Archive for the ‘Flower art’ Category
Pop Out Flowers
I love using toilet paper rolls for crafts, it’s one thing that the vast majority of households have on hand at any given time. I love the 3D aspect of this craft and the fine motor work it demands for coloring the petals. It can also be used to teach patterns- or simply art done any way they choose! Toddlers can get in on the action by dipping the cut rolls into plates of paint instead of coloring the petals one by one! You may notice my son is absent, he was outside enjoying the sun and making houses for worms.
- Gather your materials. You will need 2-3 toilet paper rolls, a piece of heavier paper ( construction paper or card stock), some markers or paint, scissors and glue.
- Start by cutting your rolls into smaller pieces.
- Cut vertically into the roll and fan it out to make petals.
- Color the petals with markers, or paint.
This takes patience , which makes this a great group project hand a group of kids a small number of flowers and have them each make the number they wish , so it’s not overwhelming. - Add glue and place the flowers on your paper- ours is pink and looks great in person but is washed out in the pictures.
- Pop on the paper and let dry. We let it dry for 4-5 hours before moving it.
Books
by Eric Carle is a story about a tiny seed who unlike the other seeds from his flower makes it against all odds to continue the cycle of life. I really enjoy this book and love how it shows all the obstacles along the way for a simple little seed. My son liked this book but didn’t make it all the way through, which I expected since it is a long book for a 2 year old.
Chrysanthemum
The Boy Who Grew Flowers
Posted in Age 3-5 years, Age 5 and older, Crafts, Flower, Flower art, Recycled Art, Toilet Paper Roll Art | 
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Recycled Flower Art
Easy Cut & Paste Flowers
This craft was fast which was perfect for our day. Sometimes my son is all over the place, and a quick sit down activity like this will center him enough that we can go one to something less fun ( like errands) without a fuss. I love using things in my recycle pile and today I had the fall parks and rec brochure that was begging to be turned into art. If you don’t have buttons, pom poms, or even just colored paper could be substituted in their place.
- Gather your materials. You will need 2 pieces of construction paper , some newsprint, buttons, glue, scissors and a marker. I originally was going to have my son use the markers to color the flowers but he had no interests and I am glad he didn’t I liked how they turned out better!
- Start by drawing a flower on the newsprint. If your child is able and willing, have them do this step.
- Cut out
- Cut out some stems and leaves
- Add glue to where you want the flowers to be.
- Add your flowers.
- Add glue to the middle
- Add your buttons.
- Add glue for the stem and leaves
- Add the stem and let dry.
- Add glue for the leaves.
- Add the leaves.
- Share these flowers with someone special- they last longer than real ones.
Song
Feeling musical? Click here to see our “Daisy Song” video with lyrics.
Books
” A Gardener’s Alphabet” by Mary Azarian is a fresh and so richly illustrated alphabet book you will likely have the same thoughts I did while reading it with my son ” I need to frame these pages!” they are that awesome. What I think the main benefit of this book is , is that the words chosen for each letter are not the same old ones you see over and over in alphabet books. The words used are things like Japanese Garden for J, Lawn Ornaments for L and my favorite was Underground for U with a cool illustrations of worms, root vegetables and roots !
“Planting A Rainbow” by Lois Elhert is a wonderful book to use for teaching about flowers and colors. The illustrations are bold and bright, perfect for little curious minds. I have always liked this book because you can sit down and dive into it reading each flowers name on every page , or browse it more casually with a younger child simply noting the colors.
“Chrysanthemum” by Kevin Henkes is a lovely book about having confidence, loosing confidence and regaining it in the end. Chrysanthemum is a little mouse who loves her name until she goes to school and is picked on for it being out of the ordinary. Who can’t relate to this? I know I can . Thankfully my son has yet to experience this all too common, but still so heartbreaking experience . I love that I have a book like this to share with him and open up about it before it happens. Ultimately Chrysanthemum learns to love her name again and regains the confidence she once had. Another fantastic book from a consistently wonderful author.
Posted in Age 2-3 years, Age 3-5 years, Age 5 and older, Chrysanthemum, Crafts, Flower, Flower art, Recycled Art |
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Felt Flower Craft
We made this craft ages ago, from time to time a craft will be made and shelved because I’ve posted a similar one, or one that used similar materials or in this case because I forgot about it. I am always looking for something to do with these applesauce containers besides using them in our play kitchen as bowls. Of course I snuck in a color mixing lesson and if I had more felt I would have made a few flowers with different color mixes like orange and purple.
