School Age Care by You're Invited @ Madison Street Church

At School Age Care by You're Invited we commit to providing opportunities to school aged children they probably aren't able to experience. We are lucky enough to have experienced adults from the community sharing their passion in gardening and art. This activity combined both of these activities! Our Gardener Eric found wonderful discs of wood and our artist Ms. Janna helped facilitate the children painting. These wonderful items of nature will be incorporated into the community garden at Madison Street Church!

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Splatter Painting at You're Invited Children's Center

Child-led, fun creative experiences with no predetermined outcomes for young children!
We used plastic drink bottles with a small hole in the lid (I used a nail and hammer to put the hole in the lid), spray bottles, rubber band brushes (instructions to follow soon), toothbrushes and other fun splatter tools.

Definitely an outside activity, unless your like Teacher Tom and have space inside thats suitable for paint to splatter on the walls :)

Spread the kids out on the grass and let them express themselves!

I had paint all over my legs, shoes and the friends had paint all over them! So much fun! To make the paint go farther I mixed it with some water and liquid starch.

"MMMM this smells goooood!"

Yogurt Painting

We mixed watercolor with plain yogurt for a different type of painting experience. I added tools (q-tips, combs, playdough rollers, etc) and used aluminum foil because I thought the colors would pop more than on construction paper or cardboard and its sturdy enough.

This is definitely a process art project, when the friends were done with their experience we threw the foil away and put out a fresh sheet for the next friend. I accidently deleted a great pic of one of the friends with both pf her hands all the way in the paint cups scooping the yogurt paint out. Who needs paint brushes right? :)

Squeeze bottles and Wood for All Ages!!

Great three dimensional activity for all ages!!


The set up for this activity (and all activties we do) is super important. We use trays to help the friends know their boundaries and the table is inviting with baskets to keep the loose parts accessible and neat. Throughout the morning theteachers are constantly straightening, cleaning and refilling the baskets, facilitating the activity to be "inviting" when a child comes upon the table so then he or she will decide they want to engage in this activity. We have 2 year olds, three year olds and four year olds doing this activity, working hard, engaged in their creative process.

This friend tells me while he is working hard: "I made a bridge!" I asked him, "Whats the bridge for?" He says "For the people to walk across the lake and not fall in the water"










"Look, its a slide, for the bridge, WAIT I need green"
So much concentration and intentionality with squeeze bottles filled with white paint, a little glue and some water color.

More Spring Activities!!

The children at You're Invited loved creating these flowers! I wish I could remember which blog I saw the use of the paper towel rolls (I promise to remember next time I post a borrowed activity) as flower petals. Flatten the paper towel roll before you cut it. Use water/milk/soda bottle lids and any fabric or construction paper for stem and leaves. It was great to watch the friends concentrate their eye-hand coordination to get the glue on the thin sides of the paper towel roll petals.

Im constantly asked by preschool teachers about 3 dimensional art activities because it is required in the ECERS Art item to get a 7. This is a great spring art idea!!

Be prepared for a lot of glue to be used :)!!