I Ain't Gonna Paint No More...and Some of the Less Pinterest-Worthy Aspects of the Home Atelier

One of my favorite art themed children's books of all time is Karen Beaumont's I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! It rhythmically and humorously captures the story of a creative budding artist whose canvas happens to be his entire body (literally draining his entire paint supply). It also sparks a great question for aspiring artists: what is your canvas? For many children, it's usually a blank sheet of paper placed horizontally on a tabletop. What if it were vertical instead, on an easel or a wall? What if it were spread on the floor? What if it were hung outside? Or what if it was actual canvas? Or vellum? Or tracing paper? Or card stock? What if it were a different shape? What if it weren't paper at all, but a tray or the floor or the bathtub walls or--gasp--your entire body? Well, I'm not diving into body painting today (although hands and fingers are a frequently used material here), but I am going to delve into some of the messier parts of introducing and having an atelier in your home or classroom space...

My photos here and my account of setting up a home atelier are somewhat Pinterest-worthy, but let me take you on a tour of lessons learned the hard way that might not look as pretty in a photograph...

I spent the better part of a Sunday setting up shop. We happened to be starting dinner (and did I mention I hadn't eaten anything in 6 hours and was starving?) when the boys first came in to see it. They were, of course, immediately interested in diving in. I, however, was half focused on that and half focused on my bowl of stir fry. Not ideal at all. Ideally, I would have devoted my full attention to introducing this space and what we might do with it. I would have moved at a slow and intentional pace and really given this occasion the sense of honor and respect that I wanted to see mirrored in how the boys would interact with it. Instead, I kind of forgot that they couldn't possibly already know that I didn't set out squeeze bottles of paint purely for the albeit enjoyable purpose of squeezing it all out. They couldn't have intuited that I did not mean for watercolors and tempera paints to be used at the same time. (And why not? Why can't they be used at the same time??) They would not have known inherently that I envisioned the beads as part of a design in loose parts and not part of a necklace. (And, again, why not??)

So while I nibbled and simultaneously chased after two eager artists, I tried to keep the calm and nurture the excitement. Y proceeded to squeeze every last drop of white paint onto his pallet, the table, the floor. S moved from painting a rainbow to mixing colors to making necklaces. The boys created a multitude of masterpieces and I hadn't even thought yet about how and where to display them, let alone where to set them to dry. I had four very painty hands and the lights in the bathroom were off, the door was still closed. Rookie mistake. We had a ton of painty brushes but no place to put them until we could wash them. Ok, time to provide one of those recycled plastic sushi trays. And then it was time for bed, we would try again tomorrow. I said to the boys (as much as I did to myself) that we were all new to using the atelier. It was a very special thing to have an artist's studio in our home and it was OK that we did not know everything about it yet; we would learn together.

Day two, I set out an invitation with our book and essential question. I set out a variety of "canvases" and our paints and brushes. This time, we moved a bit more slowly and with a bit more intention, but this time it was S who became enamored with squeezing out the paints into his tray and Y who wondered how it would look and feel to squeeze them right onto some glossy finish photo paper. I had such a gut reaction to say "no" and such an urge to get to "yes." I wanted to honor their curiosity and process. I wanted to convey respect that mixing colors was as much a part of art as painting with them. I wanted not to have to buy stock in Crayola or sell a kidney on the black market in order to maintain my paint supply. Where should I draw--or paint--the line between wonder and wastefulness?

I reached out to a teacher friend of mine who runs an atelier in her preschool. She is an artist as well and extremely talented and creative. We brainstormed ideas and she reminded me of some core atelier materials I had not remembered to include:

