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JELLLURGAL ABORIGINAL CULTURAL CENTRE- EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS

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JELLLURGAL ABORIGINAL CULTURAL CENTRE- EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS

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Jellurgal proudly offers our Jellurgal Jarjums cultural program - an eight-week interactive educational experience for pre-prep or senior kindergarten children.

Weekly sessions run for 30 minutes and include interactive activities such as dot painting, rock art, weaving, stories and much more.

A qualified Jellurgal representative will visit your centre and bring all materials required for each activity, all sure to engage and excite each member of the class.

For more information or to make a booking, please fill out the enquiry form below.

Session information

Week 1: Introduction
Week 2: Weaving
Week 3: Yugambeh language words and counting
Week 4: Dreamtime stories
Week 5: Art symbols
Week 6: Boomerangs
Week 7: Rock art
Week 8: Rainbow serpent

Price

$190 inc.GST per 30-minute session

Maximum 20 children per session.

* Required information

Please note, that submitting this form does not confirm the booking. Upon receipt of your request, our staff will check availability and contact you back to confirm the requested dates. Booking is only confirmed once you receive a confirmation of booking email.

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Jellurgal proudly offers our Jellurgal Jarjums cultural program - an eight-week interactive educational experience for pre-prep or senior kindergarten children. Weekly sessions run for 30 minutes and include interactive activities such as dot painting, rock art, weaving, stories and much more.

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2. State Library of Queensland also has many resources available for research.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and stories

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State Library of Queensland collects, preserves and shares the documentary heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people across the State.

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Personalised Learning Pathways acknowledges our  Yugambeh language region of the Gold Coast, AND all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People — the traditional custodians of the land on which we learn, play, create, imagine, and work. We respect Indigenous continuing connection to country, culture, land, and waters, and recognise that sovereignty has never been ceded. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.

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What do we do?

The Yugambeh Museum, Language and Heritage Research Centre aims to record and promote the traditional knowledge of our region, especially the Yugambeh language which was spoken throughout South East Queensland.

We work with and bring the community together through many initiatives centred around cultural and educational exchange, so that future generations have the opportunity to embrace our language, hear our stories and truly connect with their Indigenous legacy as a relevant part of their today and tomorrow.

Beyond our home of the Gold Coast and Scenic Rim, we also work as 'one mob' and collaborate with other communities throughout the State, to assist with the preservation and revitalisation of their own languages and traditions to ensure their ongoing inclusion in today's cultural landscape.

Our Inspiration

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Yugambeh Museum records and promotes the traditional knowledge of our region, especially the Yugambeh language which was spoken throughout South East Qld. Yugambeh Museum manages Borobi in his new role as an Indigenous language champion

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Business planning consultant David Catlin shares what it takes to develop a business plan for a nature preschool that can take you from a great idea to a successful school.

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The Learning Designers' Toolkit - Medium

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Helping each other design great online learning experiences. A blog by OpenLearning.

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Culture & Diversity in a monocultural class cohort

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Culture & Diversity in a monocultural class cohort

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The Spoke - Early Childhood Australia's Blog

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This year for Harmony week, we thought we would share with you some insights from Meni Tsambouniaris at Diversity Kids. Here they share with us the importance of incorporating inclusion into everyday practice, these examples provide discussion points that educators can engage with during Harmony Week and follow up with how these concepts might be incorporated into your service and programs.

When we talk about teaching children about cultural diversity and embedding it in our services and programs to help create future ambassadors of inclusion and diversity, it is just as important to do this in education and care settings where there is no diversity represented and where classrooms are primarily monocultural.

Children all over the world are growing up in heterogenous and multicultural societies.

Regardless of whether they are experiencing diversity in their current circumstances or not, chances are they will in time be exposed to diversity in their wider community and future experiences. For this reason, it is important that children learn about similarities and differences and learn to respect and accept people, practices, beliefs, attitudes, cultures, abilities and experiences that are different to their own.

By teaching young children about diversity in early childhood, we are exposing them to different ways of life from an early age and encouraging them to see differences as positive, exciting and enriching opportunities and quite often as "just a different way of doing things." This also helps build a strong sense of self, identity and self-esteem which will be carried through in later life.

As early childhood teachers we are in a very influential position to embed cultural awareness, cultural competence, sensitivity to & respect for diversity, from a very early age through the programs and resources we chose to deliver and share in our education and care environments.

The ideal place to start is through enriching children's experiences with meaningful multicultural perspectives as an integral part of all programs for young children. Even if there are only one or two cultures represented at your Service, these two are a great place to start. You may even find that once you start scratching the surface and finding opportunities to ask the right questions (for example through your enrolment forms), you may discover that families are from Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds that you were not aware of.

Another great place to start sharing culture is through the cultural competence journey of educators at your services. There is value in introducing and sharing our cultures as Educators to the children & families that we're working with. It's all relative to embedding culture meaningfully and authentically and an excellent way to introduce culture and diversity to children within their own community.

I always like to share the example of a team in a primarily monocultural rural setting, with children & families attending, primarily from English-speaking backgrounds. The staff at this Service reflected on building on their cultural competence with an innovative initial project, that had some interesting, unforeseen spin off effects with staff, children & families around cultural competence. The team were invited to include & share something important from their own family or cultural life in their staff profiles (which were displayed in the foyer and in children's resources). Staff were also encouraged to include any languages other than English that they spoke and flag(s) representing their cultural backgrounds.

