Strawberries

This weekend, my son and I went to pick strawberries. Have you ever gone and picked strawberries? There is nothing sweeter than strawberries picked fresh off the plant.

Let’s start by listening the Cherokee story The First Strawberries retold by Joseph Bruchac. In the story, the man went out to hunt for food and the woman stayed home and picked flowers. The man returned tired, hungry and upset, so the wife left. The sun offered to help the man and tried to catch the woman’s attention. Many berries were created by the sun, but it was the strawberry that caught her attention. The story ends by saying that the Cherokee people believe that the sweetness of the strawberry is a reminder that respect and friendship are as sweet and ripe as strawberries.

Watch this time lapse of strawberries growing . Draw out a part of the time lapse, or draw out a time line of the growth.

The watch Art for Kids Hub to draw a strawberry.

Create a list of favorite strawberry items.

Hats!

Today is Read Across America Day! March 2nd is Dr. Seuss’ birthday, and today is a day to celebrate how much his literature has helped children develop a love of learning.

I decided to focus on the Cat in the Hat’s hat! First, let’s read the story Who’s Hat is This? by Sharon Katz Cooper. This story shares many hats that are worn for different careers.

Now… let’s draw a hat that is easy to recognize… the Cat in the Hat’s hat! Follow along with Art for Kids Hub as they draw this famous hat! Or, make your own out of paper or markers or whatever creative materials you want! I made mine out of Lego.

Today is a great day to read. The best way to help your child to learn to read… is to read to your child!

It’s Groundhog’s Day

It’s February 2nd the day to celebrate groundhogs!

You can:

• sing a groundhog’s day song (Jack Hartmann’s It’s Groundhog’s Day)
• learn more facts about groundhogs (Groundhogs for Kids from Socratica)
• listen to a groundhog story (Gretchen Groundhog, It’s Your Day! by Abby Levine)
• draw a picture of a groundhog (Art for Kids Hub, How to draw a cartoon groundhog)
• watch Punxsutawney Phil predict the weather for 2021

Today is also a great day to learn about shadows! If it is a bright sunny day where you live, go outside and trace shadows with sidewalk chalk. You can go outside again later and see if the shadows have changed! A fun way to do this is to trace your child’s feet and then trace their shadow, later go out and stand in the feet outline… does your shadow still fit in the outline?

If it is too cold, ok like here in my town there is too much snow to do this activity outside today. But that does not mean you can’t play with shadows! Build something with Lego blocks, use dolls or action figures, or use other toys. Stand them on a white piece of paper and use a light to cast a shadow. Using a flashlight, you can change the length and direction of the shadows just as the sun does as the earth rotates.

Christmas Tree

When we think of Christmas, one image often comes to mind… the Christmas tree. It is believed that this tradition began in 16th century Germany. Trees were originally decorated with foods such as nuts, berries, apples and dates. Beginning in the 18th century, people began adding candles to their trees, but this was not very safe. The first Christmas lights were added to the Christmas 1895.

Let’s read some Christmas tree stories: The Littlest Christmas Tree by Janie Jasin and The Biggest Christmas Tree Ever by Steven Kroll.

I decided to share this Art for Kids Hub video How to Draw a Christmas Tree… it is a folding surprise picture. I chose it because when the picture is folded, it is a little Christmas tree, but when opened, it is the biggest one.

Let’s work together on a torn paper picture.

• green sheet of construction paper
• another color to use as the background
• glue
• markers

1. tear the green paper into smaller pieces. encourage your child to use their pincer grasp to hold and tear the paper (fine motor work!)
2. arrange the torn paper into the shape of a tree, if struggling draw a rough outline on the background paper
3. After gluing all the pieces down, pick up the paper and let any that didn’t stick fall off. Glue them back on if needed
4. use markers (or other colors of construction paper) to add ornaments and other decorations.

Hanukkah

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah. Each night, for 8 nights, families gather around and celebrate by lighting the Menorah. The Menorah symbolizes the oil that lasted long ago in the temple. After the Maccabean War, the Jewish people went back into their temple they only had enough oil for one night, but it lasted for eight nights. This is why Hanukkah is celebrated for eight nights. Each night, the shamash candle (the middle one) is light and from there the other candles are lit. One for each night of Hanukkah.

Families gather together and exchange gifts and a meal. They enjoy potato lakes, sufganiyot (a type of jelly filled donut) and other fried foods (in celebration of the oil that lasted 8 nights). The game of dreidel is played to try and win nuts or gelt (gold chocolate coins). And of course, they light the lights!

Learn more with from National Geographic’s Hanukkah: The Festival of Lights Starts Tonight.

This is the Dreidel by Abby Levine

Follow along as Art for Kids Hub makes a Menorah

Now, let’s make a Menorah. You can either have your child put the whole thing together on one day, or add candles from right to left each night as they do in the celebration.

cut a paper plate in half

one half leave whole, the other half cut out a triangle section for the base (you can color or paint the plate pieces or leave them white… your choice)

on the whole half you will draw curved lines to represent the “arms” of the menorah

cut nine thin rectangles from construction paper (I chose blue, but you can do white, blue, yellow, silver….)

make flames from tissue paper or yellow construction paper

now let’s light the lights!