• Adequate time: Children need enough time to explore and engage and remain engaged with art. If they are rushed, their creative process cannot expand and it may not emerge at all. We would need to tweak the "open access" policy a bit to accommodate times when we really can engage and to be "closed" when we cannot. A large sheet or tablecloth draped over the shelves could work to visually close it off. I also  like using laminated signs and velcro for this purpose. I have used this method for a while to "close" our art shelves on Shabbos or holidays. I can use it as well to close some or all of the shelves at other times as needed. 
• Adequate attention: Time's kissing cousin is attention; mine was divided on the first occasion we used our atelier. In that sense, I missed an opportunity to really lay a foundation and groundwork for this space, but fear not! It's not a one shot deal! We will definitely be able to backtrack and establish a stage for this performance.
• The complete lesson: Just because you are not engaging in directed art does not mean the children do not need directions. I wanted so much for this to be their space and process that I neglected to set any boundaries at all and this was not helpful to their creative process. It actually probably inhibits it. Now we do take the time before beginning to talk and plan. It's OK if our plans change as we go and it's OK to experiment and revise. In addition to plans for preparation, giving over the complete lesson also includes establishing the skills to retrieve materials, transport them, where to use them, how to use them, how to clean them and where to put them away. I find that I nearly always leave a gap in some area or another and the children are the ones who show me where that is. It might be that I neglected to include a wet wash cloth for intermittent cleaning of hands or spills. It might be the lack of a space to set completed work to dry. It might be a very simple fix, but it can be helpful to perhaps jot these things down (unless you have an amazing memory) so that you will remember them in the future.
• Tricks and Tips: Along the way, you'll pick up tips and tricks. Some will be through trial and error. Some will be from the young artists themselves! Some will come from the creative recesses of your mind and others still will come from seeking the counsel of other atelieristas and artists. Regarding the squeeze bottle situation, my brilliant friend had several brilliant ideas. Perhaps we could add a bit of flour to thicken the paint and slow the process down. Perhaps we might draw a line on the outside of each bottle to designate a minimum point for how much paint could be used in a day or week. I proposed the idea of perhaps using a small jar and squeeze bottles to create a space where it was ok to squeeze and mix colors of paint that could then be stored and used. And then, the very next day as I sat down to continue a masterclass I am taking on process art and the atelier model, another teacher shared her trick of storing paints in empty soap bottles with pumps. The children are instructed to use two pumps at a time and can get more as needed. There you have it! For every challenge in the atelier there are infinite solutions! I ended up buying some empty pump bottles in bulk off Amazon and re-stocking our paint supply in those. And if you're looking for a tip on how to clean out the nozzles of those painty squeeze bottles: a tiny botttle brush used for baby bottle nipples or a straw brush work quite well!
  

• The Products of the Process: Having an atelier will undoubtedly increase your supply of art projects. I do want to give each creation the honor and respect it deserves. I usually ask the children what they would like to do with their work when they feel it's completed. Sometimes they want to hang it up. Other times they want to give it to someone special. They sometimes want to use it to make something else or store it in our "scrap paper" drawer for future use with collage. We are fortunate that although our space here is limited, we have a lot of magnetic surfaces to hang artwork and I love metal clip magnets for this purpose. The kids can hang and access their own work. We do hang and display some work on our walls and still other work is displayed on a garland with clothespins that hangs above their table. One area we are short on in our home is free horizontal surfaces to set things out to dry. Bakers racks stacked on top of one another can help with this challenge as well. And what to do with the overflow of projects over time? Do you save every single creation? Toss them when no one is looking? I like to select some very special ones, take photos of others and upcycle others into new artwork. Sometimes we give work away to a grandparent and sometimes we cut it into pieces for collage or to create greeting card sets as gifts or even to make bookmarks or labels. You might even use a blank journal or sketch book to store small pieces of artwork or photos of larger ones so young artists can maintain a timeline of their experience and growth in the atelier.
• Using Resources and Literature for Inspiration: While I love for the children to independently create using their own ideas and imagination, I also like to incorporate provocations and invitations to inspire them. Using children's literature, especially some of the great choices out there on the topic of art and artists, can be a great starting place. Pinterest, Instagram and similar sites offer a lot of tried and true ideas from others. Incorporating art books and works of art from "real" artists and even photographs and coffee table books with animals, nature and other items of interest to your children at the time can also offer inspiration and a starting place for those who may be overwhelmed by Blank Canvas Syndrome. Sometimes these items may just be set up or set out in our space and at other times I may introduce a more formal activity with them, as I did with I Ain't Gonna Paint No More.

We will likely come across a variety of triumphs and challenges in our home atelier as we continue to expand on it and tweak it. An atelier is never a stagnant space. It is always evolving just like the young designers in it. I look forward to sharing these with you along the way and until then...

Happy Playing!

