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)

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.

Junior Crafternoon with painted pots

With the wintery weather dampening any plans for outdoor activities, we decided to paint some pots. We'll be ready for a sunny day, when we can plant something pretty and maybe even find a worm or two.

What we did:


1) Gather acrylic, kid friendly paints and brushes. Lay down some newspaper to protect the table.

2) Stick masking tape on your pot in any pattern you desire.  
L was pretty relaxed about his taping, I had more of a geometric look happening, rather triangular.

3) Brush paint on as you please.  
I kept my colours in blocks, L went for a more freeform approach.

4) Maybe even mix some colours!   
We learned that blue and red make purple, and blue and yellow make green! Blue is a helpful colour! 

5) Wait for the paint to dry.  
Our paint was taking too long, so we used a hair dryer to help speed up the process.

6) Locate the end of your tape, and carefully pull it away from the pot.
Little fingers might need some assistance to find the ends!

7) Admire your pot and ponder what you might like to plant in it.


Terracotta pots are a pretty inexpensive crafting supply. A small pot is only a couple of dollars, and the saucer a little bit more. So this craft could be a great gift to work on as well!
Another option with this pot is to finish the paint with a varnish. We haven't this time, and we'll see how the paints go! I think varnishing just over the paint to the terracotta would be nice, so as to leave that raw feel. 

I love you this much!

 

For Mother's Day this year I wanted to come up with a Crafternoon gift that suited L (five) and his current focus times and interests. I had a few requirements. I needed something that worked in duplicate (one crafted gift for mum and one for gran), and I needed something that had reasonably fast and varied stages, to hold L's attention. I also wanted to make sure that it conveyed something relevant to him. L displays more interest and focus when he is aware of the plan for the afternoon, and the sequencing of the craft, so this time I thought I'd show him a rough visual while talking the task through.

 

Supplies Needed: 

Small gift box 

(We used a CD sized box from the local craft store.) 

Coloured Felt 

(one sheet should do for smaller hands.)

Ribbon

around 2 metres

Scissors, craft glue and a marker.

Supplies to decorate the box (paper, stickers, paints, glitter glue, etc.) 

A little slip of paper or gift tag to write a note on.

Method

Trace around juniors hands. 

Cut out hands, or have junior do so, if they are able to use sharp scissors. 

Measure child with ribbon. Try arm span and height, and work out together which one is bigger. 

Cut ribbon to this length. Apply glue to each end, and adhere a hand on each. 

Decorate box and create a gift tag that says 'I love you this much'. 

 

Want to collaborate?

Collaboration. 
(I can help you with your Junior Crafternoon!) 
Got an idea for a junior craft or play printable but not able to get it done? I might be able to help!
Share with me your idea, and if it is possible, I'll create a kit, template, downloadable pdf, anything that will help you with your own Junior Crafternoon experience. If you want rights to these items, we can discuss a donation for my time.

Media, Marketing, PR, book publishers, supply and kit review opportunities. 
This little blog is still only small. However, like the small people who inspire us, we are on a path of learning and development too. Gifts of crafting material, resources and kits are most welcome.
All reviews given will be an honest response to the supplies quality.

For collaboration or marketing communications, please email shimmerandglow AT hotmail DOT com 

About Junior Crafternoon

Crafternoon is a term coined to describe a particular time to get together and partake in the joys of arts and crafts. The best kind of crafternoon is had with sweet treats!





It’s no secret that I love arts and crafts.

I believe that creative play and discovery has the power to educate, comfort and shape our minds, no matter our age. As this is so, I have decided to document my adventures in junior crafternooning, as well as the efforts of others. If I get really organised, I might even manage templates and downloads, if you are lucky! Hopefully I can provide you with references and ideas for your very own junior crafternoon!




I love to see children embracing art the way only they can, with an innocence that is needed with which to have self belief. I aim on encouraging that belief!


Want to contribute? Contact me and we can chat!



My other arts and crafts and things: www.shimmerandglow.com.au