Creating Alligator Skin

We are still hanging out at the pond and having so much fun.  I am definitely behind in my blogging, but I have been having so much fun with my girl.  Today during our Mother Goose Time (MGT), I gave her a choice between studying fish, ducks, or alligators.  She chose the ALLIGATOR and today Sweet Pea created a picture of ALLIGATOR SKIN!

I can not recommend Mother Goose Time highly enough, but if you don't have it, you can still enjoy this awesome Invitation to Create.

Gather your supplies:

-Painters Tape or Masking Tape

-Glue

-Paint (tempra or finger if you want it to come out of clothes)

-Containers to hold glue and paint

-Glue

-Bubble Wrap

-Cardstock or Watercolor paper to paint on

-Fine black glitter or sand

-Pictures of Alligator Skin or an Alligator book

-Tray or Baking Sheet that you can tape the cardstock to

Directions:

Tape the paper to the tray.  By taping all 4 sides, you create a nice little border once you pull off the tape after the artwork has dried. Show the pictures of the alligator skin.  We talked about the colors she saw and whether the skin was smooth or rough.  We also read the book provided this month in our MGT kit and here's a link to that book.  It's a great way to introduce the alligator.

I had to show Sweet Pea how to use the bubble wrap once.  After I did, she went to town using the bubble wrap to create the perfect alligator skin texture.   

 Then she decided to drop glue dots from as high as she could.  For some reason this is how she likes to use a glue bottle.  I really like it too!  The glue doesn't get everywhere and she doesn't make giant blobs.  Just one dot at a time.  As I use to tell my classroom kids,
"One dot does a lot!"

Sweet Pea is just over 2 and a half.  Therefore, I modified our Invitation to Create by not bringing out the black glittery sand until she was done painting and gluing.  I grabbed a 1/4 tsp to help her pour the glittery sand.  She did a great job both shaking out the sand, and then precisely pouring it on her glue dots.  Great fine motor practice.  

When Sweet Pea was done, I took the tray with her artwork still taped to it outside to dry while we ate lunch. Unfortunately I turned the tray to the side and the black glittery sand spread everywhere. #momfail.
 I guess it would have spread everywhere anyway since we are having such a windy day here.

I still love it.  She's napping now and I went outside to check on her alligator skin artwork.

It was perfectly dry, so I peeled the tape from around the edges,
and placed her masterpiece on her table.

When she wakes up, I want her to figure out where to place it. 

Have fun creating with your kiddos!