Setting Up a Home Atelier for Your Budding Artists

Way back when I was promoted from Classroom Teacher to Play-at-Home-Mom, I was inspired to nurture my then two year old aspiring artist. In short, this meant having our art shelves stocked with materials accessible to the shorter members of this household. But as we increased in family size and more of those short people became busy and mobile, I have admittedly fallen a bit short on art center inspiration and implementation. We go through phases of being quite crafty and even engaging in fun and exciting process art activities. We've even studied various artists. I would say that while my kids have such a beautiful and inspiring confidence in their artwork, my own deficit in the area is a lack thereof. I do recall my own fearless creating as a child and somewhere along the line, I intuited that art must "look a certain way," which mine did not and from there I chose creative activities I feel more confident in but largely abandoned that open ended style of creation. I even felt rather inhibited as a teacher in this area. Art was probably for the art teachers, and while opportunities and materials were always available and accessible to my students, I did not necessarily devote as much energy and time into that corner of the classroom.
I do realize in watching my own children as well as my students that most children begin with a sense of wonder and spark of joy when it comes to art. There are surely a variety of colorful personalities within that and many shades of each one. Some children are inherently drawn to drawing. Some are not. Some feel a great deal of confidence and ambition while others are hesitant and reserved. Some will mass produce masterpieces and others are minimalists both in approach and production. But regardless, to me, the greatest importance was the experience itself--whether it was directed or child led, whether it was picture frame worthy or just some scribbles that needed to come out on a page. I worry, however, about children losing both opportunity and confidence in creating art. This, more than anything else, inspires me to preserve and support my own kids' spark of joy in it.
I've increased my own research and studying of teaching and promoting art to very young artists. I also jumped on an opportunity to take an online masterclass in the subject. And while there are so many approaches to art in early childhood and so many pedagogues overall, I am very eclectic overall. I do, however, really appreciate the Reggio-Emilia approach to setting up an atelier [fancy-schmancy word meaning a studio or workshop for one to create and design]. And since I always need yet another project on a Sunday, I tackled our own art shelves at full force and created our own family atelier.

So come on in and take a peek inside our playroom, a space not only for play but also for creation and exploration!

I sent my husband and the kids on a mission while they were at Walmart to bring home paint samples in all of the rainbow colors plus black and brown. Taped to our shelves, these help navigate and designate space where materials for mark-making in each color are stored. Separating colors and color groups helps them to be visible and easily accessed. It also encourages more planning in artwork as the children will need to think about what colors they want to use and what materials as opposed to picking out of a container full of all different colors or mediums (which also has its merit). It can encourage mixed medium work as opposed to works done all in crayon or marker alone. 
For Y it is also an opportunity to work on learning his colors. Many young children struggle with color names and identification because they are rarely isolated in our environment. Furthermore, one word, "green," can describe a multitude of shades and hues. In that sense, I never worry when young children confuse color names or have a harder time identifying them at first.
When it comes to artwork, we often see a plain piece of standard size white paper. For some art and artists, this is adequate. But for some artists who may be more reluctant, I've found that size matters. And color. And texture. So I like to include as many "canvas" options as possible--even canvas itself and temporary art surfaces like mirror trays or empty frames. I also have a hard time setting out this many options if I store them horizontally, as the only thing visible would be what is on top. I used to keep a three-tiered tray of papers for writing and drawing, but even that was limiting. Using a file sorter was the perfect solution. It is able to hold a variety of papers, trays, frames and canvases so they are easily seen and accessed. I included white paper in heavier marker weight, newsprint weight, photo paper with a glossy finish, graph paper, black card stock, colored cardstock in a variety of sizes, origami (origami lovers are cringing), tracing paper and canvases in a couple of sizes. 




I also used the file sorters to store mirror trays, empty picture frames and paint trays. Also accessible are a jar with several kinds of scissors, a bowl with glue sticks and a variety of tapes, a tape dispenser with clear tape and a couple of bottles of liquid glue.
I keep our family's sketch books and some stick bound journals we made accessible on another shelf for works of art that they wish to preserve in that way rather than on a wall. I love sketchbooks and journals for their ability to capture the story of their artist/author over time. It is so special to be able to look back over the months and even years and see how we have grown and changed. It is also a great portable option for taking art on the go, a topic I look forward to exploring and writing on more in the future.

 I like offering as many "real" art materials to children as I can, so while we do have the standard crayons and markers and colored pencils available, they also experience quality chalks and oil pastels and charcoal pencils. These tiny plastic drawers are a great storage option and the recycled sushi trays above them are great for transport of chosen materials from shelf to work surface. They can be used for paint, loose parts, drying smaller works of art and more. They are also a great way to encourage portion control when it comes to collage materials. Empty glass bottles are readily available for the boys to fill with water when they paint. A couple of mountable hooks stuck to the side of the shelf hold some art smocks should the boys want to cover up. Y is always game for sporting a smock (and just about any type of uniform for that matter). S does not like to cover up and unless we are using a permanent medium that will surely stain or wearing something that one of us would mind getting stained, I don't push it. I also stack a set of art mats (dollar store vinyl placemats) and larger trays for protecting/designating work spaces. And that brings me to the paint...