Almost immediately staff recognised similarities and explored differences with each other.
It created opportunities for conversation - to listen, to learn and understand. In response, the families of the children voluntarily started sharing what was important to their families and cultures.
Through this activity, Educators were able to unpack missed cultural information about children & families that had not been previously made available. This is turn helped Educators start building on embedding cultural perspectives in their everyday programs that were meaningful.

If your Service is monolingual, another important step we recommend is to research the cultural demographics of the local community (including local Aboriginal communities and cultures) and start implementing & embedding multicultural activities as inbuilt to the whole Service functioning on an every day basis, reflecting the diverse cultures, backgrounds, languages & religions which are represented in the local community and beyond. Such programs respect & promote all cultures, so that children from as young as 5 years have good, positive feelings about themselves and others.
We recommend that cultural programs are sprinkled everywhere, every day, all the time, across all areas of the program and curriculum, rather than setting up cultural corners or having cultural months.
There are many examples of ways diverse cultures can be embedded in the every day practices of monocultural classrooms:

Greet children & families in key home languages identified as relevant to the child care & local community (and beyond if relevant).

Learn key words in different languages & Sign Language and use them every day in interactions (eg. "Please", "thank you", "hello", "goodbye"). This example helps demonstrate to children that there are many different ways to communicate the same thing.

Invite families & Educators from Culturally & Lingusitically Diverse Backgrounds to share their culture (eg. Storytelling, dance, cooking, song, art/craft). Continue to implement and extend on these activities.

A simple way to introduce and embed culture into your every day is by embedding food from different cultures in your program. For example, include a different type of bread from around the world with children's meals ever day. eg damper, pita bread, roti, nan, Lebanese bread, French stick, bagel, Vienna bread, focaccia, baguette, chapatti, tortilla or make available different eating utensils and give children the choice.

Learn to sing well-known songs in their diversity of languages. Eg "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" is sung by children in different languages across the globe, "Good Morning" song in different languages etc.

There are many traditional children's games that are played by children all over the world. Research the variations and incorporate these in your program. eg. There are so many cultural variations to traditional children's games such as"The Handkerchief" "London Bridge" and "Ring a Ring o' Roses".

Ensure that your resources reflect diversity that is not represented at your Service. Eg Dolls with different skin tones, from diverse backgrounds, with disabilities, books that reflect diversity of children and people from a range of cultural, religious backgrounds and with diverse abilities. We at Diversity Kids like to think of resources as "mirrors & windows" - where children not only get to see themselves in the resources but also become immersed in the diversity of the outside world they have yet to experience.

Have conversations with children about diversity and what it means to them. Introduce activities that enable them to explore the diversity of their skin colour, hair & eye colour. Emphasising the similarities even in our differences.

You can take children on non-tokenistic "cultural" journeys by using the globe to talk about the different parts of the world that we live in, experiencing virtual cultural journeys, tapping into children's books that focus on different cultures around the world and things that can be extended into fun learning experiences for children to build knowledge (including learning language, cooking, songs, games).

Give children a choice to participate in developmentally appropriate "culture workshops" - where they get to learn about a particular culture through hands on art/craft, storytelling, language, music movement etc. Cultural Workshops can be embedded in programs regularly where children get to choose their "workshop".

(The difference between "Culture Workshops" and embedding culture every day, is that the "workshops" immerse children in language & culture and through sense of agency, they decide what they want to learn, as part of building their cultural competence. We recommend tapping into the resources of bilingual/bicultural staff, families, Bilingual Educator programs or inviting members from the local cultural communities to contribute to sharing culture.

Resources depicting diversity and which help create cultural awareness, do not have to be expensive. Diversity Kids has an expansive list of some great resources that we use with Services that we support around cultural inclusion (refer to our online store for some ideas). Multicultural resources can be inexpensive by developing your own! For example, source bilingual magazines, travel brochures, posters and create matching games, laminated puzzles, posters, art/craft activities, collages etc.

Even in our monocultural classrooms, we can find ways to introduce meaningful programs that embrace and embed cultures, diversity and community. By starting early we help pave the way for future societies that are inclusive and respectful of diversity.
This blog was originally published on the Diversity Kids blog, read it here.
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ECA Recommends

Cultural inclusion
Everyday Learning Series title
By Melinda G. Miller

All children have a right to experience a sense of belonging in early childhood settings. A sense of belonging ensures that children see their culture, identity and language reflected in their daily program. As parents/carers and educators, it is important to understand the critical role you play in supporting the attitudes and behaviours that demonstrate respect for diversity and difference.

This Everyday Learning Series title discusses how early childhood can be a critical time for children to develop empathy and attitudes that challenge assumptions and biases about people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and how you can support cultural inclusion.

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Introducing culture and diversity in a monocultural classroom

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This year for Harmony week, we thought we would share with you some insights from Meni Tsambouniaris at Diversity Kids.

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The Spoke - Early Childhood Australia's Blog

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' ... for the EYLF to be implemented properly, all early childhood educators need to know what play is, why it is important, how to implement and assess a play-based program and their role in it.'

Questioning practice

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) is built on the understanding that the principles of early childhood pedagogy (DEEWR, 2009, pp. 12-13) guide the practice of early childhood educators. Research tells us that an educator's pedagogy is one of the most important aspects when assessing the quality of children's learning. So early childhood educators need to carefully consider and question their pedagogy and corresponding practices.

