Monday, January 26, 2009

simplest of art supplies ~

cutting

A box full of simple art supplies keeps my 3 year old busy busy!! We love open-ended everything around here. You sometimes hear me talk about open-ended toys, toys that aren't so specific to their function; that can be manipulated in several different ways - and great for playing make-believe. Well, I feel the same way about art supplies!!

simple of art supplies

Elise has been using these simple art supplies everytime she gets inspired, or when her sister decides to make a computer out of markers and construction paper and tape. These few supplies challenge her enough to keep her busy and focused on making what she envisions. {not what another artist envisions in mass produced coloring books!}

tearing tape

These few skills she is learning will help strengthen her small motor skills in her hands, as well as give her confidence, more independence (which three year olds crave) and a longer attention span.

cutting tape

taping

I also love packing up a few of these art supplies for birthday party gifts when I don't have time to sew or knit something. I also love giving the white blank books that I find at school supply stores and a pack of markers for an older child so they can create and write their own stories.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

i think art supplies make great gifts. even thought my daughter has hundreds of crayons, there is nothing like a fresh box.

Beck said...

How much fun to just make things for the heck of it. Kids are so happy when they have a pile of 'making things' on the table and they can let their imagination run wild. I heard somewhere that it's not the final product that matters it's the process...a bit like life I suppose! x