Tempera paints are now set out in condiment bottles and a jar is stocked with a variety of brushes and tools for painting with. A few watercolor pallets are also ready for use. This was the area that first and most drew the boys in. It is also the area that so far has required the most troubleshooting and I'll be sharing more about that in a future post.

Another area that I'd like to expand on in the future is our shelf of loose parts for design and creation. I currently have jars stocked with beads, sequins, plastic gems and assorted buttons. The boys, seeing the beads at first, were initially inspired to create jewelry and asked for beading elastic. I'd also like to include some wire working in the future. I would love for them to explore loose parts for the purpose of design in addition to creating permanent pieces. Y naturally does this whereas S already has an association with these being used solely for crafting in a more "traditional" sense. Some creative provocations and invitations would be a great way for us all to expand our pallet here. This is also a shelf that will likely shift more frequently. Some materials will probably always be out and available and others I'd like to rotate and change to follow our interests over time.

There are many kinks to iron out. The boys are showing me what needs to be added, what needs to be altered, where I have lacked in giving over a lesson and where I have become too rigid and overbearing. But this journey could not have begun at a more opportune time. Y has always loved artwork and using different mediums to create it. More and more he is also embracing his growing independence and being able to do things "byself," as he puts it. He has become increasingly confident in drawing lines and even circles. He also has observed from his brother that these things go together to represent other things, so he will take his crayon or marker or paint to the paper and say "this is a vacuum" or "this is a snowball." Sometimes his picture somewhat resembles his label (as in the case of the snowball, which was indeed a large circle) and other times it does not (as in the case with the vacuum, which was a long, zigzagging brown line across the page or paper).

S has always been a bit less prone to art activities. He will participate in a directed activity, he sometimes even would choose to make something on his own, but if given the choice of something else to do, he often would pick that something else. There were also certain mediums he was more drawn to than others. He has always enjoyed beading and sewing and sculpting--any type of very fine motor art and the engineering end of it as well. He also always loved cutting (and was quite proficient at it early on) and hole punching and gluing. He was not as confident in drawing and writing, but when this guy gets his confidence, he rolls with it. Sure enough, kindergarten has taken him to new heights of writing and drawing. And that confidence and its accompanying interest level have also spilled over into other art forms--especially painting and messy art. These used to be areas he'd be hesitant in at first. He really needed time to be able to ease into it and options to wipe/wash hands as he worked.

Before beginning my atelier overhaul, I considered what was most important to us in that space. I knew I wanted the space to be accessible--for the boys to be able to easily take what they need, use it and return it to its home. I wanted the space to be aesthetically pleasing to inspire and nurture the beauty that is a young child's creation and design. I also needed to consider our overall space, being that this is just one component of our home and that our home happens to be rather small. An atelier is never a stagnant space and especially in working with a home environment, and a smaller one at that, there would need to be ways for the boys to easily transport materials from here to there.  I would need to provide the right materials to get from conception to creation to completion and clean-up. And, as I would quickly learn upon its first unveiling, it would require a quite a few other supporting measures as well, but that's a topic for my next post...


If this happens to inspire your own redesign of a home or classroom art space or even if you'd just like to read more on the subject, I love this article on How to Save Space with a One Shelf Atelier by Sally Haughey of Fairy Dust Teaching. In addition to working with a small space, I also operate on a restricted budget. I did not go out and buy a whole bunch of new supplies. Short crayons work just as well as longer ones. Swinging for higher quality supplies when possible does save you in the long-run, and you can save on these by taking advantage of sales, coupons and even secondhand shops. Thrift stores and the Dollar Store are great places to find containers, trays, some art and craft supplies, loose parts, frames, and more. Friends and relatives might also be a good resource for donations of supplies and recycled materials. And don't discount the hardware section of your local big box store or even your local hardware store itself! Nature is always a ready supplier of useful materials for creative work. While the aesthetics of an atelier space and the supplies within it are of importance, the most important thing is what happens in that space. An atelier is a space for creation, design and, of course, play.



I'll be back tomorrow with some additional tips (and trials) of setting up a home or classroom atelier. And until then...

Happy Playing!

A Peek Inside Our Spring Themed Playroom

I know, I know, it's not Spring yet, but I just couldn't wait any longer! We've all got the itch to get outside and dig in the dirt and until then, we've been happily playing, creating and daydreaming about our future garden inside our playroom. Some people get into Spring cleaning; I get into Spring playroom setup--to each their own! So come on in and take a little walk through our Spring themed playroom updates... You might even stay and play for a while!





