Early learning goals for toddlers include creative development. “The creative arts, including music, movement, dramatic play, puppetry, painting, sculpture, and drawing, are a crucial part of early childhood. Not only do the arts allow children to express themselves, but creative activity can enhance development of children’s skills in literacy, science, math, social studies, and more” according to “Spotlight on Young Children and the Creative Arts” by Derry Koralek [NAEYC, 2005]. Art, therefore, nurtures creativity.
Preschool teachers and daycare providers have the opportunity to promote creative development by providing art activities that explore media and materials and encourage imagination.
Popcorn Flowers is an excellent example of an activity that provides the opportunity to for expression, to encourage spontaneity in material usage, and to introduce children to textured materials.
This lesson plan includes a materials list, preparation instructions and procedures for this activity to make childcare jobs easier, but also the age appropriate learning objectives and a sample of the simple supporting verbal cues necessary to encourage participation and support learning.
Popcorn Flowers Art Materials List
Popcorn
Plastic sandwich bags
Powdered tempera in various colors
Green construction paper
Tagboard
Glue
Butcher Paper
Activity Preparation:
- Pop popcorn
- Cut stems and leaves out of construction paper.
- Cover a table with butcher paper
- Place all materials on the table
Procedures for Popcorn Flowers Activity
- Invite the children over and tell that you are going to take turns making popcorn flowers for Mother’s Day.
- Put handfuls of popcorn into plastic baggies.
- Let the children add tempura paint to the baggies and shake well so that color is evenly distributed.
- Encourage children to glue stems and leaves on the tagboard.
- Let children glue the colored popcorn to the stems to create spring flowers.
Popcorn Flowers Art Lesson Objectives
Objective 1
To provide the opportunity for expressive activities by encouraging the children to create flowers out of popcorn.
Verbal Cue A: Today we are going to make popcorn flowers!
Verbal Cue B: Would you like to design a flower out of popcorn?.
Objective 2
To encourage spontaneity in material usage by allowing the children to choose paint colors or to blend the colors they choose
Verbal Cue A: Which color would you like to use first?
Verbal Cue B: I like the way you are mixing your colors!
Objective 3
To promote the sharing of art materials to foster social interaction and cooperation
Verbal Cue A: Let’s take turns using the paint.
Verbal Cue B: Can you let Sarah use the pink paint?
Kids will have great fun in your childcare center while learning important cognitive skills: sorting and classification.
*Popcorn Flowers is adapted from the Preschool Education Website.
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