In implementing the EYLF, educators should discuss and describe their understandings of the practice principles. One of the practices most commonly used in the early childhood sector is 'learning through play'. Play-based learning is described in the EYLF as 'a context for learning through which children organise and make sense of their social worlds, as they actively engage with people, objects and representations' (EYLF, 2009, p. 46). But what is play? Play is hard to define as there are a number of theories and types of play. Can you describe play?

Defining 'play'

While there is no one definition of play, there are a number of agreed characteristics that describe play. Play can be described as:

pleasurable-play is an enjoyable and pleasurable activity. Play sometimes includes frustrations, challenges and fears; however enjoyment is a key feature

symbolic-play is often pretend, it has a 'what if?' quality. The play has meaning to the player that is often not evident to the educator

active-play requires action, either physical, verbal or mental engagement with materials, people, ideas or the environment

voluntary-play is freely chosen. However, players can also be invited or prompted to play

process oriented-play is a means unto itself and players may not have an end or goal in sight

self motivating-play is considered its own reward to the player (Shipley, 2008).

Once you have decided what play means to you, you should next ask yourself, why play-based learning? What is it about play that makes it so important? Play has a long and detailed research history that dates back to the work of Locke and Rosseau.

Research and evidence all point to the role of play in children's development and learning across cultures (Shipley, 2008). Many believe that it is impossible to disentangle children's play, learning and development.

Brain development

While research on brain development is in its infancy, it is believed that play shapes the structural design of the brain. We know that secure attachments and stimulation are significant aspects of brain development; play provides active exploration that assists in building and strengthening brain pathways. Play creates a brain that has increased 'flexibility and improved potential for learning later in life' (Lester & Russell, 2008, p. 9).

Young children's play allows them to explore, identify, negotiate, take risks and create meaning. The intellectual and cognitive benefits of playing have been well documented. Children who engage in quality play experiences are more likely to have well-developed memory skills, language development, and are able to regulate their behaviour, leading to enhanced school adjustment and academic learning (Bodrova & Leong, 2005).

Fostering play-based programs

Physically active play allows children to test and develop all types of motor skills. It promotes significant health and wellbeing benefits. Centres that were found to have a high-quality, play-based learning program incorporated:

a daily schedule that included active indoor and outdoor physical play

integration of music, movement and creative expression

adult-child interactions that modelled moderate to high levels of physical activity (meaning that educators were at times as physically engaged in active play as the children) (Steglin, 2005).

Play does not happen in a vacuum; it is usually undertaken within a physical and social space (Lester & Russell, 2008). One of the greatest benefits of playing is to assist with the development of social competence. Children can build relationships, learn to resolve conflicts, negotiate and regulate their behaviours. In play, children usually have increased feelings of success and optimism as they act as their own agents and make their own choices. Playing is a known stress release; it is often linked to child wellbeing.

The dispositions for learning, such as curiosity, openness, optimism, resilience, concentration, and creativity (SACSA, 2009), are developed in play. Playing is linked to the development of resilience and the beginnings of empathy as children begin to understand other points of view. However, not all play is kind or inclusive, so educators have to act accordingly to ensure that play is not harmful.

What educators can do

How can quality play-based learning take place effectively? Early childhood educators should know the children and families in their centre; they assess, document children's learning and know their interests. Then, together with families, they plan carefully how to use play-based activities as one tool to promote the learning that will achieve the EYLF outcomes.

Planning the environment to assist children to achieve outcomes is important in providing quality play experiences. The environment can be intentionally planned in four main ways:

the physical environment-the physical layout of space, furniture and resources. Consider how you will construct and present activities and materials so they are arranged in provoking and inviting ways to encourage exploration, learning and inquiry

the social and emotional environment-children need secure, warm and trusting relationships so they are confidently supported in their explorations and risk taking. Assist children to make connections with others, develop friendships and regulate their behaviours. Together, children and adults set the emotional and social tone of the environment

the intellectual environment-there are times to leave children to play freely and times for intentional conversation, a well-placed question or query that will extend children's learning. Shared sustained conversations (Siraj-Blatchford, 2008) are the hallmark of effective early childhood educators

the temporal environment-the way that educators decide to use the time available in the program. Children need large blocks of time to develop play themes and ideas.

Early childhood educators need to be articulate, to be able to justify clearly, provide evidence for and proclaim the benefits of play-based learning. The EYLF (2009) is based on sound, proven early childhood pedagogy and practice principles. However, for the EYLF to be implemented properly, all early childhood educators need to know what play is, why it is important, how to implement and assess a play-based program and their role in it.

This article was originally published in Every Child magazine Vol. 16 No. 3.

References

Bodrova, E. & Leong, D. J. (2005). Uniquely preschool: What research tells us about the ways young children learn. Educational Leadership, 63(1), 44-47.

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). (2009). Belonging, being & becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Canberra: DEEWR.

Lester, S. & Russell, S. (2008). Play for a change. Play policy and practice: A review of contemporary perspectives. Play England.

South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability Framework (2009) Learners and Learning in the Early Years.

Shipley, D. (2008). Empowering children. Play based curriculum for lifelong learning.(Fourth edn). USA: Nelson Education.

Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2008). Understanding the relationship between curriculum, pedagogy and progression in learning in early childhood. Hong Kong Journal of Early Childhood, 7 (2), 6-13.

Steglin, D. A. (2005). Making the case for play policy: Research-based reasons to support play-based environments. Young Children, 60(2), 76-86.