Small World Play & Literacy:

One of our very favorite books for early Spring is Sibylle von Olfers' The Story of the Root Children. This tale lends itself so beautifully to storytelling and small world play. I often use our top shelf (pictured to the left) as a Nature Shelf, particularly during seasonal shifts. Stocked with the book and a couple of others in that genre, some natural, manufactured and handmade loose parts, the space is ready for small world play and storytelling! The boys enjoy arranging materials on the shelf and also carrying them to the rug or table to play with in a larger space. They can also add in other building materials and accessories as they wish. As the season continues, the shelf will shift along with it...

Old Man Winter is there for now and the Root Children are still fast asleep under Mother Earth's careful watch...

but soon enough, Spring will bring forth new surprises and wonders both found outdoors and handcrafted inside.

Dramatic Play: Flower & Garden Shop

As Purim is also coming up in two weeks, our dramatic play area is still stocked with props and materials for building castles, dressing up, puppetry, acting out fairy tales and cooking up delicious meals at the Three Bears' Cafe. I did add in a Spring element as well with the addition of our Flower & Garden Shop...

We used some printables and inspiration from Pocket of Preschool's Flower Shop and Garden Shop Dramatic Play set. S really loved using the order form to check off which type and/or color of flower the customer (me) wanted to order...and I really loved that I managed to sneak in some pencil practice!

S is busy planting the daffodils I ordered in our DIY No-Sew Planting Set as Y uses our make-shift garden hose to water the growing flowers.

Y is having a go at the pencil taking flower orders...

Our shelves are also stocked with color sorted (and labeled) cups of flowers for planting, picking, arranging, selling and purchasing as well as a collection of gardening tools, gloves, watering cans, pots and vases and even a basket of actual seeds with a couple of magnifying glasses to encourage closer observation...

S had the idea to use the seeds in dramatic play for planting. He is sprinkling sunflower seeds on his plot!

They need lots of water to grow!

Sensory Table: Planting Station

Filled with assorted dried beans and stocked with pots, gardening tools and artificial flowers, our Planting Station Sensory Bin is the perfect Spring themed extension of our flower and garden shop dramatic play. Both boys have had a lot of fun scooping, raking, filling and planting in this area.

Art & Writing Center:
I must admit that while I am full of ideas for our Art & Writing Center, it is the area that most often gets neglected and, well, a little bit stale. We do a lot of art and pre-writing activities and the boys do go through phases where they are particularly interested in some of the materials, but I don't generally change it up as often as some of the other areas and everyone is always very excited when I do!

A bit out of the box, here is our collection of Fairy Garden Loose Parts for use in art and design. The boys can use the artificial flowers, furniture, stones, mosaic tiles and small fairy play accessories on their own, with the mirror trays, with playdough or even in their growing Fairy Gardens (which I will post on at a later date).

One of the best ways to freshen up a stale art and writing scene, I've found, is to change up the paper! As odd as that sounds, writing, drawing and painting on a medium that is of a different size, shape, color and/or texture really encourages artists and writers of all ages and interest levels. Here, we are stocked with some seed catalogs for cutting/collage, graph paper for garden plans and design and fingerpainting paper (glossy in finish) cut in half with rounded edges. Off to the side, I've stocked our Stick Bound Nature Journals (another DIY home project I'll post on in the future).

Coloring books are a great way to relax, create art and practice fine motor and pre-writing skills. Very often, they are stored away on a bookshelf here and sometimes, even when they are out and available, they are used once or twice with crayons and then re-shelved and abandoned. With the addition of watercolors, brushes and plastic cups (recycled from some small flower plants), a new element of wonder and creativity is added. The boys can use the watercolors with the Spring and nature themed coloring books or choose some watercolor paper instead (also in the drawer).
They are able to take a cup to the bathroom or kitchen to fill with water as needed, empty it when they are done and help wash and replace items to the drawer.

Our writing drawer is stocked with Spring themed writing paper from Pocket of Preschool's Spring Math & Literacy Centers set, assorted sizes and colors of cardstock, blank cards and envelopes, a notepad, butterfly and caterpillar shaped papers and a collection of Spring and gardening themed stickers. I've found both boys flock to do writing and drawing the most when there are many options for supplies and mediums to use!

We love Kwik Sticks here (top drawer) and oil pastels--both of which work beautifully in conjunction with watercolor paints for gorgeous resist art. The middle drawer is stocked with some floral and Spring themed rubber stamps and washable black ink. The boys can stamp away and add color in the form of colored pencils, pastels, watercolor or whatever strikes their fancy. I especially love my recycled sushi tray collection. It's a great way to transport items from our shelves to the table to work and also great for collecting and transferring other small objects around the house for use in play. These are also useful for painting projects, playdough and "portion control" in small loose parts or scraps used for collage. That is an item that is always accessible in our art and writing center and they get plenty of use!

