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I'm in a round sort of mood what with all the cookie baking and glass balls floating about for the holidays. I've put together a list of books about circles and dots. You can find my newest listmania list here and stay tuned for some round worthy art fun coming up this week.

One thing you can start on is making your environment an all circles all the time kind of place. Get out your kidlet's balls and/or other round toys and play. Talk about their shape and ask your wee ones if they can think of other things that are round. Grab a stack of paper plates and some crayons or markers and set up a circle inspired art center. When you are in the car or out and about create a circle scavenger hunt. Once you open your eyes up to circles that's all you see!

Arting it up for Thanksgiving...

the Old School way...

Come on, you remember doing this, don;t ya? Whether or not you like it, think it is art or just plain silly I tell ya, kidlets LOVE doing this. It's a nifty trick, turning your hand into a turkey. This project could probably give you some much needed kitchen/clean up time, just make sure your wee ones can handle scissors before leaving them alone!

What you need:
*yours and/or your kidlets hands
*markers, crayons, pencils, etc.
*kid friendly scissors
*construction paper, scrap paper, magazine pages
*tape and/or glue
*feathers, ribbon, fabric, tissue, etc.

scrumdilly-do it!

Set your wee ones down with all their materials. Really, the supply list you could use for this is endless. Help them or have them trace their hands. Cut out hand shapes. You may want to do this for younger wee ones and while you are at it, cut out enough hands as there are dinner guests, you can turn these turkeys into place holders or table decorations!

Next up, decoration time, color, glue, tape and bedazzle your turkeys. When you're done, give them a name and put on a show and tell. Most of all, have fun! Let your kidlets get creative, let them go wild with the masking tape. If they want a pink turkey, let them have a pink turkey, the goal for this is to give them all the freedom they want to turn their hand print into something else. Who knows what they will come up with!While you're at it, read them a fun book. I'm sorry I didn't get this up sooner but two of my favorite Turkey stories are Twas' the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey and Pete's Chicken by Harriet Ziefert with pictures by Laura Rader.Happy Turkey Day! Don't forget to ask your wee ones what they are most thankful for and while you are at it, don't forget to ask yourself!

Not Made in China

I was working on a post with links and ideas and such for holiday gifts from the heart when I came across Amy of angry chicken's post. She has written it out so clearly all the thoughts in my head and so I urge you to wander over to her post for a looksie. You may also want to check out Etsy for other handmade options for your wee ones and of course, take a gander at my new fab matching game.Other links and shops and such:

Moolka Toys
Oompa Toys
eeboo
Rosie Hippos
The Daily Green
Parent Dish
Family Fun Handmade Gift Ideas
The Toymaker's Paper Toys
DIY Kids

Pine Cone Pizazz

More pine cone fun...use 'em as a paintbrush of sorts.

What you need:
*pine cones, all sorts and sizes
*paint such as acrylic, tempera or poster
*coffee filters or a light fabric like muslin
*paper bags sans bottoms & cut open, construction paper or large pieces of bark
*paint brushes or sponges
*white glue
*leaves and other natural elements if ya like

scrumdilly-do it!

You can take a nature walk first so that your kidlets can go adventuring. Don't forget the masking tape! I live in Los Angeles and gathered most of my materials in my backyard. If you live near a park, you can go there or of course hit the forest or beach if those are nearby. This is a perfectly adaptable project to use no matter your outside environment.

Gather your supplies and get ready to get a little messy. The first thing you will want to do after you set up is to have your wee ones paint their pine cones. Let them slop it all on, the more paint and colors the better.Once their first cone is smothered in paint, have them take up a coffee filter or piece of fabric in one hand while placing the pine cone smack dab in the middle of the fabric with the other. Have your kidlet(s) wrap, squeeze, fold and/or arrange their fabric/filter around their pine cone, release and set aside. Repeat with more swatches or more different painted pine cones.Set out the paper or bark and have your your wee ones arrange their filters, leaves and such for collage. Glue all pieces on and set aside to dry. There you have it, a nifty nature collage!What will your wee ones use?

This is a great activity to talk about nature and what is around you. Take time on your walk whether it is around the neighborhood, park or forest to talk about the critters you see everyday. You can talk about ground squirrels versus tree squirrels. Why do pigeons bob their heads? How many grasshoppers can you find? Even the most ordinary critter to us can be fascinating to a kidlet. Take sheets of thin paper with you along with unwrapped crayons to make impromptu tree rubbings. Stand still and listen to the noise around you. I live right off a busy street but when the traffic slows, around me I can hear a woodpecker, hummingbirds and angry squirrels. Don;t forget that nature is all around us as it should be. Take some time to enjoy it with your wee ones and make some nifty art while you are at it!

Nature's Canvas

Fun with pine cones!

I have found that most kidlets get a real kick out of painting things that they wouldn't ordinarily paint. One fun project for fall (or anytime) is to paint pine cones. We collect them year round here at the tiny casa. So, take your kidlet out for a walk and go pine cone gathering. Once you are back home and settled in, have your wee ones paint a pine cone masterpiece!

What you need:
*pincones
*acrylic paint
*glitter
*paint brushes
*clean, paint proof area to work in

scrumdilly-do it!

Set out your supplies and let your wee ones have a blast paint, paint, painting away. Add some glitter to the wet paint for flair...Set your pine cones somewhere to dry and wait.Once they are dry, Let your wee ones decorate the house with them or perhaps load 'em into a bowl for a centerpiece.You can also add string to them and string them along...Oodles of fun can be had and a bowlful of painted pinecones would make for a great homespun gift.

**To kick it up a notch, throw in a few other collagable supplies like feathers, ribbon, pipecleaners and glue and let your kidlets fancy up their pine cones even more. Have fun!