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Why play-based learning? - The Spoke - Early Childhood Australia's Blog

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' ... for the EYLF to be implemented properly, all early childhood educators need to know what play is, why it is important, how to implement and assess a play-based program and their role in it.' Questioning practice The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) is built on the understanding that the principles of early childhood ...

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We know that our students love using technology and getting creative in the classroom. We also know that we love it when our students are engaged. So creativity + technology=student engagement and higher-level thinking (yes, please!). Turns out there's data to back us up. In Gallup's 2019 Creativity in Learning Report, three out of four teachers agree that creativity is essential for learning. Seventy-five percent of teachers say that technology-based lessons are more likely to help students with critical thinking, problem solving, and connecting learning to the real world.

Get Started With Creativity

So, if you're looking for creative activities to challenge your students and keep them tuned into virtual learning, we've got you covered! This article shares seven creative activities for iPad from Apple Education along with ways to use the activities to teach different topics and skills and a time frame for each. Looking for more? Explore even more creative activities using built-in features of iPad with these two sets of Creative Activities for Kids designed for children ages 4-8 and 8-12+.

1. Send Flowers

Students will use shapes and drawings to make a bouquet of flowers. They can add some text and send it as a postcard to a friend or family member (so sweet!).

How to Apply It:

Activity Time: 5-10 minutes

2. Record News Interviews

We love this creative activity for the iPad because it will work with so many different assignments. Students can interview each other to build classroom community.

How to Apply It:

Activity Time: Two 30 minute sessions

What teachers are saying:

"I love activities that allow for choice, self expression, creativity, and that get students to share their voices! This activity hit all those points for me and was super easy to adapt to our remote learning." -Erika Moser, Apple Distinguished Educator

3. Personify Something

Calling all English teachers! We love this creative activity for the iPad to teach students personification. Ask them to take a photo of an everyday object at home or outside. Then, draw on it using Markup to transform it into a character.

How to Apply It:

Activity Time: 15-20 minutes

4. Animate a Portrait

Students love this because they get to bring a drawing to life and watch it move. Teachers love it because students learn coding basics. Invite your students to draw a self-portrait. From there, they will use iPad's tools to turn the portrait into an animated GIF.

How to Apply It:

Activity Time: 10-20 minutes

What teachers are saying:

"By providing students the opportunity to trace a portrait of themselves, a famous person in history, or even a portrait of an animal, the drawing process is scaffolded. Once students delete their original photo, they are stunned at their drawing masterpiece. We finish this project up with animations, voice, and music to create a video of the portrait as it comes to life." -April Requard, Apple Distinguished Educator

5. Write a Love Letter To The Planet

Assignments where students get to write about themselves and what they care about are our favorites. In this activity, students think about their favorite place. It could be somewhere they've traveled, a space in their home, etc. They draw or take a picture of the place and then bring it to life on iPad. Added bonus: in this activity, students can write, draw, and/or record their voices. So many opportunities for choice mean so many opportunities for creativity!

How to Apply It:

Activity Time: 30-45 minutes

What teachers are saying:

"Quick challenges like these help me to get to know my kids, their talents and interests, and know them better as people. The students love doing them to express their own passions and interests. In a creative and non-traditional way." -Jodie Deinhammer, Apple Distinguished Educator

6. Put Things In Order

Ask your students to take a picture of each step in an everyday activity, like washing their hands: turn on the water, soap your hands, scrub, rinse, and dry. Put the photos in order to create a sequence.

How to Apply It:

Activity Time: 10-15 minutes

7. Burst On The Scene

Your students can use burst mode in the camera app to take photos of each other performing an action like running, jumping, or dancing. They can then pick the best images and edit them to reflect their style. It looks like Erika's students had a lot of fun with this creative boosting activity.

How to Apply It:

Activity Time: 10-15 minutes

Just click the buttons below to get more creative activities from our friends at Apple Education, and don't forget to share these resources with your students' families so creativity can continue at home.
30 Creative Activities For Kids (Ages 4-8) 30 More Creative Activities For Kids (Ages 8-12)

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7 Creativity-Boosting Activities Kids Can Do on Their iPads

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We know that our students love using technology and getting creative in the classroom. We also know that we love it when our students are engaged. So creativity + technology=student engagement and higher-level thinking (yes, please!). Turns out there's data to back us up.

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Break out the crayons, paints, pastels, and clay-it's time to find inspiration for your next 1st grade art project. These ideas offer a wide variety of art types, concepts, and skills to engage your students and create meaningful art they'll love to display!
We may earn a few cents if you shop using the links in this post. Thanks for supporting WeAreTeachers!
1. Chalk a fluttering butterfly.

Chalk art pastels produce impressive results at any age. This 1st grade art project has a fun but simple 3-D element too.

Learn more: Preschool Mom

2. Paint Cezanne-style apples.

This may seem too complicated for a 1st grade art project, but you can attack it in several steps. Teach kids to draw the bowl and apples. Then, have them draw the outlines with oil pastel to create a barrier. Paint the apples red, and then the background with colorful watercolors. Voilà!

3. Color-mix to create winter landscapes.

This simple art project combines a surprising amount of concepts, including color mixing, stamping, and honing fine motor skills. And the results are pretty striking.

Learn more: Elements of the Art Room

4. Weave wishbone sticks.

This project can be adapted for any age, but for 1st grade art students, use thick, chunky yarn and sticks with a wide "V," along with blunt plastic darning needles. The "in and out" pattern of the yarn will help improve dexterity and fine motor skills.
Learn more: A Faithful Attempt
5. Make Mondrian-patterned hearts.

