Toddler Arts

Toddlers In studio

Toddler Explorations

This week Angelina is exploring the language of watercolor with the Toddler classes...

And Amy is introducing playdough as a first step toward clay.




Together we are having a FABULOUS time!

Toddler Studio Day: Messing about with boxes, ramps and finger paint

What a fabulous day in the studio playing with the Toddlers!!!
As adults we are strangely predisposed to view "messing about" with suspicion and even derision.  All too often we prioritize our ideas of "constructive activity" over free play and "goofing off".  But David Hawkin's points out in his seminal essay, Messing About in Science, just how important messing about truly is to brain development.  It forms the foundation for higher learning.

With this in mind, the children and I spent a day messing about with materials, including:

Ramps...

Constructing...

Coloring...

And painting with our hands.

Feel free to contact me to chat about Messing About ideas for play at home over the long winter break ahead.

Toddler's create, bake and discover in the studio

Toddlers Explore Light and Shadow

Toddler studio day

The toddlers began painting with me today using small flat brushes and liquid watercolor on cold press watercolor paper.

The liquid water color provides such a vibrant color and it's single step application makes it ideal for young children.  The children were captivated watching colored lines emerge on white paper as they painted.

We worked together on a collaborative piece, focusing on process over product particularly at this time of the year.

Once we'd had enough of painting, the studio moved to the mini atelier outside the toddler classroom.

 The children enjoyed working together, building and making connections.

This young girl was excited when she noticed that the green arc was the same shade of green as her dress.

And this child enjoyed stacking rainbow arcs and joyfully knocking them down before restacking them again.

The wonders of gravity and the joys of discovery are two of the many reasons I look forward to toddler day in the studio.

A shout out to the toddler teachers for all they do to make our days together so wonderful!