Poinsettia

Poinsettia is one of the most popular plants in the US, it even has it’s own “holiday” December 12th is Poinsettia Day. This plant is native to Mexico and Guatemala. In the winter the leaves transform into the well known red coloring with a cluster of yellow buds in the middle.

Zetta the Poinsettia by Alma Hammond

So, lets do some poinsettia fun…

Here is a direct drawing with Art for Kids Hub!

Now let’s make a paper poinsettia. Using red, green and yellow construction paper. Cut leaves out of the red and green paper. I folded both sheets into quarters and then cut two leaf shapes out of the quarter sized paper making 8 of each color, but you don’t have to do it this way. I chose to lay down the green leaves and then layer the red on top. Then I tore the yellow paper to make the poinsettia flower in the middle.

Animals’ Winter Coats

Let’s listen to SciShow kids teach us about animals’ winter coats.

Animals with Winter Coats! by Sci Show Kids

How Do Whales, Penguins and Polar Bears Keep Warm? by Sci Show Kids?

Many animals adapt by changing in their coats, layers of blubber and or outer coverings to stay warm. Just as we put on winter jackets or wrap up in a warm blanket.

Want to learn to draw some animals with winter coats? Stop over at Art For Kids Hub: Artic Fox, Snowy Owl, An Autumn bird or a cat in a sweater. Wait those last two aren’t really how animals adapt their coats for the winter!

Today draw a picture of an animal wearing a winter coat. It can be a true image of an animal wearing their winter adaptation OR an animal wearing human clothes to add to their winter warmth.

One Last Candy Activity!

Today I’m going to start by linking you to FOUR direct drawings! Yep… 4! They are all different drawings of candy. As you can tell, I really like Arts for Kids Hub for direct drawings!

• Draw a giant rainbow lollipop
• Draw cartoon candy corn
• Draw a chocolate bar
• Draw candy for Halloween

Today’s story: Harriet’s Halloween Candy by Nancy Calton

Today’s project… provide your child white, yellow and orange paper. Show your child the shape of candy corn. Encourage your child to draw and cut out a candy corn shape. Now tear or cut the white, yellow and orange paper to cover and create your own paper candy corn. (These pictures are from when my own sons were 3 and 4)

I hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween… I will see you again on Monday when we start a new month and new theme… Animals get ready for winter!

Scarecrow Direct Drawings

If you have been following my blog for any length of time you know I love doing direct drawings with children. While I wholly see the value of open ended art projects and suggest them on a regular basis, there is much to be learned and gained by following along with direct drawings!

Art for Kid’s Hub has THREE different scarecrow drawings! Check them out here, here and here. While they are not the only direct drawing available on-line, I used their links with my classes often and even my pre-K kiddos could follow along with the drawing steps, with limited support! I love that he encourages the students to try and reminds them it is ok for all the final products to look different… it’s about having fun.

But, let’s talk through how to draw a scarecrow step by step together! Directions inspired by First and Kinder Blue SKies Scarecrow Direct drawing freebie

hold you paper vertically (tall)

In the middle of the page draw a large smile line

On top draw a flat rainbow line touching the tops of the smile line

from the ends, connect back to the smile line with slight curves

now draw the top of the hat, I like to open this up to let the children be creative. I point out where the line should start (where the smile and rainbow lines connect)

draw two parallel lines at the bottom of the smile line, making the neck

from the bottom of that, draw lines parallel with the bottom of the page all the way to the end of the page

below that draw two shorter parallel lines to make the arms

from the end of those lines, draw perpendicular lines going to the bottom of the page

Now for the fun!

Add eyes, nose, mouth (ears if wanted)

Add straw coming out from under the hat

Add a flower, patch or other embellishment to the hat

Don’t forget clothes!

When you are done drawing, go over all the lines in marker or crayon and create the coloring book lines… then color!

Let’s draw Pete the Cat and Name Art

Children love to draw characters they read about in books. Check out Arts for Kids Hub for their video on drawing Pete the Cat, and hear another Pete story! When I used Arts for Kids Hub in my classroom (or any type of direct drawing), I always have my students draw the illustration with pencil first, then go over it with black crayon or maker and finally color in the picture. I do this to show them that they can go back and erase the pencil to fix the pictures. This is important to show them as well as to erase yourself while doing it with them. Children need to know it is ok to make mistakes and they aren’t something to get upset about, but instead they need to just fix it and move on!

The second drawing activity today focuses on your child’s name. Children need to master writing their name correctly, not all in uppercase letters. Children in pre-k should work on recognizing and writing their first name. Children in who have mastered their first name should begin working on writing their last name.

Have your child write his/her name in the middle of a sheet of paper. (You can show them how to use block lettering if you want, but it isn’t necessary) Now create an illustration around your name, or use your name as part of the illustration. In my sample, I used the letters of my name as buildings.

Drawing projects are fun to do at the same time as your child. Children pick up on details to add to their illustrations when they draw at the same time as adults. You do not have to be great at drawing (I certainly am not!), your child won’t care. They see that you are doing the same thing as them and they become more invested in the project. So… draw!