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Thursday, March 10, 2011

Babies CAN do crafts!

I can't tell you how many times I have heard "my baby is too young to do crafts" since I started this blog.  Well I am here to tell you...you are WRONG (in the most polite way of course!).  If a baby can hold a small toy they can create art. I am so excited about this post because I love babies and I love crafts, combine the two and I am a happy camper.  I don't have a little baby anymore (she is 15 months) so I borrowed the adorable Miss. Sidney for a power art session. Sidney is just 3 months old. Normally I wouldn't do multiple projects in a row with a little one but I only had a couple hours so ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

The first rule of baby art (other than the obvious safety things) is that it's about the PROCESS not the PRODUCT.  You need to look at each art project as a creative sensory experience and the fact that you can hang adorable "proof" of this experience on the fridge is a bonus.  When planning baby art think about what babies like-noise, texture, color, and new things.  For the record Sidney never touched paint directly during today's projects but I have done straight up finger painting and toe painting with tiny ones many times.  (Note: Baby wipes make for quick and easy clean up.)

Here's what we did:

Project one- Add paper and paint to a ziploc baggie.  Let the baby look at it, touch it, crumple it.  Talk to the baby about how it feels (smooth, squishy, cold). Talk about the colors and what the paint looks like (red. blue, purple, shiny, thick).





Project 2: Add paper and colored ice cubes (water & food coloring) to a baggie. Encourage the baby to move the ice cubes around.  Talk about how the ice cubes feel (cold, hard, slippery) and how they look (colors, rectangle).  Explain what's happening to the ice cubes and why they are melting.  (Gotta start science young!)



Project 3: Place paper, paint, and marbles in a plastic container with a lid (I used a frosting container-confession: I don't always make my own frosting!). Instead of marbles try a ping pong ball, golf ball, pennies, grapes, etc,.  Talk to the baby about how the container feels (heavy, smooth, cold). As she moved is, what does it sound like?


Project 4: Lay paper on a cookie sheet (I used a disposable one only because I found it while packing and have no other use for it). Put some paint in the middle of the paper.  Cover with plastic wrap. I put Sidney on her Boppy and showed her the project.  She touched it.  Normally she hates tummy time but she did great!  Talk about the colors and the way the plastic wrap feels.  Also try different textures to cover up the paint such as wax paper, cellophane, or bubble wrap (bubbles up).

Notice that I put a blanket down in case there were any messes. (Of course I was the one that spilled paint on the blanket, not the baby.)

Normally I would take shoes and socks off for this part but Sidney was getting hungry so we improvised.

Here are some of Sidney's finished projects!


Remember: the shape of the paper and the color of the paint can be changed in any of these projects to suit any holiday or your personal taste.

Well there you have it folks, proof that babies can do art!  I hope you try some crafts with your tiny ones soon and send me some pictures!!!

Today is the last day to enter the amazon.com gift card giveaway!!!
Happy Crafting!
Ames

20 comments:

  1. So Cute! We had so much fun...I will admit I was a neigh-sayer when it came to baby art...I thought Sidney was too young, but she loved it! until she had to lay on her tummy :)

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  2. Thank you so much! You have greatly inspired me today. I can't wait to see the look on my fiance's face when my son (8 months old) shows his daddy what he made him today!

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  3. That is awesome! Now I need to try that with my son. I'm sure my daughter would get involved too.

    Thanks!

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  4. WOW!! I never would have thought of any of these ideas!! Thank you so much for sharing! :)

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  5. This is pretty neat thanks for the ideas i am going to try them with my 10 month old daughter!! THanks

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  6. This is awesome! I was feeling a little jaded with my 8 1/2 month old's toys so I Googled "way for baby to do art" and arrived at your post! Just finished Project #1 and it's drying in the sun. I'm going to blog about it and give you some creds! Thanks for the inspiration. :)

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  7. Those are awesome! :) May I also suggest pudding art (its messy but fun) You can dye vanilla pudding any color and make a master piece! And if baby eats it its not a huge deal :) Just hang to dry!

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  8. great ideas! can't wait to do with my little guy!

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  9. Any new ideas lately; those look great. I am ready to get started. Yeah!!!!

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  10. ~ These look like good activities for her fine motor skills. I am looking forward to doing this with my Granddaughter Saylor Lake :)Please share any new ideas!

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  11. love this! I work in an infant room n have some young infats and this would all be great!!! Thanks for sahring!

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  12. I did finger paints with my six month old. Because he's teething I made them out of oatmeal, food coloring and a some flour to thicken it up. It was messier than your brilliant ideas, but it was fun and I thought I'd share :)

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  13. I absolutely love these ideas. I love crafts and have been so excited to do some with my son when he gets older (he is 8 months), but now I can't wait to try these with him now! So excited...thank you!

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  14. Thanks so much for the ideas!!! I have an 8 month old who LOVES bright colors! I was trying to thinking of something to do with her to give to daddy to hang at work. I know there had to be something to do with her. Thanks!!

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  15. This is fabulous! I am an ex toddler teacher, new stay at home mom. These projects are exactly the things we would do in the classroom to get small children used to paint. I love the projects and am going to try them with my six month old. Keep it up this is awesome!

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  16. Will be doing this with my 9 month old daughter today as its raining, cant wait to show her daddy what shes done x

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  17. This is total genius! I never would have thought of this! Thank you!

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  18. GENIUS. Tried this today, when I went to take the paper out of the bag, it completely crumbled to pieces. I used a thicker cardstock & wanted to keep it for family - what kind of paper did you use in order to keep the art?

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  19. Cant wait to do baby art with my little one tomorrow! Thanks!

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  20. I'm going to the store tomorrow to get some paint & will be doing art soon with my 3 month son- he's been hesitant on doing tummy time- (he just wants to lay down :( - so I'm really hoping this helps him with tummy time!) Thank you!

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