Treasures of the Heart Preschool and Child Care: March 2011

Making Mirror Images

(Creativity)

Skill activity supports: Fine Motor Skills, Creativity Goal: Intellectual, Physical, Emotional, Social

Creative Play is what children do when they are just being children, and there are plenty of things you can do to encourage creative play. Whether it is drawing, painting, cutting, pasting, playing with play doh, all children love being creative, and the act of being creative brings with it so many benefits.

Many preschool creative activities are done with paints because kids love the world of colors. It gives them an opportunity to express themselves as they work with paints. From the children's art work, teachers often can tell the emotions that the child is going through. Such preschool activities also provides opportunities for kids to venture into new ideas and creativity.

MATERIALS REQUIRED

white card stock
paints - at least 3 primary colors
newspaper

OBJECTIVES

to create a mirror image of paint patterns
to enhance creativity
to improve eye-hand coordination
to work on fine motor skills
to experience with colors
to have fun

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Have children put on an apron or large t-shirt.
Cover table with newspapers.
Have sufficient paints – quantity and variety of colors.
Fold the white card stock into half, then open it, making a dividing line.
Squeeze / apply paints in blots onto one side of the card stock.
Fold the paper over the paints and have children rub the paper gently with their hands.
Slowly open the card stock and enjoy the mirror image picture.
Talk to the children on how secondary colors are made when they happen to overlap the colors. Do the children see anything in their artwork. (Our children saw a bunny, butterfly, fish, etc).
Hang up to dry.