Colouring Printable: Earth and Beyond

Click on the image to print it at it's original size. Happy colouring!

10 fun things to do with leaves

There are so many fun things you can do with found leaves. Here are ten things!

 

1) Draw them! Leaves offer diverse visual inspiration

 2) Dry them Pop them in a thick book as a bookmark

 

3) Draw around them! Refine those fine motor skills and trace around some leaves.

4) Find different varieties (Go exploring!)

 

5) Make a crown out of leaves, possibly stapled or glued to a strip of paper or felt.

 

6) Make pictures with them! 

7) Make seasonal art

8) Print with them

9) make a leaf garland, practice threading and make lovely decorations! 

10) Do a rubbing impression with crayon or pencil 

(Lay paper over leaf, shade lightly to expose the bumps and ridges of the leaf)

23 ways with pipe cleaners

1)  Cupid's bow and arrow

2) Use as threading tools with beads

3) Weaving

 

4) Decorate a gift

5) Make jewellery

6) Make a monster (using play dough)

 

7) Create bugs and butterflies

8) Make a peg doll

9) Make a colander sculpture (Poke into colander holes and shape!)

10) Make a bouquet

11) make napkin rings

12) Decorate a ponytail

13)Create a rainbow

14) Make a snowflake

 

15) Create people

16)Make a  pipe cleaner paint brush

17) Swirling snake or worm

18) maze (Weaving and threading combined)

 19) 'Magic' magnetic trick

 20) Make crowns and tiaras

 

21) Make a bubble wand, dipping it in a solution of water and dish washing liquid

 

22) make fun disguises

23) Make festive decorations

It's been a while since I checked in here, so if you are keen to find some inspiration, check out my Pinterest board, children's craft and playtime. So many inspiring crafts to be had there!

Today we tried out a printable from minieco.co.uk

PAPER GEMS

Mineco.co.uk's gems

Our gems

A tad fiddly, even for grown ups. But worth it!

A little Etsy Treasury for you.
Some awesome kits and supplies I found.
I can't decide which is my favourite!

milestones + art & craft = bff's

Just a few reasons why art and craft play are important for childhood development.

Feel free to print the chart off and pop it on your fridge!

Food for thought: Mindful encouragement and gender roles

Last weekend I travelled across town to attend the baby shower of a good friend of mine. I'd spent a lot of time buying and making the cutest little pink covered things I could find. I even attempted to make 'girly' cake pops, which were unsuccessful as pops, but still a hit as a chocolate treat.

We'd already discussed pink and all that entailed, and Future Dad was pretty keen on not having too much of it around. (At least not any more than any other colour.) He wanted to know that his daughter could delight herself in the world of colour and feel comfortable with whatever she were to choose. As someone with a passion for arts, child development and creativity, I completely agreed. Colour is something we learn to intrinsically link with so many things in life. However Not all colour coding is necessary.

So there I was, with gifts in a pink box, with a huge coordinating floofy bow, feeling a little silly. My purchases and creations felt needlessly... pink. The last baby shower I had attended I'd found 'first' crayons to go with my gift. It seems that my ideas of gender really impacted my choices.

What starts before birth soon cements, as boys and girls do as they are raised. Books are still written to this day for boys and girls directed at their young colour coded target market. 

We need to be mindful of the ways we influence the next generation.

How does this relate to art and craft time?

It is extremely important that I note there is no harm in children choosing gender prescribed colours. My concern focuses more on the way adults influence children during role play, imaginative play and other creative times. Should it matter who is wearing fairy wings? Playing construction in the mud?

Does it matter which child crafts with the pink card or blue? Is there any reason why boys cannot learn needlecraft and baking, and girls cannot learn woodwork and electronics? Life skills can be learned from these activities.From these opportunities come well-rounded children.

Are we limiting our children by not offering them the gamut of childhood possibilities?

Image via 'Men and Feminism', photographer unknown. 

Postscript. I understand that gender roles are different the world over. My attitudes are based on society that surrounds me, that I am enveloped in. I welcome feedback, and certainly do not consider myself to be flawlessly right on this or any issue.