__________________________________________________
A: Most of the activities I have featured are geared towards the 2-5 year old age group but I have done each with my son who was 15 months old when I began this site and now pushing 18 months, so it is possible you just have to adjust your expectations, shorten the activity and go with the flow.
Q: What do I do if my child won’t sit for art or doesn’t do it right?
A: Well first let me address not doing it right. None of the activities on this site can be done wrong. Your child may not be ready for a particular craft but that is ok, if they are getting frustrated stop , if you want try it again in a few weeks or months. Let them lead as much as possible.
Depending on your child’s age they may not be ready for sit down activities. Young kids learn best through play so parent directed activities should be a very small portion of their day. Our goal is to help you enrich your child’s environment and hopefully learn something in the process. When kids are forced to sit down and do a project they are not open to learning, and it is no longer fun. We want to instill a love of learning as early as possible so relax and let it happen.
Q: Where do you get your supplies?
A: Everywhere! I buy most of my supplies at discount retail stores like Target and Wal-mart, but most of my paint brushes come from hardware stores- they are much cheaper than an art supply or craft store. Most of my books have come from thrift stores , it takes some digging but I have found awesome books for under a dollar.
Q: Where do you get your ideas? What is your background?
A: My ideas are mostly my own , and old staples passed around schools I have worked in. I have been teaching young children in various capacities since 1993, so you can imagine I have done my fair share of crafts, songs and circle times.
I started as a day camp leader in high school, taught various preschool programs at community centers through university, worked as a tutor while pursuing a second degree in elementary education , and most recently worked as a director and preschool teacher before becoming a full time mom.
Early Childhood Education is my passion, despite a degree in elementary education my heart belongs to the little guys!
___________________________________________
LaDonna says
Hi,
My son and I just love your activities. I was wondering if you could suggest good alphabet activities for a 2 1/2 year old? Thanks so much 🙂
Allie says
Thanks so much for the feedback!
I would do a letter of the day with your son, and have a special bag or box that throughout the day he can pop things you both find in the house that either have that letter on it or starts with that letter.
In the bath you can get bath toy letters , put them all in the bath and “Rescue the “B” and help him rescue/find the letter you choose to rescue!
Do not worry about writing yet, although if he wants to , a magna doodle is a great way to do letter play.
Read , read , read and point out letters naturally without forcing.
Sing the alphabet a lot!
Hope those help!
Missives From Suburbia says
I just discovered your blog and love it. Is there a way for me to easily locate the best activities for my 2-year-old?
melissa says
Love your blog–but a question–what do you do with all these craft projects? My kids are so sad to see them get thrown out–but if we don’t my house would be over flowing with them!
momof2 says
What a great site! The URL to your blogg is being passed around a chat group that I am on.
Nessie says
Do
you
have
a list of craft supplies to keep on ha[nd?]
Thanks, and sorry m
y son \is \he\ping
me type.
Allie says
Check out FAQ part II for the supply list !
Elizabeth says
Thank you so much for the wonderful ideas. I found your site just in time, my 2-year son and I are have been just plain bored lately.
My question is how would you respond to “Mommy do it” (my son’s insistence that I be the one to color or glue, etc.) He does seem genuinely content and interested at my efforts, but I was kinda hoping he’d be the one doing it. I’ve run across this quite a lot over the years as a nanny, and have never been sure how to best respond to this.
Thanks again!
Allie says
Interesting that you asked this because my son has just started doing this. With me I use distraction right now, so when he says ” Mama mama color” I ask him what color it is, or if he can show me how he can make a circle. Then praise him and usually he moves on.
With students I would often sit down and make the same craft, I would say “Thank you but I have my own, you can help me though.” I would keep making mine and say things like “I’m going to use the blue crayon which one are you going to use?”
That would usually do the trick.
Hope that helps!
Sara says
I love love love this site and I’m sorta sad that I found it AFTER my oldest started preschool! I must admit that I am floored that you started doing these projects with your son when he was 15 months old. My youngest is almost 18 months and I have tried painting with him and his older brother (about to turn 3) and I end up getting frustrated because he’s trying to eat the paint or paint the walls and then it’s no fun for anyone! Can you share with me how you managed to get your son to actually participate and not eat the materials/rip up the papers?
Thanks!
Allie says
Sara,
He does eat the paint. ALL the time. I started by letting him explore things so lots of finger painting, I made sure that we did art in a place he could get messy, so he wasn’t hearing ” No no no ” from me all the time.
I praised him for all the tiny victories like painting on the paper, not putting the brush in his mouth, and using the proper end of the marker. I try not to loose my cool, and I expect mess. If you know the mess will be a given you are much more relaxed.
For beginners thing like sponge painting , painting with water on plain paper and finger painting is great. Also buckle them in a high chair or booster until their hands are clean if you are worried about the rest of your house!
Good Luck!
Infant Bibliophile says
Hi – fantastic site! Please consider getting all of your ideas into a book. 🙂