Mondrian's bright simple patterns are very appealing to young kids. They'll enjoy mimicking his style with this easy activity.

Learn more: Mrs. T's First Grade Class

6. Arrange an abstract alphabet.

Grab some markers and have your 1st grade art students write the letters of the alphabet randomly all over a piece of paper. Then, use color to fill in enclosed areas. The possibilities are endless!

7. Fly some cool koinobori kites.

Try an Asian-inspired art project with these colorful fish kites! May 5th is Children's Day in Japan, and these koinobori are an important part of the celebration. Firsties in any country will love creating their own kites in springtime, or anytime!

Learn more: Cassie Stephens

8. Give colorful birds a Dalí twist.

Giant birds with super wiggly and silly legs? First graders will love the silliness of this project, but it's not all just fun and games. These watercolor birds show the differences between warm and cool colors, and the loooong legs are a tribute to the master of the unexpected, Salvador Dalí.

Learn more: Mrs. T's First Grade Class

9. Sculpt the cutest owl vignettes.

This is a unique twist on standard clay projects. The owls themselves are easy to create, and mounting them on a wood plaque really makes this 1st grade art activity stand out.

Learn more: Art With Mr. Giannetto

10. Craft cleverly camouflaged lizards.

Combine art and science with a lesson about camouflage! Then challenge your students to create a patterned background for a paper lizard to blend into.

Learn more: Mrs. Henry's Class Blog

11. Take inspiration from a Calder sculpture.

Oversize sculptures like Calder's are accessible and fun for kids of any age. Recreate them in paper form with this engaging art project for first graders.

Learn more: Pink Stripey Socks

12. Fashion a paper rainbow.

Paper weaving is a fun and simple craft that opens up lots of possibilities. Firsties will enjoy making these pretty rainbows; you could even tie it in with a lesson about weather!

Learn more: Elements of the Art Room

13. Use shapes to create Klee-inspired villages.

Learn about Paul Klee's Cubist paintings, then create your own with oil pastels and watercolors. These vibrant pieces are sure to brighten your classroom walls!

Learn more: Young Art Love

14. Blend colors using coffee filters.

There's a reason this project is so popular: it's mesmerizing to watch colors bleed together and create a rainbow of new colors and patterns. All you need are color filters, washable markers, a spray bottle of water, and newspaper or paper towels.

Learn more: The Kitchen Table Classroom

15. Collaborate on a group mobile.

Collaborative art projects are always a lot of fun. This one creates a beautiful mobile perfect for hanging in the classroom or offering up at a school art auction.

Learn more: So Much to Make

16. Add texture to sunflowers with glue.

Impressionism is known for textures, and this 1st grade science project recreates Van Gogh's sunflowers with the help of some black glue. Kids draw the sunflowers, then outline them with glue. When the glue is dry, add soft beautiful watercolors.

Source: The Rolling Art Room

17. Recreate a starry skyscape.

Speaking of Van Gogh, here's a simple but impressive project to try. Oil pastels are easy to use, while making kids feel like real artists. Let them use their own techniques to recreate the famous Starry Night.

Learn more: Zilker Elementary Art Class

18. Put the "A" in STEAM.
Learn more: Cassie Stephens
This mixed-media project has several components, so plan to do it over several days. The results are worth it, and so much fun!

19. Cut out cute cardinals.

If you haven't seen Charley Harper's wonderful wildlife art, you should definitely check it out. Share it with your students, then get ready to create these charming cardinals just like his.

Learn more: Elements of the Art Room

20. Doodle like Kandinsky.

Kandinsky is known for his circles, but his other abstract work is mesmerizing too. Read the book The Noisy Paintbox to learn about the artist's life. Then use black markers, watercolors, and cotton swabs to help achieve that muted color/haze.

Learn more: Hayt Art Room

21. Start with a dot.

is a favorite read-aloud, and the perfect springboard for so many art activities! In this one, kids take a single dot and turn it into whatever they can imagine.

Learn more: Firstieland

22. Think in circles.

Divide a large canvas into even squares. Each student gets a square to decorate with their own circle art, creating a cohesive but unique whole.

23. Scribble a spiral.

Teach contrasting colors and composition with this simple project, using crayons and watercolors. It's like tie-dye for paper!

Learn more: Miss Young's Art Room

24. Compose a color wheel bouquet.

This 1st grade art project is part treasure hunt and part art lesson. Pull out your box of scrap paper and have students dig through to find the pieces they need to complete a color wheel daisy. You'll wind up with a whole garden!

Learn more: Deep Space Sparkle

25. Fill in colorful emus.

This project is a snap, thanks to the free printable emu template. Use felt-tip pens for the beak and eyes, and oil pastels for the rest.

26. Float away with mixed-media collages.

The personal aspect of this mixed-media hot air balloon collage is what really makes it stand out! (Tip: Trim the student pictures yourself, since the detailed cuts may be too much for little fingers.)

Learn more: Art With Mrs. Filmore

27. Build baskets with yarn and glue.

There are no major weaving skills required for these wacky baskets. Simply dip strips of yarn into glue and lay over an upside-down paper cup or bowl. When the glue dries, remove the paper cup, and you've got a basket!

Learn more: Eighteen25

28. Paint like Pollock.

Here's a great use for yarn scraps. Kids dip yarn into tempera paint, then drip or drag it over the paper to create abstract designs reminiscent of Jackson Pollock. (Tip: Read Action Jackson first for inspiration.)

