Art Group

I love art group.  I love the planning and observing the children.  While they're here I feel a bit looney but it is fun.  Today we started outside with sidewalk chalk (to get out some wiggles right off the bat.)  One of the girls immediately said, "It's hot.  Can we go inside?"  I was surprised.  In all our 3 years here, I don't remember Mr. Intensity commenting on the heat.  In her defense, it was 106* today.

Thinking the gal must be bored with chalk, I whipped out the shaving cream.  The boys loved it.  Love, love, LOVED it.  The girls, um, not so much.  The picture above is the epitome of the activity.  The boys eventually turned the sidewalk into a slip 'n slide.  And were covered head to toe with shaving cream.

I didn't really think they would enjoy it that much.  I've only done it inside... with one child.  The boys had to change clothes before continuing with art group.  I should have saved that activity for last.  Live and learn, 'eh?

Since it has been a few weeks, we reviewed primary colors.  Then mesmerized them with this milk trick.  Drop food coloring into milk (with fat) then add drops of dish soap for a fireworks effect.  I should have heated the milk a bit - as I was reminded yesterday that warm molecules move faster.
They worked on counting 1-10 with clothes pins.
...and everyone loved the pumpkin rolls. We talked about the parts of the pumpkin since we added a stem, vine, and a leaf. Because we used toilet paper, there was a bit of bathroom humor at the table (from the boys, of course!) 

Lastly, we reviewed the seasons and made scarecrow puppets.  On the wall were the puppets we made yesterday.  I don't really think of the scarecrow puppets as art but rather an exercise in listening and following instructions.  They had freedom to make the facial expressions, etc. as they wanted.  I explained how I made mine then gave them materials.  I think they enjoyed crumpling the paper to fill the scarecrow the most.
A few minutes before we were to begin, a realtor called to see if she could show my house from 9:30-11am.  The time of art group!  Ack!  Not wanting to turn anyone away, I said, "Sure! C'mon over!  It's gonna be FUN!"