- Gather your materials. You will need some white and red felt ( these are less than 50 cents a piece) , some red and white paint, glue, scissors and of course an plastic single serve container ( like applesauce, fruit cups etc…) .
- Start by pouring your paint into your cup.
- Mix the two colors, while your child is doing this make sure to ask about what’s happening.
set aside to dry.
- Cut out a large flower from the red felt.
- Cut smaller white petals.
- Add glue to the red flower
- Add the petals, be sure to count them. Don’t worry if some are upside down.
- When the cup of paint is dry add glue around the edge.
- Glue in the middle of the petals. Let dry.
Posted in Age 2-3 years, Age 3-5 years, Age 5 and older, Color mixing, Crafts, Felt Flower, Flower art |
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Letter of The Week V!
I was trying to decide what to do for the letter v and my brainstorming produced 2 things, vulture and vase. There wasn’t really a competition, my son is familiar with vases and I wasn’t sure how to make a vulture in the shape of a V anyway. I think I made the right choice!
- Gather your materials. You will need 4 pieces of construction paper ( the green piece can be a small scrap), some markers or paint, scissors and glue.
- Start by drawing a large uppercase V, ours filled about 2/3 of the page.
- Hand the V to your child to decorate with paint or markers.
- While they paint, draw some flowers. If your child is able to have them draw the flowers.
- Paint the flowers.
- While they are putting their own mark on the flowers, cut out some stems from the green paper.
- Cut out the V when it’s dry.
- Cut out the flowers. I asked my son how many and to pick which flowers he wanted.
- Glue the V on with the stems underneath.
- Glue the flowers on and let dry.
Books
“The Boy Who Grew Flowers” by Jennifer Wojtowicz is one of those books that stays with you. Rink is a little boy who’s family is strange, Rink is no exception, with every full moon he sprouts flowers , from his head. At school he is an outsider and only when a new girl comes to school does he make a friend. He reaches out to her because she too is an outsider, not at school, in her own family. In the end the kindred spirits celebrate their uniqueness. This odd romantic story will warm your heart and serves as a great lesson about how we all feel different and like an outsider sometimes. The illustrations by Steve Adams will stun you, they were so vibrant and paired so perfectly with the story. Wonderful!
Family Craft
I have had the idea to do this craft for at least a year, I don’t know why but other things keep being done instead. When I bought these doilies for a fancy flower garland I did on Crafitivity Corner I knew they would be perfect for this craft and I finally got my act in gear and made it!
- Gather your materials. You will need 2 pieces of construction paper(one should be green), a doily for each flower, water colors, a dish for water, glue, scissors, photos of your family and a circle paper punch if you want.
- Start by painting your doilies with the water colors.
- While your little one is painting, cut out the faces of your family. We just did Mom, Dad and Kiddo but extended family or friends can be included. Let your child decide, it’s interesting to see who they include.
- Cut out stems and leaves for the flowers
- Set the flowers aside and let dry.
- Add glue to your paper for the stems and leaves, I added it as a guide for my son. He’s been rather free with the glue lately! We’ll have to channel that into a more open ended activity later this week.
- Add the stems and leaves
- Add more glue for the flowers- this time I gave it to him , this is about 2% of the glue that made it onto the paper and is still drying 5 hours later ! He didn’t eat it though so it’s progress.
- Add the flowers
- Glue the pictures in the middle ( I should have cut the pictures in larger circles)
- Let dry and watch your family bloom!
Books!
“Stella The Star” by Mark Shulman is a tale about a little girl who is a very important star. Stella is in her school play and when her teachers sends home a note saying she is the star her parents assume she has the leading role. They are proud as peacocks even when they discover she is not the star of the show exactly. What I like about this book is that the parents seem as proud and loving after discovering their daughter has a small part . It’s a lesson to everyone that what’s important is doing your job, or role with all your heart and not whether you are in the spotlight that’s important.
“Jazz Baby” by Lisa Wheeler had my son clapping and be bopping in his jammies before bed. This book is so fun to read, the musical words are impossible not to dance to. My son loves jazz, and his only disappointment was that there were no trumpets in the book. He didn’t understand that the family in the book , which included grandparents, aunts , uncles and cousins were listening to a record. I tried to tell him it was like a cd but the illustration was clearly a record player and he wasn’t buying it. Still we loved this book , the family was loving and I loved that the older brother was holding the baby, not common in kids books to see a boy holding a baby. Great book even without a trumpet.
