Colorful Washi-tape creations on triangles of cardstock

Tiffany Meyer in Dresser has had capacity crowds for her Artsy Smartsy programs in Dresser this year.  Funded in part by a grant from Target, these programs are a chance for preschool kids and parents to explore, experiment, and create.  First, the group shares a story and talks together.  Then, participants get interesting materials to work with (clay!  foam!  paint! more!), ideas or challenges to create, and then lots of time to play.  The emphasis is on the process and the experimentation, and Tiffany gently guides the adults to remember that.

MagnaTiles – when layered, these are a great (and non-messy) way to demonstrate how mixing two colors creates a different color

I couldn’t be more excited about this developmentally appropriate, celebratory and literacy-based program.  I’d love to see it spread around to libraries everywhere, and judging from the participants in Dresser, the families in your area would love that, too!  Check out the library’s facebook page for more photos and examples of the take-home extension activities. 

An experiment: absorbing color from a drenched leaf. We also experimented with liquid watercolors on wet and dry cross-sections of wood.