Inspired Montessori, Reggio Loose Parts, and Children's Art

Light Tables

2018-11-21T20:32:00.000-06:00

Our classroom light table is a beloved activity due to the variety of objects and even subject matter I offer the children. Collecting objects like lace doilies, clear swizzle sticks, glass gems, and any other objects that will allow light to pass through is the key to success. I see it as a dynamic extension to our loose parts curriculum that teaches art design which is dominant in my blog posts here. This is intriguing for a person of any age to do as many of my original works are.

An extension to our fall study is brilliant with a simple addition of a cut paper tree.

The greatness of free-form design is that a child of very young age can succeed at making a thing of beauty.

These are slices of geode and other clear polished stones.

This shows the elements of art using repetition,shape and direction.

A house filled with gingerbread men with the stars and moons over head.

The gasps of wonder come when the light is turned on!

To make such a delightful art piece is a deep pleasure and gives a sense of contentment for the maker.

A light table in any classroom is awe inspiring!

Dish Washing

2018-08-25T12:58:00.001-05:00

Want your child to be busy for hours? Do this.

Many kids, many years of doing this has proven that to me.

Dishes don't have to be dirty.

Expect water on the floor and wet socks.

It is well worth it.

Scrubbing Socks

2018-08-25T12:51:00.002-05:00

Revisiting history.

Those cute scrub boards have a purpose.

Our great, great grandmothers used them. Better than a rock.

Socks are being hung on a quilt display rack.

Hardest part is wringing them out with their tiny hands.

Inscribed and Concentric Figures

2018-07-30T14:48:00.000-05:00

That's the fancy Nienhaus name for this material.

We call it the shape design box. You can tell from the number of photos here that I love this work.

It is a box stacked in three levels with three colors and three shapes - circles, squares and triangles.

The squares match perfectly to the pink tower so they go from big to quite tiny.

They can be put in order like the pink tower.

But the design possibilities is what attracts the kids.

Glass or wooden gems add a flair and finishing touch.

Frogs came to visit it one day. Why not.

It is a work they contemplate and have pride in.

Oh, my!

Here is where you could perfectly match the pink tower to these.

This girl started me on my love of loose pieces/transient art/Reggio-like design work that is posted on this blog.

I spent years in my artist studio and this child approached her work exactly as I did. Taking ones time, experimentation in placement, self-correction and then stand back and observe the creation.

It was awesome to watch her. Mixed materials? You bet!!

A truly creative material for any classroom.

How to host a whiz-bang water fun day!

2018-07-15T08:46:00.001-05:00

Summer.

We wait for it all year.

The time for all children to run free and play

and splash and giggle.

Dundee Montesssori has a very long driveway and it is the perfect place to construct an environment for the dreams

of children at play on a hot summer day.

The key is different water stations to rotate through.

Even though this station got a bit fixed up by the children

it is all good.

I found this huge funnel tube and it is a winner

for cooperative play.

Fishing is a must.

Different sized funnels and bottles is a classic.

Water wheels hit the spot.

A sieve and net tub is a pleasure.

Boating is a go.

Water blast away!

This standing water activity center works well.

Any type of water slide is a capital idea.

Bubbles are a must.

A water balloon station brings them running.

Slip 'N Slide belly crawl is a hit.

Freeze strange things and add shaving cream and shovels!

Every party needs a lemonade sidewalk cafe!

Balls down the pipes creates a stir!

Miniature golf is the go-to add-on!

Train-is-a-coming!

You gotta have trucks!

Wait! Is someone inside that tower?

Put it all together and you have done a first-rate job of creating a water wonderland for your young students!

This is what summer is all about!

Antique Tray Practical Life

2018-07-13T20:58:00.000-05:00

Hand painted antique trays hold four of our

many small motor skill works.

Flowers All Year

2018-07-13T19:57:00.000-05:00

One of Montessori's Practical Life's classic works is preparing flowers from the garden into vases for the classroom. Fake flowers work also. It can be summer year around for the class. Also, very young children enjoy arranging these over and over.

