MaryAnn F. Kohl, process art and treasures of childhood

February 2014 ArtsyKidsNEWS now ready!

February 2014 ArtsyKidsNEWS now ready!

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DECEMBER Holiday ArtsyKidsNEWS 2013

It's December Holiday
ArtsyKidsNEWS time!

Included in the newsletter are 3 winners
of the "1000th Member" Free GiveAway Book Drawing included.

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We reached 1000 members for the ArtsyKidsNEWS!
Celebration Book Give-Away
3 WINNERS are....
1.  Jes Prochaska has won Great American Artists for Kids

2. Nina Watts has won Scribble Art

3. Shirley Oshima has won Mudworks Bilingual Edition 

 

 

 

 

 

November ArtsyKidsNEWS 2013

November ArtsyKidsNEWS 2013
featuring the NurtureStore

The following jpgs show you what the newsletter looks like, but for a fully interactive one with links, go to this url: http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=5ede963e35560c1088968f662&id=654eb089db

 

ArtsyKidsNEWS October 2013 now available.

The October 2013 ArtsyKidsNEWS is now available. Click on the painted pebbles image below to enjoy the entire newsletter.

Remember, if you suscribe to the newsletter (free of course), you will be in the running for a free book drawing each month. This month, Melinda Fant of Albany NY is the winner of Storybook Art.

Photo Credit: Halloween Rock Painting 

from TonyaStabb.com 

Enjoy a free activity connecting to
Ezra Jack Keats and
"The Snowy Day"
featured in Storybook Art.

* Conecting art and literacy helps kids love their books and want to read them more and more.  http://www.brightring.com/jackkeats.html

The Snowy Day, written and illustrated by Exra Jack Keats. Caldecott Winner.

Making snow angels, from "The Snowy Day" by Keats.

Original collage artwork by grade 2 student.

 

 

 

September ArtsyKidsNEWS

You can see the very latest in leafy art ideas at this link!
http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=5ede963e35560c1088968f662&id=044af0a2ef&e=[UNIQID]

Posted below are jpgs of the ArtsyKidsNEWS. The links are not active in the jpegs, but if you go to the link above, you will have full access to the newsletter. 

I hope you will join the mailing list! (I give a free book every month to mailing list members in a random drawing.) 

MaryAnn

 

 

 

 

February ArtsyKidsNEWS is Here!!

February ArtsyKidsNEWS is here!!

 

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December ArtsyKidsNEWS - holiday art ideas

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Another bonus to joining the mailing list is that each month I give away a free book to someone on the mailing list, which is great fun.

I hope you will consider signing up, and if you already have, I'm so happy!
You can sign up on my website, lower right corner:  http://www.brightring.com

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
MaryAnn 

artsykids news december

 

October ArtsyKidsNEWS 2012

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October ArtsyKidsNEWS

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August ArtsyKidsNEWS - Mud Art Activities!

The August ArtsyKidsNEWS is out
a little early this month,
with artsy mud activities.

View it here!

The newsletter image below is a jpg-copy
of the current August edition.
The actual newsletter is HERE.

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This month's winner is Holly Becker,
who won  
S C R I B B L E    A R T 

Scribble Art

Sign up here for the ArtsyKidsNEWS 

Splish! Splash! It’s Time for Summer Water Fun!

Splish! Splash! It’s Time for Summer Water Fun!

from the Gryphon House blog!

By MaryAnn F. Kohl

Summer is an endless stretch of time for kids to fill. Make it special for them by doing things together. You won’t need anything special – just a little time and cheerful energy to fuel the fun! The bonus to these activities is that you are building memories together. And don’t forget how much fun water activities are for kids! Hot weather is water weather! Here are some ideas for active water fun in your own backyard:

• Play in the sprinkler or with the hose (extra fun: eat watermelon first, and then wash off – and cool off)

• Scrub it up! Kids love to wash and scrub! Fill buckets with soapy water, add sponges and rags, and let them wash their bikes, the swing set, rocks, and the lawn furniture. Have a hose ready for rinsing. Let the sun sparkle on the clean and shiny new world!

• Toss water balloons at targets (or each other)

• Play sponge toss – take soaked sponges and throw them at a designated target (that includes mom or dad!)

