American Flags Collage and Open-Ended Art

DISCLAIMER: I have not been my best blogging self lately. It's usually a matter of scrounging up photos that I happened to take during an activity.  I wanted to post about this one so I could pin it on my own Pinterest board for July next year : )  I tend to organize my boards by month so that it's easily referenced according to seasons and holidays.

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Bl brought in an American flag for "America's birthday" on Tuesday.  This inspired the children to make American flags of their own, with their unique creative twists, of course.

Our star hole punch was indispensable here.

One of my long time friends and mentors, Diane, used to say that when we put out activities that are open-ended, they will appeal to children of all ages. I find this to be very true, and children use the materials according to their level of development. 

The following are the "final products" of a 3.5 year old and a 5 year old. Can you tell which is which?

Guada also found this to be true when she put out a shaving cream block activity.  She presented the materials and the idea of sticking the foam blocks together with the shaving cream. Which do you think is made by the 3 year old versus the 5 year old?

Who do you think had more fun? Who do you think learned more from the activity? 

Well I can't say for sure, but they both stayed at the station for an extended period of time, indicated to me that fun and learning were taking place!

I think I'll try to practice a little open-ended thinking myself today.  Letting go of models, expectations, products.  Welcoming spontaneity, new ideas, inspiration.

*Stephanie*

Mix-it-yourself paint!

I've been noticing that the children don't know a whole lot about the result of mixing primary colors.  Not that this is essential knowledge or something they won't pick up later on, but it told me something about this group.  They get too many fancy paint colors around here!  Time to get back to basics.

Today's activity offers:

blue, red, and yellow paint

white paint

baby food jars

little plastic brushes

This activity resulted in some beautiful colors...ones that you cannot buy from our usual paint supplier.  Not only was it a great way to get back to basics, but it was also a great way to explore new varieties of colors that we already know. 

With each child and each color added, I tried to infuse the dialogue with open-ended questions about what the children thought would happen as a result of what they were adding to their jars.  Not to "teach" them, but to invite them to fully engage in the process on a cognitive level.

If a teacher would have approached the table and asked questions like, "what do red and blue make" or "how do you make orange?" (you know, like quizzing the children), I would have kindly invited that teacher to leave the art table.

They enjoyed the many different colors available, and added colors to other jars of paint that they found pre-mixed on the table.

About halfway through, there were lots of primary and secondary (or tertiary) colors to choose from.

With little guidance on "how much" or "which color" to add for a specific result, we let them explore.  I admit, I did ask some of them to save some paint for the other children.  

We contemplated offering larger brushes so they could mix more efficiently, and then decided that the smaller brushes invited more focus and persistence to a group of very motivated children.  They weren't going anywhere simply due to slow mixing times. They were fully engaged. 

We added the butcher paper to the table to invite another level of messiness rather than confining the exploration to an 9x12 sheet of paper.

Hmmmm, there's no brushes shaped like that...

Of course! And the paint colors mix just beautifully right on the hands.

 The only part of this activity that I got to experience was my own process and whatever was happening out loud or in a jar, visible to all.  What I didn't get to experience was the internal processes of the children, the sense of joy and wonder in getting to choose paints and mix and explore, or the curiosity and scientific thinking that was occurring quietly, in the private world of each child.

Independent thinking, fine motor control, anticipation, cause and effect, even disappointment at getting a color that differs from the desired result.  Very important things happened at our art table today.

Could anyone not feel a sense of completion after experiencing this today?

And let's not forget to mention what is not pictured in this post today.

The final products!

Because this activity was all about the process.

*Stephanie*

Access Your Zen and Discover Hidden Color

Here is a quiet (and potentially very-messy-but-easy-to-clean) quiet time activity.  

Powdered tempera and salt on a tray.

Play sand or colored salt would also work.

Ten minutes later... 

Packing Peanuts Mush

Last week or so, Guada and Maria did this crazy activity that the children have been asking for ever since.  When I was finally able to witness the activity live (versus through the photos they had taken of the first round), I realized why the kids had so much fun.  I won't over explain it as I always do...just try it.  All you need is packing peanuts (you know which kind I mean...the kind that melt), water, something to stir with and little containers.

Eventually, inevitably, the children began doing their own refills of liquid water colors (I used red and white in the tune of Valentine's Day) and fetching pitchers of water from the bathroom.

We had to intervene (only because we were inside) when they began pouring the glumpy solution straight onto the cleaning rags.  I think they got the fullest possible experience from this activity.

It all ended up in one glorious pitcher of pink mush.  The children would only allow us to clean up this activity with the promise of getting to do it again (that will be tomorrow, haha).

(I double-dog-dare you to challenge me as to how this open-ended, play-based, child-led activity is beneficial to children's development!!!)