Weather Felt Board Extensions

2018-07-13T17:29:00.000-05:00

We all have felt boards. Just laying it out is too easy.

Let's add labels and a drawn version.

Of course, your students must have this level of drawing skills. Drawing skills are directly related to writing skills, so teach writing to get prekindergarten kids this far.

Then attach an art project to it.

Now a felt board is more than a two minute work choice.

Handmade Season Work

2018-07-13T17:10:00.001-05:00

I have made hundreds of works for my classroom.

This one was done over 25 years ago with simple pictures from magazines and outline drawings that children colored in.

It has stood the test of time since it is still used

and is a successful prompt for drawing.

I simply cut a circle into fourths and found magazine picture representing the four seasons and color coded all. Then, from some old workbook I had black line drawings representing activities done in each season. Learning which season they belong in is part of the lesson given.

I often make worksheets for my created lessons. The older kids want a paper work to color, draw and write on. My master is their guide to follow. They draw in the pictures to each season.

When I see a handmade lesson hold student's attention for a long time and teach them skills they did not know it shows me this is a successful activity that I created for them.

Beyond the Horse Puzzle

2018-04-11T19:01:00.000-05:00

We all know the Montessori science puzzles.

We need more. Pictures. Books.

How about artistic beauty?

Check.

Need a paper design to go home to Mom.

See the boy in the background with the beaver puppet who is eating real downed logs from a Nebraska beaver. That too.

Sweetness.

Ode to the Knob Cylinders

2018-02-24T20:22:00.000-06:00

One of Maria's first. Still the best.

Ode to the Knobless Cylinders

2018-02-24T20:13:00.000-06:00

Visual. Strictly Visual.

Down the Hole

2018-02-24T18:08:00.001-06:00

Budget Works Kids Do for Too Long!

We all know that children love to drop things into small holes.

I have made endless varieties of small motor skill works based on this love.

Many are one of a kind because I find the objects at Goodwill and figure out how to use them after playing around with things I have on hand in my many school storage rooms.

They are always winners with the kids.

Incense jar with cocktail picks.

I sometimes have to limit kid's time with this because they will do this for way too long.

Olive picks in the holes of a food shaker.

Antique salt shaker with hair curler picks.

Swizzle sticks in a pencil holder.

Tiny beads dropped in vanilla jars.

Tiny plastic hats upside down into a small ice cube tray.

Hey, I had them both in storage and they called out to me for union.

It worked!

And maybe the oddest:

Pom Poms down the volcano!

Don't know what the green tray is for or the black plastic tube.

They just wanted each other.

Kids Love It!!

I have more. Many, many more.

Dental Health Study

2018-02-24T17:42:00.000-06:00

February is Dental Health Month. Here is a young dental hygienist practicing her cleaning skills.

I cut pictures from magazines to make an interesting booklet to go with the plaster cast.

I offer writing for every unit we study.

Then, an art project. I have a really good Pinterest folder full of teeth art projects.

Happy teeth, happy life!

Our Awesome Playground

2017-08-01T18:38:00.000-05:00

When I run into graduates of our school who are now much older I always ask what they remember about Dundee Montessori. The insect unit, the clay program, singing in Japanese and always the playground! This playground stays with kids for years. We believe in play that is spontaneous and only watched over by us. Children need to create their own outdoors world without grown ups.

For 30 years we have been educating children in the neighborhood of Dundee, a 100 year old neighborhood with grand old houses.

Our entry is on the side.

The patio has a shade cover so we can be out in the full sun and even rain storms and be comfortable.

It is a wonderland of play.

Our stage area with music wall for dress up and singing.

Miss Shirley has been with us for 20 years!

The balance beams are a favorite.

They love to hit these with the bats

We eat at our picnic tables on all nice days.

Our vintage drinking fountain from my youth.

Our huge driveway extends our play!

This experience is beloved by all children who are lucky enough to be with us!

Second Facebook Page Highlights Free Form Beauties

2017-06-20T19:39:00.003-05:00

https://www.facebook.com/FreeFormArtforKids/

Here I highlight Dundee Montessori's Free Form Design curriculum that I often post on this blog.