• Squirty-Cup-Head Game! Fill a big squirt bottle with water. To play, everyone sits side by side on the ground with a plastic cup on his or her head, backs to the “squirter.” The “squirter” takes the squirt bottle and tries to knock the cups off each person’s head. When all cups are off, the squirter takes his place in the line-up with a cup on his head, and a new person takes a turn at being the squirter. Everyone gets a turn!

• Fill a plastic or galvanized tub with water. A child’s wading pool will work too. Add plastic cups and bowls, turkey basters, spoons, and buckets. Let the kids go at it, pouring and playing. Going barefoot and wearing swimsuits adds to the fun. For extra intrigue, add some food coloring to the water for mixing enjoyment.

• As long as the kids are outside, make Wacky Bubbles together! Start by mixing together 1/4 dishwashing liquid (Dawn and Joy work the best), 2 cups water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Pour the mixture into a shallow container and have a wacky bubble blowing experience with a wacky variety of bubble blowing tools: plastic funnels, six pack soda rings, and plastic cups with holes punched through the bottom make a good start. Add your own ideas.

• When the kids run out of steam, change the bubble mixture into an art project! Pour some of the bubble mixture into a cup and add a few drops of food coloring, liquid watercolorpaints, or poster paint. Blow rainbow bubbles into the air with a bubble blower, and then catch them on a white sheet of paper or paper plate! When the bubble pops, a most amazing bubble print is left. When the paper dries, use markers or crayons to outline the bubble shapes, creating bubble art masterpieces!

• If a little quiet time is in order, create in the shade! Design beach jars under the shade of an old oak tree! You will need a peanut butter or mayonnaise jar for each child, some plastic funnels, and a worktable or blanket on the grass. Gather some containers of sand, shells (whole or crushed), and small gravel or pebbles, even colored craft rice or salt. If possible, cut some fish or seashore shapes from colored foam sheets from a craft store. Mix blue food coloring in water, and set aside. Each child fills his jar with layers of sand, shells, gravel and pebbles, and then places the foam cutouts on the inside of the jar against the glass. When the jar is full, pour blue water slowly into the jar, covering the layers. Tighten the lid on the jar, and the beautiful beach jar is ready to place in a window to catch the sun.

