Preschool STEM: Mixed Media Collage Art
I have an adorable 3 year old who thinks that glue and paint are some of the best things in the world, so our next project in the Preschool STEM series is a mixed media art project!
One of the truly glorious things about this project is that there are never two identical products...each is its own beautiful masterpiece!
Sidenote: there might be a certain cartoon that my preschooler also loves that involves kids making "masterpieces" in every episode. I won't lie...my heart melts a little every time she holds up a completed project and declares it "my masterpiece!"
This is doubly fun to do outside. We usually work indoors to contain the mess, but a lovely woman in our community started hosting Art in the Park twice a month. She uses this exact same method, and the kids LOVE working outside! Since then I've let my own girls work outside more often, and they really enjoy it! I sometimes have to remind them to bring in the supplies when we're done, but that is an important part of the process. ;)
Anyway, to let your preschoolers create a Mixed Media Collage Art project, all you need are the following:
* canvas boards or thick paper (like cardstock or construction paper)
* glue
* paint and other art supplies
It's important when you're working with preschoolers to only pull out art supplies that you are comfortable with them using. If it will stress you out to have them squeeze out paint, keep the paint out of their reach. My girls looooove paint, and are generally pretty responsible about using it, so I usually let them pull it out whenever they want. We have a small pile of paper grocery bags that I have ripped open so they lie flat, and the girls usually put one of those under their work.
Here are some of our favorite art supplies:
* paint
* glitter and sequins (I know, scary!)
* washi tape
* markers
* feathers
* craft sticks
* plastic jewels
* wiggly eyes
* scissors
* lace
You can really use anything you are comfortable with. Here are some pretty clean supplies that are still a lot of fun:
* dot markers
* washi tape
* stickers
* flowers
How is this activity STEM? It requires your preschoolers to use science skills (like planning, organizing, hypothesizing, experimenting, analyzing), it lets them experiment with science concepts (like watching liquid glue harden into solid), it allows them to use technology/tools (like scissors and glue), it requires them to engineer/design their artwork, and uses math concepts (like working within a confined space, larger and smaller, and often counting little objects).
Do you love preschool STEM? Do you want to learn more about it? This June I am featuring a Preschool STEM series that includes a fantastic introduction to preschool STEM and nine STEM activities, projects, or challenges that are appropriate for preschoolers! This is the first one--I would LOVE to have you join in and share your own experiences as we move through the next two weeks! You can find the landing page with links to all the activities HERE! You can also join my STEM Activities & Projects for Kids Facebook Group HERE for more STEM-inspired conversations!
Happy Educating,
Carla
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