Free Art versus Processed Art

[countrymom]

I have a 3 drawer bin that the kids can go in any time they want. I also have a crayon coral that is out every day.

we don't use glue sticks because they were using it as chapstick and lipstick ! I do have special scissors but then they all got excited and wanted to cut up so much paper.

I shop in the states as in ontario does not have your back to school specials like you go guys do.

so I buy alot in aug.

also, I shop end of season season clearance. Last week I was buying valentine cards in boxes for 14 cents a box and stickers too, I bought lots of them. And the kids love them

also, you know all the fancy cards people send you, well I rip off the cover part (the part that isn't written on) and put them in the bin, the kids LOVE them, and its free. Ask parents to save you the card fronts too.

I start the kids off really young, they learn pretty quick what they can do with crayons and that they can only color on paper.

also, with coloring books, I started ripping the pages out, because i found that kids would scribble in a book, but by having a sheet they seem to use it better.

I would love to have paint out, not sure where I would put it and how would I keep the kids from painting everything.

[lovemykidstoo]

She is a coupon guru! Seriously....this gal can shop and shop cheap too!

https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52976

I can't access this link for some reason. It says I'm not authorized.

[NeedaVaca]

I can't access this link for some reason. It says I'm not authorized.

I just bumped it up for you in the OT section

[lovemykidstoo]

I just bumped it up for you in the OT section

Thanks so much!!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I think I do a mixture.

I will give them the materials to paint, say a green shamrock. I will give them a ton of materials, and I would say thats process art. But the paper is cut into a shamrock, which I think is a "teacher oriented" art project.

We made gold medals last week, when learning about the olympics. I gave the kids 3/4 different materials to make the round pieces of foam board gold, and let them go to town. Then I punched a hole and put ribbon through it.

Maybe once a week, they just get a blank piece of paper, and whatever process art materials i choose, and get to go nuts on it and do whatever they want.

The rest of the time, I would call my art projects "contrived process art". A balance between the two.

This is where we are at most of the time, too. The parents just love things that look like something.

[Unregistered]

I think I do a mixture.

I will give them the materials to paint, say a green shamrock. I will give them a ton of materials, and I would say thats process art. But the paper is cut into a shamrock, which I think is a "teacher oriented" art project.

We made gold medals last week, when learning about the olympics. I gave the kids 3/4 different materials to make the round pieces of foam board gold, and let them go to town. Then I punched a hole and put ribbon through it.

Maybe once a week, they just get a blank piece of paper, and whatever process art materials i choose, and get to go nuts on it and do whatever they want.

The rest of the time, I would call my art projects "contrived process art". A balance between the two.

This is what I do too. Kids decorate or paint a shape any way they want. I do more "process" type crafty art about once every couple months.

I also buy $1.00 stickers from Michael's.

I use large paper plates a lot. Bingo daubers on p. plates, water color on paper plates, sticker dots on paper plates, etc.

We paint a lot with kool-aid. Sprinkle unsweetened kook-aid on paper ( I use Wal-mart card stock-large pack for about $5.00) I sprinkle various colors on the paper and the kids paint with water. They will do this forever! I aways look at it as science too. The color changes and it smells so good!

Also, I put a coffee filter on a paper plate. Kids color all over the filter with markers. I like how crayola turns out best. The kids then paint over their marker design, and the colors run together.

I do this kind of stuff all the time.

[countrymom]

This is what I do too. Kids decorate or paint a shape any way they want. I do more "process" type crafty art about once every couple months.

I also buy $1.00 stickers from Michael's.

I use large paper plates a lot. Bingo daubers on p. plates, water color on paper plates, sticker dots on paper plates, etc.

We paint a lot with kool-aid. Sprinkle unsweetened kook-aid on paper ( I use Wal-mart card stock-large pack for about $5.00) I sprinkle various colors on the paper and the kids paint with water. They will do this forever! I aways look at it as science too. The color changes and it smells so good!

Also, I put a coffee filter on a paper plate. Kids color all over the filter with markers. I like how crayola turns out best. The kids then paint over their marker design, and the colors run together.

I do this kind of stuff all the time.

I like the idea with koolaide but doesn't it stain.

[CraftyMom]

I like the idea with koolaide but doesn't it stain.

That's what I'm thinking too, I'd love to try it though!

[spinnymarie]

We do a group craft every week, mainly for me to make sure the kids who don't do it on their own are getting some cutting in.
Otherwise we have an art center that is always available. There is glue, not sticks just bottles but I'm going to look into that glue sponge!, scissors, adapted scissors for the littles, all kinds of paper and envelopes. I got a lot of free envelopes from different places and the kids love those, plus i have some stickers, crayons, colored pencils, and some random items like pompoms and sequins that I some times restock I have 18m - 5 yrs right now, so it works just fine. Every once in a while I have to clean crayon off of the wall

Two of my best tips: I have DH bring home the paper from his work recycling bin for us to draw on the back, and stores that sell cards will give you extra envelopes for free if you get there at the right time.