The word summer simply means fun! Doing things together will make the days spin by and before you know it, fall will be in the air, kids in school, and memories will fill the hearts and minds of all. As the song goes, “These are the days, my friend! I thought they’d never end….”

~~~ 

MaryAnn Faubion Kohl is the author of 20+ award-winning books of activities for children. Two of her many titles are First Art: Art Experiences for Toddlers and Twos and Mudworks Bilingual Edition: Clays, Doughs, and Modeling Experiences for Children; The Big Messy Art Book is a favorite for summer outdoor fun.

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April Art with the Rain (from ArtsyKidsNEWS)

The following post is a huge jpg. To see the actual newsletter, go here: 
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This edition of the ArtsyKidsNEWS is for APRIL
with ideas for using the rain to make art. 

If you would like to receive the monthly ArtsyKidsNEWS in your email,
go to www.brightring.com
and sign up for MaryAnn's mailing list.
(Lower right corner of home page) 

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Saying Merry Christmas and Season's Greetings to All!

 

Amazing Mommy-Blog Christmas Ideas

I've chosen a few of my all time favorite Mommy Blog Christmas ideas to share. You cannot go wrong with these blogs on any day, and Christmas seems to have brought out art for children is that exemplary and wonderful in so many ways.

I cannot thank these young exciting mommy-bloggers enough for what they contribute to the world of children's creativity. Bless each and every one of you for your dedication and hard work.

~ MaryAnn

 

Painted Snowflakes from "The Artful Parent"

My comments: Cut coffee filters into snowflakes and paint. (You can also do this with flour tortillas and any variety of peanut butter, jam, or colored cream cheese for a fun snack.) You could also paint the coffee filters first and then cut the snowflake when it's dry.
Thank you, AP! 

Spin Art Christmas Tree Cards from "The Chocolate Muffin Tree"

The Chcolate Muffin Tree blog shows us a way to take spin art and cut triangles to assemble in a tree shape and then further decorate with paint dots, glitter, stars, foil, sequins, etc. Cotton is added for snow, which we know kids would love. I just love how happy these little trees are dancing in the snow. Thank you, CMT!

16 Christmas tree crafts to try from "NurtureStore"

NurtureStore shares some amazing Christmas Tree art -- these are far more art than craft, and so beautiful!

One of my favorites is the paint chip art cut into trianges to make little trees. Great gift tags!
And look at the sticks and driftwood tree.  Ooooo.

Sixteen different ideas for you, and just amazingly beautiful yet exploratory and unique for each child. 

Recycled Paint Stick Snowman from "Pink and Green Mama"
"Measure the snowfall!"

Pink and Green Mama blog shares this cute craft. I bet no two snowman sticks will look alike! Provide lots of felt, paper scraps, and ribbon or fabric strips for his scarf. Number at one inch intervals from the bottom up (from 1 to 8), and you have a measuring stick to count the inches of snowfall on Christmas Eve. (dreaming of a....)
Thank you, P&GM! 

 

Recycled Materials Christmas Tree from "The Imagination Tree"

The Imagination Tree provides the young artist with a cardboard tree shape, and then stands back as the artist paints the tree base and then adds scraps and doodads and other items from their "Jar of Wonder". Oh glorious! Check their blog to see how they fix the tree to stand.

Thank you IT! 

 

Thank you all for making Christmas merry, bright, and creative for children.

And Happy New Year to All!

 

PS. I send out a newsletter once a month with an art idea and other news and fun. If you'd like to sign up, go here.  

 

 

 

Vintage Christmas Pictures to simply enjoy

I hope you enjoy seeing this great mix of Christmas images, most vintage (that is most from my own childhood growing up in the 50s in Longmeadow, Massachusetts). Do you see any you remember or love? If you have some favroites, send as email attachments to [email protected], and I'll post them for you!

5 Days of Art with Leaves -- PLUS two bonus leaf art ideas

5 Days of Art with Leaves ::: PLUS two bonus leaf art ideas!!

 The original article by  Kaplan Early Learning  
from October 14, 2011 with added photos and comments by MaryAnn.

With as many leaves on the ground as there are on the trees, October is the perfect time to create leaf art! Have your students collect a colorful assortment of autumn leaves and explore a week of exciting leaf art activities from Art with Anything by MaryAnn Kohl!

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Day 1: Basic Leaf Paint and Print

Materials:

• Leaf (any color)
• Watercolor paints andpaintbrush
• Drawing or construction paper

What to Do:

• Place a leaf on a covered workspace. Paint the leaf with watercolor paints. While the leaf is still wet, press white paper on the painted leaf, patting and pressing with your fingers to help the paper pick up the paint design.
• Lift the paper from the leaf to see the print transferred to the white paper.

Hint: Sometimes the leaf sticks to the paper and needs to be peeled away.

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Day 2: Leaf Burst

Materials:

• Leaves (real or paper cut into leaf shapes)
• Drawing paper
• Damp sponge
• Thin tempera paint or liquid watercolors in a shallow tray

What to Do:

• Choose whole, complete leaves with good edges, either fresh green leaves or supple fall leaves. If leaves are unavailable, draw bold leaf shapes on paper and cut them out to use instead.
• Hold a leaf firmly on a sheet of drawing paper with one hand. Dip a damp sponge into thin paint with the other hand. Dab all around the edges of the leaf, brushing the sponge outward from the leaf’s edge onto the paper creating a “burst” design.