Learn more: Deep Space Sparkle

29. Sculpt speckled fish.

This 1st grade art project requires a kiln for best results. The real star of the show is the Mayco Jungle Gems glaze, which bursts into cool patterns when fired.

Learn more: Cassie Stephens

30. Play with patterns.

When the leaves start to change color, try this pretty project using the watercolor-resist method. Students can really let their imaginations run wild with the pattern designs and color choices.

Learn more: Art Projects for Kids

31. Explore African art with Anansi.

Read the story of Anansi the Spider, an African folk hero. Then create textured paper to make the spider, and give him a detailed web to hang out on!

Learn more: Please Don't Eat the Artwork

32. Draw a fox step-by-step.

First graders are just starting to move away from stick figures and into more advanced drawings. Hit the link for a step-by-step tutorial that even little ones can follow with oil pastels.

Learn more: Art Projects for Kids

33. Make plastic bag monoprints.

Dive deeper into abstract art with this easy printing project. Kids paint designs onto plastic bags, then press them onto paper for interesting results.

Learn more: Please Don't Eat the Artwork

34. Teach them to draw little birdies.

Kids will be amazed when they learn to draw this simple bird starting with an arrow. They'll also love designing birdhouses for their avian friends, which culminates in a fantastic classroom display that's perfect for spring.

Learn more: Ms. L's Art Room

35. Design autumn scarecrows.

After painting a vivid background of sky and fields, students root through the scrap paper bin to assemble colorful scarecrows for the finishing touch. (Tip: Create templates to make it easier for them to cut the pants, shirt, and hat.)

Learn more: Deep Space Sparkle

36. Make fine art with some fine lines.

Start with a sheet of circles (pre-printed, or have kids trace them from templates). Then have firsties add bold lines to design a variety of faces. This quick and simple activity is lots of fun, and really sets their creativity free.

37. Whip up a bowl of alphabet soup.

Yup, this is really a 1st grade art project! Kids practice their letters and learn about mixed-media, tackling the activities in steps. The plastic spoons with alphabet letters added at the end really make the pieces pop!

Learn more: Art With Mrs. Filmore

38. Construct colorful 3-D houses.

Learn about architecture styles and skills, then design paper bag houses! Encourage students to add plenty of personal details to make the designs their own.

39. Put together mosaic owls.

Paper mosaics are like a puzzle you create yourself, plus they give kids practice with scissor skills. And these owl faces are just adorable!

Learn more: Friendly Froggies

40. Swim with the seahorses.
Proud of what your firsties have achieved? Come share their amazing artwork on the WeAreTeachers Chat group on Facebook! Plus, check out our favorite 50 Books for First Grade.
This bright project is inspired by Eric Carle's Mister Seahorse. Kids use a variety of art methods to create these cheery underwater scenes.

Learn more: Art With Mr. Giannetto

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40 Amazing 1st Grade Art Projects to Bring Back Creativity and Play

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Break out the crayons, paints, pastels, and clay-it's time to find inspiration for your next 1st grade art project. These ideas offer a wide variety of art types, concepts, and skills to engage your students and create meaningful art they'll love to display!

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Circles are important because there is no beginning or end and therefore no completions but continuous cycles. Standing in a circle allows everyone to see each other as they stand shoulder to shoulder. In other words, circles are formations where power relations are structured differently to ensure agency of each member is a necessary part of the function.

Martin (2008)

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Engage your students to create, share and respond in all five art forms

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Embedding Indigenous perspectives into an authentic arts curriculum.

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This game will encourage children to think about the animals which live in Australia. It will also provide an active link to First Nations peoples dance highlighting cultural diversity and respect. This activity will align with NQF outcome 2.2.

Plan Type

Educator Planned

Intentionality

Promote awareness of First Nations peoples culture.

Develop respect for diversity within society.

Build upon knowledge of indigenous fauna.

Promote creativity and movement.

NQF Outcomes

2.2 Children respond to diversity with respect.

Activity Description

1. Arrange the children in a circle facing inwards.

2. Ask each child to think of an Australian animal.

3. Ask each child to think about how each animal would move in the bush.

4. Select a child or ask for a volunteer to go first.

5. As the child to mimic the animal by hopping, jumping, crawling, walking etc. by moving away from the circle and get everyone to copy that child.

6. Everyone return to the circle.

7. Continue around the circle until each child has had a turn.

Resources

Reflection

Were the children able to think of Australian animals?

Which animals (Australian or otherwise) were nominated for this activity by the participants?

Were children aware of First Nations dance before this activity?

Were the video's used to assist in the activity?

Was there any bias in this activity?

Notes

Aboriginal Dance is used for story telling and passing on lessons through the generations. Many dances include native animals portrayed in the dance. Aboriginal dance is associated with music and instruments such as the didgeridoo. A general term for dance is Corroboree.

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

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This game will encourage children to think about the animals which live in Australia. It will also provide an active link to First Nations peoples dance highlighting cultural diversity and respect. This activity will align with NQF outcome 2.2. Educator Planned Promote awareness of First Nations peoples culture.

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Bounce balls with your microphone! A fun way to manage classroom noise or visualize music.

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Bouncy Balls – Manage classroom noise with bouncing balls!

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A free classroom noise level meter, monitor and management tool. Perfect if your school kids are too noisy! Bouncing balls react to sounds from the microphone.

