Tracks and Trucks

Despite my attempt to get Cole to like art, he just isn't really into it. He will sit and draw for a minute or two but he won't sit and do art. Yes, I know he is only two and he is like a typical child whose attention span is short.

In order to engage him more in art, I decided to incorporate cars and trucks with paint.

As soon as I got the paint, paper and of course, the cars out, he immediately gravitated towards the paper taped to the floor.

He sat down and I showed him to drive his truck through the paint tray and roll it on the paper. No more explanation was needed after this as he immediately started painting with the cars. He made tracks around, forward and back.

I loved seeing him so focused and interested in the process of creating the tracks on the paper. I tried to point out the different tracks made by various cars.




Materials Needed:

• Paint (washable kind, because you know your kids)


• Roll of paper (I got it at Ikea for under $5.00)


• Trucks and cars ( the ones that can be washed afterwards, so no battery operated toys)


• Tray for the paint

This can naturally progress into water play if you want. Have a bucket of warm, soapy water ready and they can help wash the cars in the bucket.

Today's art project

Few days ago,I vowed to myself that I am going to try a new, fun art idea with Cole. So today, I prepared a homemade finger paint using corn starch and water.

I thought Cole would go nuts over it because it is such a tactile sensory activity and I just assumed he would love it. And this is where a curve ball comes at me and I am totally wrong. He didn't want to touch it at all. He made a face at it like it was something totally gross. All he wanted to do was to smear it using a plastic spoon I gave him.



Oh well. When a life gives you lemon, you make lemonade. Right? So I just gave him a cotton swab and a knife to use as a tool to scoop the paint out and have fun with it.



This doesn't mean I am giving up on this idea of providing him with different experiences. Today may have not turned out the way I expected it to but life is like that. Unpredictable and unexpected. I will just have to try this again on a different day and see how it goes.

If you are interested in knowing the recipe.

1/2 cup cornstarch
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups cold water
food coloring

Directions

In a medium pan, mix all the ingredients together to make the finger paint. Cook over low heat 10 to 15 minutes. Keep stirring the finger paint mixture until it is smooth and thick. After the finger paint has thickened take the pan off the stove and let the mixture cool.

After cooling, divide the finger paint into storage containers depending on how many colors you would like. Add a few drops of food coloring to each container. Stir the coloring in to the paint to determine the shade of color. You’re ready to finger paint! Cover tightly when storing.

I got this from this mom who blogs as well. www.amomwithalessonplan.com

Tracing Art

Cole and I did tracing art today. I know most boys don't like art. I am being stereotypical here but coming from an Early childhood background, boys tend to stay away from the art table unless there are cars or messy art available whereas girls just flock to art table every chance they get. So I wanted to introduce art to Cole at an early age so he would get used to it and foster his creative side.

We've been drawing with crayons, markers and paint but I wanted to do something new today.

We started tracing our hands and feet with the crayon.



Here he is trying to trace my hand. He didn't get it right away at first but he did get the idea eventually.



I think it is extremely important to foster all the aspects of the development. It's like trying new food with a baby. We should keep introducing them to new experiences even if they look like they hate it, they may learn to love it over time.