• Gently lift the leaf from the paper to see the clean stencil with a brushed burst design. Make several burst on one paper, changing colors and overlapping shapes, if desired.

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Day 3: Watercolor Leaf Paint   

Materials:

• Watercolor paint and paintbrush
• Drawing paper
• Leaves

What to Do:

• Cover a sheet of drawing paper with very wet watercolor paints. Paint color all over the paper without making a picture. Press leaves into the paint in any pattern or arrangement.
• Let the painting dry completely, usually overnight.
• Peel off the leaves and see the design images remaining in the paint.

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Day 4: Wiggle Leaf Design

 image 2

Materials:

• 2 or 3 fresh green or supple autumn leaves or paper leaves
• Large drawing paper
• Black marker (permanent marker works best)
• Crayons, colored pencils, and markers

What to Do:

• Using the black marker, trace around two or three leaves (and no more) on paper. Color each leaf with crayons or markers.
• With a crayon or colored pencil, trace just beyond the leaf shape by ½” or so, following the shape, but not touching it. Then trace around this line, about ½” more, expanding out from the original leaf.  *See image 1 with black lines.
• Do the same around each leaf with ever-expanding lines. As the expanding lines grow, lines will at some point bump into each other. Make an artistic decision about when to stop drawing lines. Even if they cross over each other, the design will be interesting and look “wiggly,” like an optical illusion. * See image 2 with lines colored in.

image 2 

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Day 5: Melted Leaf Mobile

Materials:

• One large leaf, either real or cut from paper
• Electric buffet warming tray – adult supervision needed
• Mittens or work gloves to protect hands
• Old, peeled stubs of crayon
• Stick or thin tree branch from outdoors (12” – 18” long) or a paper towel tube 
• String, thread, or yarn
• Paper towels or rag for clean up

Note: Although the warming tray will not get very hot on the “warm” setting, it is important to have an adult nearby at all times and to wear protective mittens or work gloves for this activity.

What to Do:

• Place a large leaf on an electric buffet warming tray (ask an adult to set the temperature on “warm”). Leaf shapes cut from paper are equally effective for this activity.
• Use a crayon to draw on the leaf. Allow the warm tray to melt the crayon as you slowly color the leaf or paper leaf shape. Try mixing several colors on the leaf if desired.
• Remove the leaf and set it aside. Color several more leaves in the same way.
• Attach each leaf to a tree branch with a different lengthof string, thread, or yarn so the leaves hang down at various levels. To hang this tree branch mobile, tie string to each end of the branch (or paper towel tube) and join them above.

Note: Electric buffet warming trays are usually available in thrift stores and yard sales. Warming trays are easy to clean: While the surface is still warm, wipe off the warm crayon with an old towel or paper towels. If you use the tray only for art, detailed cleaning is not necessary. If you plan to use the tray for non-art related activities, cover it with foil before using it for this activity.

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Art with Anything by MaryAnn Kohl is available from Kaplan and Gryphon House for $19.95 plus shipping and handling. For more books by MaryAnn Kohl or for more amazing early childhood resources, visit the Gryphon House website. MaryAnn's website is another great resource for this title.

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BONUS LEAF ART IDEA:
Leaves Like Matisse!!

 

Create a leaf cutting like the great master, Henri Matisse!!

Stack colored paper, from three to five sheets, or whatever number of papers you think you can cut through easily. Cut a leaf shape Matisse style from all the paper at once. Fan out the results and look them over. Then paste the shapes on a background paper in a design you enjoy.

Here's an original by Matisse: (* Oh, how I love Matisse's work!!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Optical Leaf Cuts

Another interesting leaf art design you might enjoy sharing with kids is this abstract optional illusion. It's easier than it looks. 

The basic directions are
1.  Cut a leaf shape from the orange papers. (You can use any colors, and any shapes.)
2.  Glue all the orange squares with the missing leaves  on a background paper, in this case, yellow paper.
3.  Next glue all the orange leaves in the yellow spaces. This artist chose to flip the orange leaves over, but you can do anything you like.

Easy to do. Really!!

Halloween Color-Changing Cups of Spooky Fun

I saw this idea somewhere and thought it would be fun to try, but I have my own take on the color changing fun (see idea 2)! Kids will be thrilled with the way their drink changes color before their eyes.

Halloween Magic Begins!
MAGICAL COLOR CHANGING DRINKS 

You will need:

    party cups, clear or solid

    food coloring, ice 

    any clear drink (Sprite, Fresca, Ginger Ale, 7-Up, Club Soda)

Idea 1: 

 Place a drop of food coloring at the bottom of each
party cup and let dry. When ready to serve, fill each
cup with clear ice. Then pour in the beverage, and
watch the kids be surprised as their drink changes color. 

Idea 2:

 Pre-freeze ice cubes in different colors using strong
food coloring. When ready to serve, fill the cups with
a clear beverage and leave room for a few ice cubes.
Plop in the cubes at the last minute, and suggest to
the kids that they look at their "magic" clear drink
to see if anything is happening.

All this color changing reminds me of the little ball of white 
playdough you can give a child, but inside is a tiny drop 
or two of food coloring. As the child plays with the 
dough by hand, the color(s) begin to emerge.