Look below under Reggio and find them here also.

They are stunning designs made by children.

Initial Sound Baskets

2017-04-27T20:30:00.001-05:00

We use many objects for reading in many ways. These sound baskets are in the younger classroom and has a little book, picture cards, objects, letters and a variety of things to build vocabulary and phonetic awareness. The able children will write and draw from the booklet.

It is a favorite pre-reading activity.

Cogs, Wheels, Eggs and Silver Turtles

2017-04-24T20:04:00.000-05:00

This shelf is for floor work only and totally free form with the kids making all the decisions and my keeping away and then being amazed at what these pre-k artists come up with on their own.

All objects are from basement sales and thrift stores.

What boy could resist these!

Yes, it took me a couple of years to accumulate all these cool wooden spindles.

The trick is to find a basement sale that has a lathe workshop.

Tinker tray with treasures!

Silver turtle napkin rings and old ear rings!

These boys take their design job very seriously and can work for a long time making the choices of placement, pairing and overall beauty.

One has to be impressed with the complexity of this layout.

When in their life will they have this chance to do this again?

This is why we offer this. For art's sake.

A Large Collection of Water Works

2017-04-23T13:11:00.000-05:00

These are in no order for you to view and get new ideas from. Please take any idea and run with it. I think they are self- explanatory. Enjoy and use in your class or easily at home.

How to Put a Loose Parts Shelf Together

2017-04-22T22:56:00.000-05:00

This shelf has four free form works stored on it. Three are contained on a tray and one is done on a floor mat. All items are from estate sales and cost very little.

On the top shelf sits a blue work that is contained in a tray to be used as a table work.

The necklace and beads,spindles and wooden objects were all "found" and can be arranged in various ways.

Any child would love to do this!

A red paper place mat, a paper doily, laser cut discs from Hobby Lobby, old ear rings and odd found objects makes this handsome red table tray work,

I love finding interesting focal points such as this tiny tower that is accented by metal handles, rubber tiles and wooden discs.

This design comes from the offerings on the bottom shelf. It is laid out on a red vinyl floor mat and is endless in the variations.

Used here is a silver place mat from a garage sale, polished rocks, shells, and various objects found at estate sales.

Wooden Key

2017-04-22T19:57:00.000-05:00

I don't always know how things will fit together.

Found a large key.

Then found bags of small keys in a grandpa's work room.

Needs a soft touch of grandma's doilies.

Glass gems.

Got it!

Swans and Stars on a Mirror

2017-04-22T19:51:00.001-05:00

Estate sales, how I love thee!

Everything here came from them for pennies.

Go! See things for how they could be made anew!

See them from the view of a child's hands waiting!

Doily on a Red Tray

2017-01-07T15:22:00.000-06:00

Hobby Lobby has bags of wooden objects like these stars, hearts and laser cut discs. Then, the old lady earrings are from a garage sale as well as the unknown golden twisted objects. A paper doily is the center of attraction with beauties orbiting.

My eyes are so happy!

Gingerbread Boys

2017-01-07T00:54:00.000-06:00

So I find these things at estate sales and Goodwill for pennies.

I bring them back to my "Loose Parts" storage room.

I have a lot!

I play around with the items and make a theme or subject sometimes like apples and gingerbread boys.

I do it. Looks good. It goes on the "Loose Parts" shelf and I watch the children approach it after a lesson is given by me. Not all children naturally understand how to approach making a design and sometimes a heap of all objects is happily laid out. Time for a repeat lesson. They chant, "Circle, circle, diamond in the middle." as they try again. Chaos becomes pattern. Pattern becomes beauty.

http://www.aneverydaystory.com/2013/03/05/the-theory-of-loose-parts/

Circle Straw Mat Design

2017-01-07T00:17:00.000-06:00

It is looking a little like Reggio Emilia around here.

The lesson is repetition, direction of line, harmony and grace.

The lesson is making beauty.

The lesson works by engaging the child to make choices in calm concentration.