As we eagerly await the weather outside to catch up, we've been really enjoying Spring themed play inside with materials both natural and man-made. The boys' wheat grass Fairy Gardens are growing quickly and we've added in a couple of small flowering plants purchased quite inexpensively from Trader Joe's. (There will be more on this, as well, in a future post.) There is much to look forward to as we plan, plant and ease into the season. As Purim comes and passes, we will be phasing out some of the play things and materials related to that theme and making space for additional Spring related activities and themes related to other upcoming events. Until then, there is much to be excited for both outdoors and in!

We'll be back soon...

Think Spring & Happy Playing!

A Peek Inside Our Playroom: Mid-winter Updates

There are only 59 days left until Spring, but who's counting? This time of year, right around Tu B'Shevat (which begins tonight, into tomorrow), I start to feel a wee bit antsy. I waver between re-reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series and seed catalogs. This year, I combined the two and read The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Frontier Landscapes that Inspired the Little House Books by historian and master gardener, Marta McDowell. The somewhat unpredictable winter climate of Virginia has us in and out, out and in. When we are out, we are happily playing in our play garden, picking up and collecting sticks, whipping up delicacies in our mud kitchen or watching the birds enjoy our seed. And when we are in, I want to hunker down and handcraft.

This time of year truly beckons me to craft and create, whether it's painting wooden peg dolls, needle-felting, making melt and pour beeswax candles or lotion bars, knitting, sewing or embroidery. I also long to be surrounded by greenery and plant life. In reality, I am surrounded by little children and not much is green and lively out there. So I bring a bit of green indoors and the children get busy handcrafting as well--in their own way!

Our Birdwatching Basket has meandered to our
Nature Table, along with some toy birds, nests and a
favorite collection of succulents for them to nest in!

I've written a bit before on handcrafts with children. I used to reserve my time while the kids napped or slept for working on projects (and often I still do), but the kids are very curious about what I do. They also want to help and try it out! Neither of the boys are quite ready for knitting or sewing by hand, but there are things they can do now and like to do. S is probably ready to learn finger knitting this year and work more independently with embroidery and both boys really like stringing buttons and beads onto pipe cleaners and working with yarn and fabric in their own creative ways. These are fabulously useful loose parts to include in an art center! So with some updates to our shared space and play area, we are all ready to go when the weather outside or early sunset dictate that our time be spent indoors.

little hands are encouraged to please touch these plants and the boys have a great time hiding little birds among the foliage

Our sensory table is simple and a bit of a Tu B'Shevat/recycling themed extension: dried beans and items from our recycling bin are combined with a couple of scoops for pouring, transferring, building, constructing and more...

Our art and writing center are stocked and ready for the boys to access their favorite activities along with some new ones...

S is really into writing these days and, little brother Y loves to follow suit! They both especially love using the pencil sharpener--this is quite handy for me, since I have a lot of pencils I need sharpened. S also loves cutting papers from our scrap paper bin. For a long time, he stored these in the tiny trash can and threw them away, but a couple of weeks ago, Y started digging through it for pieces to glue to a collage. I added in a small scraps box they can use for "pretty" scraps that can be used once more and now everyone is happy, even the trees!

I always keep these small drawers stocked with some coloring materials and small papers, cards and bookmarks. I change out the coloring supplies every so often to keep it exciting. S and Y LOVE tape. S was so happy when we got a tape dispenser last year, and it's definitely been a more economical way to keep up with both boys' tape habits than the small rolls. I love keeping recycled sushi trays available for paint, small loose parts/collage parts (great for portion control) and transferring a smaller amount of crayons, markers or other materials to a table or work space.

Our writing drawers change out with our themes (currently one drawer has pet/vet themed materials to go with our dramatic play center and the other one has winter themed materials). The bottom drawer has become home to glue sticks, larger scissors or other types of tape, hole punches, pencil grips and other necessary odds and ends.

Both boys love using pipe cleaners and buttons. Stringing buttons on pipe cleaners and otherwise bending, twisting and manipulating the wire or using buttons for sorting, sewing, etc. are great fine motor building activities. Each of the boys can use the materials in their own way and at their own level.

Our embroidery basket has a couple of hoops fit with burlap (great for early sewers) and a tin with blunt size 13 tapestry needles, a few colors of embroidery thread and a tape measure. This is more geared toward S's ability level right now, but Y can use the materials with my help as well.

