Bottle Fun

Toddlers are often mesmerized with the many things water can do. Give them their first taste of science with these bottle experiments.

This is currently in our young toddler class and is by far one of the most loved toys.

Fill a clean sixteen-ounce plastic soda bottle one-third full with water. Add a few drops of food coloring, glitter or beads. Fill the rest of the bottle with baby oil. Glue the cap securely onto the bottle (we also have tape). Shake it up when you are done to watch the water and oil separate as the mixture settles.

Sorting

This wouldn't work for my 1 1/2 yr olds but our 2 and up kids can definitely sort.

In a large container, or sensory table, put a variety of dry pasta in a plastic container. Sort by type. Curly vs. straight. Different colors. Use the words to describe the piles you are making. Curly, straight, corkscrew, wide, thing, short, long, blue, tan, green, red, etc.

Along the lines of using words to describe things you can also use items of different textures (rough, smooth, bumpy, soft). You could use items with different tastes (sweet, sour, spicy, bitter).

You could also use different scents. Put a variety of different herbs or spices into little cloth sacks (think of potpourri bags). How does that smell? What does that make you think of?

Spin Painting

Another fabulous recommendation from the book

Materials
Salad spinner
Tempera paints
Variety of paper, coffee filters, comics

Take the inner strainer out of the salad spinner. Place a piece of paper or coffee filter at the bottom of the bowl. Put the strainer back in. Put one teaspoon each of different colored tempera paints in the bottom of the strainer. Put the lid on. Show your child how to spin the salad spinner. Once you've spun it around twenty times, stop and take the inner strainer out to see the beautiful piece of spin art you've created. Experiment with color combinations and different kinds of paper.

Sensory Table Rice

I love the idea of making a large batch of cooked rice as a play-doh substitute. Dump it out and use spoons, cups, rolling pins or other utensils to mold it. Spoon it into cupcake tins, use cookie cutters, or roll them into balls.

From there I would like to have uncooked rice in our sensory table to discuss the difference in texture for the cooked and uncooked rice.

Flour Prints

I got this from the book 365 Games Toddlers Play by Sheila Ellison

Materials
Container with water
Construction paper
Flour Shellac
Towel

Have your child dip his hand or feet into the container of water. Shake off any excess water. Place her hand or foot on top of the construction paper, making sure to lift it on and off so it makes a clear water print. Ask her to step onto the towel while you sprinkle flour onto the wet spots on the construction paper. Let the wet flour dry, then spray or paint it with shellac. Try making interesting patterns on the paper, but always dip hands or feet into the water and shake them before making the next print.

Note: You could also just paint with water.

Art Tricks

I took this directly from the book 365 Games Toddlers Play by Sheila Ellison.

Things to keep around the house if you intend to have art.

-WD-40 gets crayon off of the painted walls. Spray it into a rag and rub gently onto the crayon-marked surface. Wait a few minutes and wipe away. Then you'll need to wash the oil up with either a small amount of window cleaner or water with a tiny amount of dishwashing liquid. Test in an inconspicuous place first to verify what it does to your paint.

- Use the same technique outdoors if your child has used crayon instead of sidewalk chalk on your sidewalk, patio, or brickwork- only you'll need a bristle brush and some manpower!

- A cotton ball doused in rubbing alcohol will remove most marker stains from household surfaces. Soft Scrub will also do the trick for many a marker mishap.

- Hairspray, glycerin and alcohol can also remove ink stains from fabric

- Dry baking soda and a small brush (try an old toothbrush) gets crayon, pencil and ink out of upholstery.

- Enzyme cleaners, also known as digestives, "eat" protein stains like grass, blood and egg yolk.

**My addition** The mister clean erasor works pretty darned well for almost anything in your house. Just test first on painted walls because it can remove the shine from the finish.

Anything you think should be added to this list?

Tree themed art- collages

This week we are learning about Tu B'Shevat, the birth of the trees. Our activities are going to be more planting and discovery related, however, we are in the process of what was a really successful and simple art project.

I found this fantastic idea for "color" collages at No time for Flashcards. She has some really great younger child ideas. I adapted it to my own purposes.

We began with and easel with a very large sheet of white paper attached.

We painted the paper at the easel with brown and green paint but you could finger paint, sponge or roller!

While the paint is drying, let your child explore the collage materials. We only used green tissue paper but go crazy... You could use buttons, feathers, pipe cleaners, really almost anything. Ask how they feel, what is the same about all of them, and which ones they like. With toddlers you can label things with their texture, shape and of course color!

Drizzle glue all over the painting or with older children allow them to glue as they go if they want. We sat the kids down with paint brushes and glue, had them paint their glue all over the painting and then stick the tissue paper.

Go collage