door hanger, take the shoestring and begin to lace it into the bottom holes, crisscrossing the string just as if you were lacing shoes.

Step 2.
Lace all the way up to the last hole on each side.

Step 3.
Then, tie a bow at the top, just as you would when tying your shoes.

Step 4.
After demonstrating this process to the children, encourage them to try lacing the door hangers themselves.

Step 5.
You can also have the children decorate their door hangers with buttons, sequins or other craft materials – encourage them to be creative!

Furthermore:
After you finish with the project, allow each child to put his or her name on the door hangers. Then, encourage the children to hang their door hangers on their doors at home. When they seem to be having problems tying their shoes, have them practice on the door hangers.

Products You May Need:

• Foam Door Hangers – Set of 24
• Tipped Lacing Yarn – 100 Pieces
• One Hole Punch
• Assorted Grandma’s Buttons
• Sequins & Spangles
• Colorations® Washable Clear Glue