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Has your class been commissioned to create an art project for the school auction? These collaborative efforts often go for top dollar on the night of the auction-but an elaborate art project may be the last thing you want to add to your list. That's why we love these simple but beautiful school auction art projects.
This post contains affiliate links, which means we may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!
1. Ceramic Wind Chimes

Source: Lifestyle for Real Life

Remember your child's school for years to come every time you hear this lovely ceramic wind chime singing in the breeze. Students use a Sharpie/rubbing alcohol paint technique to create their own unique design on store-bought ceramic medallions. Then the discs are connected to a branch with fishing wire and metal eyelets. For complete instructions, click here.

2. Personalized Pillow

Source: Popsugar

Who wouldn't want to cuddle up with this adorable memento? Students cut graduated circles out of felt squares then tack them together with an X-stitch with embroidery floss. Next, they cut out an oval leaf shape, embroider their name (or use a Sharpie), and attach it to the flower. Lastly, recruit a volunteer to either sew or hot glue the flowers to a plain white pillow.

3. Vibrant Wall Hangings

Source: Handmakery

These beautiful one-of-a-kind wall hangings are sure to bring in some serious coin. Make them as elaborate as the ones shown above, using canvas fabric, tempera paint, permanent markers, yarn, and clay. For full details, click here.

4. Custom Tote Bags

Source: LuLovesHandmade

These simple canvas bags are perfect for every errand-running parent. This blogger created these models using natural materials, such as leaves, apple halves, and potatoes. Other materials needed include textile paint, brushes, newspapers, and plain cotton bags.

5. Colorful Fabric Weavings

Source: Art is Basic

These gorgeous wall hangings are simple for kids to create together. All you need is plastic garden fencing (it usually comes in a roll and can be cut into different sizes) and strips of fabric or ribbons. Ask parents for donations of any leftover fabric they may have and check out websites like Naier for free materials.

6. Custom Plates

Source: Popsugar

These whimsical plates would be a cheery addition to any kitchen. The example above shows simple line drawings of fruit. But you could pick any theme you like-self-portraits, animals, flowers. Here are step-by-step directions for decorating plates with Sharpies.

7. Birds of a Feather

Source: Bonny Slope Community Organization

Using a wet on wet watercolor technique, have students paint small rectangles of watercolor paper. Next, using a template, cut out the feather shape and have students use scissors to cut "fringes" into the edges of their feather. Finally, mount the feathers together in a circular shape on a foam backboard.

8. Colorful Story Quilt

Source: Bluprint

You will need a talented volunteer who can sew to help stitch this project together! For the squares of the quilt, each student will draw their own picture using fabric markers. The teacher who assembled the quilt shown above asked students to create a picture inspired by the theme of friendship. Choose a theme that is meaningful for your particular group of students.

9. Painted Adirondack Chair

Source: KHS Advancement

Who wouldn't love to kick back in a deliciously colorful chair like this? Every student in the class can paint or decorate a different section, which will come together into a memorable piece of yard art. If you do not have an Adirondack, use a bench or table or any other kind of wooden furniture made of slats.

10. Craft Stick Collage

Source: Teaching Middle Level

Give each student four to six large wooden craft sticks to color in completely with color Sharpie pens or tempera paint. Encourage students to decorate each stick uniquely. After you have collected all of the sticks, lay them out on a large foam board in a checkerboard manner, experimenting with what you think looks best. When you are satisfied with your design, glue it down. Attach a hanger to the back of the foam board.

11. Collaborative Circle Tapestry

Source: Experiments in Art Education

Using a three-inch circle of cardboard, yarn, and a needle, students will first create a loom structure and then weave yarn in a circular pattern to create a unique and beautiful circle (see detailed directions here.) String individual circle weavings together, using twine attached to a dowel or an interesting tree branch.

12. "Chihuly" Sculptures

Source: Spot of Color

There are two different ways to create these beautiful sculptures. The first one (directions here) is constructed with coffee filter papers, water-based markers, paper cups, and a squirt bottle of water. The second one (directions here) is constructed with plastic disposable cups, Sharpie pens, and a toaster oven.

Source: Rubber Boots and Elf Shoes

13. Hand Hearts Photograph

Source: Popsugar

You will need a good camera for this project. Demonstrate for your students how to create the shape of a heart with their hands. Provide a colorful piece of paper as a background for each student to create their hand heart, then snap a photo. Mount all of the students' heart photos together with a crisp white matte border surrounding them, then frame.

14. Woven Watercolor Strips

Source: Pinterest

Determine the width and length you want each strip of watercolor paper for the weaving to be. Give each student one strip and let them apply different watercolor techniques in the color palette of their choosing to their individual strip. Weave the strips tightly together and glue down onto a piece of black background to form this beautiful piece of art!

15. Reach for the Stars Collage

Source: Artsonia

Have each student trace from their hand up to their elbow onto plain card stock (or pair them up to do it with a partner). Color and decorate, then cut out the tracing. Assemble all of the hands onto a dark blue poster board, overlapping from the bottom, with each hand pointing up, as if it is reaching toward the sky. Glue different sizes of shimmering gold stars at the top of the board.

16. Puzzle Pieces

Source: Craftster

Buy or have someone donate a puzzle with relatively large pieces. Usually a preschool puzzle with 25-30 pieces works well for this. Have students decorate the plain backside of each piece with permanent markers. Encourage them to add lots of details. When they are all colored in, spray all of the pieces with a shiny clear topcoat of spray paint. Assemble the puzzle and mount to a piece of cardboard or plywood. Attach hangers to the back or prop up on a tabletop easel.

