Paper Plate Pumpkin
What you need
- a paper plate
- orange paint
- a chunky paintbrush
- a little black paint
- a strip of paper
- tape
How to do it
- Let them paint the paper plate orange all over with a chunky brush.
- Help them tape a strip of green paper to the top for the stem.
- Dip one fingertip in the black paint and let them dab on a face, two eyes and a smile.
- Tape the pumpkin to the window where you can both see it.
Why it matters
Covering a whole plate with a chunky brush and then making small dabs with one finger ask their hands for two different kinds of careful, and a face of their own making is something to talk about.
What they're learning
- Brush grip
- Holding a chunky brush and covering a whole plate builds the grip they will later use for pencils.
- Fingertip control
- Dabbing one finger in small spots asks for much more care than a big brush stroke.
- Naming parts of a face
- Talking about the eyes and the smile as they go adds words to what they see in the mirror.
What to look for
Watch which hand they use for the brush and which for the dabbing. Whatever face they make is the right one.
A tip
Use washable paint and keep a wet cloth handy for black fingertips.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: you paint the plate and they dab the face
Harder: ask for a nose and a mouth too, and talk about where each one goes
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Fine motor activities · Activities for 2 year olds · Toddler activities with paper · Toddler activities with masking tape