Ah, those scraps of leftover yarn that are too small for even a one-skein project. In different colors and textures, the boys love to touch and unravel it and pretend to knit using large, blunt wooden knitting needles. They can probably also begin to help me unravel and wind my own skeins of yarn at this point!

The Fabric Basket gets used in a variety of ways--from becoming a blanket or outfit for a small doll to a costume piece for one of the boys or "dirty laundry to be washed" or even a rag for cleaning or wrap for a gift or parcel of food. It's also a great way to use the bits of fabric I have leftover from projects or favorite pieces of old clothes, blankets or other textiles we couldn't completely part with once they got too worn out to use or donate.

I do have visions of Spring and starting seeds and basking in the warm sun. But there's no use in simply waiting and watching. There is plenty to do in the meantime! In fact, surrounded by a bit of the outdoors brought in and my family, I can really come to enjoy the slower, gentler pace of winter. .There is a a beautiful rhythm of knitting needles clanking, thread pulling up and through and back down and through, and even the front door opening and closing as we go in and out, out and in, all the while happily playing!

A bit of "out" brought in for winter along with some forced amaryllis bulbs--some faring better than others...

DIY Recycled Art Blank Books

I love using Tu b'Shevat as an opportunity to teach children about ways to recycle. We keep a scrap paper bin in our Art Center and over time it collects the boys' old art work, magazines or catalogs, bits of papers from cutting projects, old greeting cards, gift wrap, foil, tissue paper, and more. The boys love our scrap bin! S uses scraps for gluing, cutting, hole-punching, taping, folding and more. Y, who is ever ready to color, write or draw, frequently pulls out a paper to do that with or will take small scraps from our tiny little trash can and ask for help to glue or tape them on a larger one. Throughout the house, we also hang and display the boys' artwork whether it is a directed project, process art or something S brings home from school. Every so often, we need to clear out the display to make room for updates and when we do that, art work gets put in one of a few places: the, um, round file receptacle in the kitchen, a grandparent, the scrap bin or, perhaps for very some very special items, a folder on our bookshelf.

As of late, S has been very interested in illustrating books. On a recent trip, he filled each page of a tiny notebook I gave him with illustrations that portrayed a story he was able to dictate to me. He was so proud to "write a whole book!" I love supporting my little writer and nothing feels more valuable than preserving your story in the format of a book. I'm not sure the notebook industry (or my wallet) can keep up with his current pace and while I certainly don't feel that his artwork and writing are wasteful uses of notebooks, I do want to encourage a mentality of sustainability here. As we learn about the many gifts we receive from trees, I decided to gift my boys each with their very own recycled art blank books using papers from our scrap bin and some oil and watercolor paintings they did over Chanukah that were still hanging on our family museum wall. These will be the perfect take-along for our trip up north to visit my family. The boys can color, write, draw and doodle or even tape in pictures and small mementos.

To make your own recycled art blank books, just select a piece of art you like for the cover. I chose something done on thicker watercolor paper as it is a bit sturdier. It can be standard size or any size! For the rest of the pages, you can use blank paper, lined paper, graph paper, colored paper and/or more recycled art. Even if there is already a bit of writing or drawing or some stickers on a few pages, it's fun to be surprised as the pages turn!

Any combination of papers will do and, personally, I think the diversity of it all makes it more fun. You'll want to cut your pages to the same size if they are not already in that form. From there, once everything is folding down the center and lined up like a book, I used a blunt needle to poke two holes in the margin, about an inch or two from the bottom on either side. Using embroidery floss, yarn, string or thread in your color of choice, run a cord through the two holes and tie a double knot or bow to secure it. Now the boys can write and illustrate as many books as they please--scrap paper and recycled artwork are resources that are in abundance in this household! These would also make a lovely gift for friends or family.

We may not be saving too many trees here with two busy artists and authors--but we are certainly using and appreciating their wares to the fullest this Tu B'Shevat.

Happy Playing!

8 Great Chanukah Activities: Day 1 Chanukah Dramatic Play

A toy latke eating blast from Chanukahs' past... Now if only he would eat the real thing!

