Making a picture together

Age group

3-5 yrs

Number of children:

3-7 ppl

Areas it develops: using of tools, fine-motor skills, learning about materials, planning, vocabulary, cooperation, communication, sensory-integration, aesthetic intelligence.

Visuals, fantasy, visual expression, different materials: all of this is included in this activity.

One of the most common difficulties is using tools appropietly or the different ways the can be manipulated.

Coordinated movements, tactility, applying the right amount of pressure, the cooperation of the two hands, and the words accompanying these activites are all milestones in development.

It is especially beneficial for kids who are a bit behind with their communication or for those who have troubles in their communication development.

Sensory based creative art activities are commonly used to develop and increase imagination and strengthen fine motor skills. These activities also aid in helping children practice decision making skills and explore creative expression. When done in a group setting, these activities help to increase socialization skills, increase self-regulation and awareness of others and explore shared spaces by creating an extension of the self to others.

Painting or drawing mediums can help improve fine and gross motor skills while aiding to the individual’s imagination.

Ingredients

  • scissors (for all the children)
  • glue
  • coloring stuff
  • different shapes
  • colorful papers
  • a big sheet

Let’s make a picture together

Instructions:

Let’s make a picture together using scissors, glue, coloring and playing different shapes aesthetically on a big sheet. 4-5 children should work together. Before we start anything, let the kids plan the session by collecting all the tools they are going to need and by deciding the kind of picture they want to make. The finished product should be evaluated and discussed by the group. This will help children digest the external stimuli and to express their feelings, without pushing or forcing anything.
Experiences in these situations are fundamental elements of learning and behavioral patterns. These processes are so natural that in most cases skills develop effortlessly.

Pro tip: When we play fantasy based games make sure to add new tools all the time so that they can learn to use everything as a routine. Pro tip 2: Getting kids to touch sticky stuff: contact paper or cling wrap (plastic wrap). These are great transition materials, and the child can try to place pieces of tissue paper or magazine pictures onto these different textures. Getting their fingers to occasionally tap down on these paper substitutes will help ease them into the feel and texture of sticky substances. Helping them peel foam stickers to decorate an art piece can also expose them to “the sticky” while maintaining the fun!

Group mural

Instructions:

Using paints or coloring utensils, create a group drawing that corresponds to a chosen idea or theme. The new perspective can be fun for the whole child group.