Shamrocks, Scissors and Saint Patrick

To celebrate Saint Patrick's Day, why not try your hand at making a shamrock mask?  

Simply gather some green construction paper (or white paper and green paint), pencils, safety scissors, green yarn, glue, a paper stapler and some crayons, markers or glitter for decoration.

Ready set, go and draw a shamrock on a piece of green construction paper, making sure the shamrock is big enough to cover your face. 

Then, cut the shamrock out of the paper, draw some holes for eyes and cut them out too. 

Next, decorate your shamrock mask with crayons, markers or even glitter. Use your imagination and see what you come up with. 

Finally, attach yarn to the mask using a stapler. Use this yarn to tie the mask to your head.

Note: If you have a lot of time, you might want to create a shamrock mask using paper mache. To do this, cut a shamrock shape out of very thick paper (or cardboard). Then, layer small pieces of newspaper dipped in paper mache (wallpaper paste, water and glue) all over the shamrock shape. Let dry and paint.

Did you know...

The shamrock is a type of clover with white to pink flowers and bright green leaves. According to legend, Saint Patrick (Ireland's patron saint) picked the shamrock (three-leaf clover) as a symbol of the Trinity of the Christian church.
 
Now you know.

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Lesson: Andrea Mulder-Slater

Illustration: Geoff Slater

Don't Lose Your Marbles!

by Andrea Mulder-Slater

This KinderArt Blog post is truly from the "making art from any old thing" files.

The supplies are simple: Paint (we used tempera), marbles, a plate, an empty box (we used an empty blueberry box) and paper.

First, place a piece of paper in the bottom of the box. We were lucky - our box was exactly the same size as an 8-1/2" by 11" sheet of paper. Then, squeeze some paint on the plate and have your child or student dip the marbles into the paint.

Next, the marbles go into the box - on the paper.

Then - the fun begins! Have your child or student hold the box and turn it this way and that. The marbles will roll around, creating patterns. Also, the paint will begin to mix as one color collides with another. We used an open box - but wouldn't this be fun in a closed box? A pizza box perhaps? That way, the completed image would be a total surprise.

My girl had a blast and the finished works of art are delightful - as you can see...

Try it yourself and keep creating!
~Andrea


Find fabulous art lessons at www.KinderArt.com

Yellow and blue make... magic

by Andrea Mulder-Slater

As teachers and parents, sometimes it's easy to forget that simple, is sometimes better, when it comes art education. We look at our keen and interested students and children and naturally, we want to share wild and wonderful materials and techniques with them at every turn. However, it is important to remember that the process and not the product is key - especially with younger children.

So - remember to take time to follow the lead of the littlest ones in your home or school classrooms. Because, in their worlds, yellow and blue don't just make green...

... they make magic.

Keep creating!
~Andrea


Find fabulous art lessons at www.KinderArt.com