Chanukah is finally here! The build up in this household has been long and immense, particularly for S, who has been looking forward to Chanukah since last Chanukah! This holiday really is such a fun one for children and families. Lighting the menorah each night, frying and eating latkes and donuts, dreidel games, gelt and parties around town all invite families to spend extra time together during this darkest time of year. S was so excited for our community's Chanukah on Ice party this year. He had his mind and heart set on trying to skate, and what do you know? He did it! In very closely related news, my wonderful husband also took one for the team and tried to skate! I think I was more worried about S's ego than any bone in his body, but although he lasted only a few minutes on the crowded ice rink, he was proud of himself for trying and might even want to give it another whirl. In the meantime, he and Y can continue to enjoy our indoor skating rink...

Chanukah was probably my favorite holiday as well growing up. For one thing, my [Jewish] birthday happens to fall on the first day! And there were a lot of presents. We are not big into Chanukah presents for the kids, although there are many doting grandparents and relatives who are and it is very likely they will come to make the association as well. We did initiate the boys making each other a present last year and we did that again this year. I like the idea of doing that as a Chanukah activity when they both get to give and get something rather than on one of their birthdays when jealously already abounds. They were both so thoughtful about it this year and it was quite sweet! I took Y to Walmart with me one day while S was in school to pick out a project to make and he adamantly declared on the craft aisle he wanted to get S a water bottle. So we made our way to the kitchen supply department and picked out a metal water bottle for him to decorate with permanent markers and stickers. S initially had the idea to make Y a blanket with bumblebee printed fleece since Y really loves bees and frequently dons a bumblebee hat I knit this fall. At the last minute, seeing how much Y enjoys putting on scarves from our Skating Rink dress-up basket, he opted with my suggestion to make him a bumblebee scarf instead. We cut a strip of the fabric together and using a piece of masking tape, I marked off a square at each end for him to cut strips for fringe. Y's face upon receiving the gift pretty much says it all!

But aside from the giving and receiving of gifts, Chanukah really is a time to spend together as a family. The menorahs are lit, there's no place we need to be, so it's a great time to play together! And my gift to all of you this year is 8 Great Chanukah Activities you can enjoy as a family during the holiday, after the holiday or another year, if you wish. And since this is a blog about play, the first day's activity is all about ways to encourage Chanukah themed dramatic play at home.

Once the menorah is lit, it's off limits. Frying latkes and donuts are also activities that can be a little risky to involve kids in once the oil gets super hot. Many ritual and holiday objects are hands-off and we like to make holidays here hands-on! One way we do that is by including holiday props in their play area that they can use to play about Chanukah. Even the very young can enjoy exploring Chanukah candles, dreidels and gelt, even oil and water from the safety of a sensory bottle. (My older guys still love our Chanukah sensory bottles!) Both of the boys loved our clothespin play menorah as babies, but now they both favor using a real one with real candles (unlit) in play. Those tin menorahs are perfect for this! They are inexpensive (and often given out for free this time of year by various organizations) and the candleholders are malleable enough for little hands to maneuver candles in and out with minimal breakage. You can also make candles out of pipe cleaners, straws or crayons. 

My kids love to help in the kitchen and making latkes can be a labor intensive process. They have tried their hands at washing, peeling and cutting potatoes, even mixing latke batter. But once the pan gets hot with oil bubbling out every which way, I prefer kids to be out of the actual kitchen and in their own toy kitchen. This inviting little setup allowed them to prep, mix, flip and fry their own little latkes. I used toy eggs, potatoes and onions from our kitchen food collection. I made a bottle of "oil" using actual oil and water in a recycled bottle I sealed with hot glue and duct tape. Our latkes are actually wood circles and the accessories are a combination of dollar store kitchen supplies and toys. But even before we had accumulated these props, we had just as much fun using a Dollar Tree frying pan set and latkes cut from yellow craft foam!

Making their own dramatic play props is a great way to empower children to take ownership and pride in their play space. The boys loved making gingerbread salt dough cookies for our Chanukah themed play bakery. They smell just about good enough to eat and have been so much fun to use in play!

Want to do more? Grab some scarves, props and accessories from around the house (kids can come up with their own or craft things from cardboard, paper plates, etc.) and act out the Chanukah story. There are plenty of children's books with family friendly versions. Grab a pack of gold gift-wrap and some golden and glittery party favors from the dollar store. Wrap a set of wooden blocks or recycled boxes and rebuild the Beis Hamikdash in your own home. Older children can even help with wrapping blocks in gift-wrap. And what's Chanukah without a party? Many communities are bustling with special events this week, but even if yours is not, children love the activities involved and planning and throwing a family party. Gather some arts and crafts materials from around the house and let them have a ball decorating, making invitations, place cards, and even menu and event planning. We will be back tomorrow with another great Chanukah activity for Day 2! Until then...

Happy Chanukah and Happy Playing!