17. The Hand Tree

Source: Candice Ashment Art

Celebrate the uniqueness of every single student in your class with this colorful, whimsical tree project. Click here for detailed directions.

18. Personalized Ceramic Bowl

Source: Pinterest

There are many variations of this craft out there. We like this version, found on Pinterest, that creates a fun scene using students' fingerprints. If you want your piece to be professionally fired, you or a parent volunteer can arrange to borrow the proper paints and markers, as well as buy your pottery piece, from a Pots 'n Paints-type of business. After your students add their contribution to the piece, you can return it to the shop to be fired.

19. Wall of Hearts

Source: OttawaStart

Using small stretched canvases, or blocks of wood cut into uniform height and width but varying depths, students can paint their own design on a common theme (for example, hearts as shown in the image). Other theme ideas: trees, shapes, first letters of each student's first or last name, stars, emojis.

20. Tile Squares Table

Source: Teach Kids Art

This one requires a little legwork to find and prepare just the right table base-a perfect job for a parent volunteer. For project details, see step-by-step directions here.
Does your school put on an auction? What are your favorite school auction art projects? Come and share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook. Plus, our big list of restaurants that do school fundraisers.

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20 Great Ideas for School Auction Art Projects

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Has your class been commissioned to create an art project for the school auction? These collaborative efforts often go for top dollar on the night of the auction-but an elaborate art project may be the last thing you want to add to your list. That's why we love these simple but beautiful school auction art projects.

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MOSAICS - AN ART EXPERINCE FOR HARMONY DAY 

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MOSAICS - AN ART EXPERINCE FOR HARMONY DAY 

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Cooperation, collaboration and craft - Familiarises students with mosaic art as found in Muslim mosques and other cultural buildings, and provides a metaphor for diversity and unity.

Aims

To familiarise students with mosaic art as found in Muslim mosques and other cultural buildings.

To encourage students to work cooperatively and collaboratively as part of a group.

To provide opportunities for students to experiment with making their own mosaic.

Preparation

A range of pictures showing examples of mosaic artwork in mosques and other culturally significant buildings.

Roughly cut up pieces of coloured paper or card to use as mosaic pieces (uneven shapes are best). A range of colours should be provided, but students choose only three colours each.

Pieces of thick black card to glue the mosaic pieces onto (the thicker the card, the less chance of it warping when the pieces are glued on).

Large sheets of card for group mosaics.

Student copies of 'Making a Mosaic' worksheet.

Glue.

What to do

1. Students are introduced to mosaic art through use of the pictures.

2. Students follow the instructions on the 'Making a Mosaic' worksheet to create their own mosaic. (Younger students may follow verbal instructions from the teacher.)

3. In small groups, students arrange their mosaics together to form a whole on large pieces of card. Students should work collaboratively and cooperatively to reach agreement on where each piece should go.

4. Students' group mosaics are then combined and displayed as one large class mosaic on a wall (in the classroom, library or public place).

5. Teacher leads a whole class discussion on the importance of each piece in making a whole, the parallel with social cohesion and the importance of cooperation.

Extension activities

Students may complete this learning activity entirely in small groups, using decision making and collaboration to reach consensus agreement.

Children work with older students to design and create a mosaic artwork for the school eg front steps, playground etc. This could represent an important occasion or event in Australian history, or the variety of cultures represented in the school population.

A variety of art forms from other cultures and traditions may be explored (eg stained glass windows, patchwork quilts) to demonstrate the relationship between parts and the whole.

Students could visit sites in the local community to view mosaics or stained glass windows.

Instructions: Making a Mosaic Worksheet

1. Collect your black card from your teacher

2. Choose three different colours of mosaic pieces

3. Make a pattern with the coloured pieces on your black card

4. Move the pieces around until you are happy with the design

5. One by one, glue your pieces in place.

Adapted from a Living in Harmony Funded Project, 'All Together Now', Churches' Commission on Education, WA, 1999.

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Cooperation, collaboration and craft - Familiarises students with mosaic art as found in Muslim mosques and other cultural buildings, and provides a metaphor for diversity and unity. To familiarise students with mosaic art as found in Muslim mosques and other cultural buildings. To encourage students to work cooperatively and collaboratively as part of a group.

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19th SWELL SCULPTURE FESTIVAL  10 – 19 September 2021.

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SWELL Sculpture Festival QUEENSLAND’S LARGEST OUTDOOR SCULPTURE EXHIBITION

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SWELL Sculpture Festival QUEENSLAND’S LARGEST OUTDOOR SCULPTURE EXHIBITION

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Main exhibition held along Currumbin, Gold Coast, Queensland

Experience pop up exhibitions across the Gold Coast including westerlySWELL at Mudgeeraba & Lower Beechmont, easterlySWELL at Chevron Island and northerlySWELL at Helensvale.

Also experience SWELL Smalls Gallery with cultural programming at The SWELL Fringe Festival in Currumbin.

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Main exhibition held along Currumbin, Gold Coast, Queensland

Experience pop up exhibitions across the Gold Coast including westerlySWELL at Mudgeeraba & Lower Beechmont, easterlySWELL at Chevron Island and northerlySWELL at Helensvale.

Also experience SWELL Smalls Gallery with cultural programming at The SWELL Fringe Festival in Currumbin.

Come face to face with awe-inspiring sculptures by local, national and international artists at the

19th SWELL Sculpture Festival 10 - 19 September 2021.

Stay a little longer and discover a range of unique experiences; guided twilight walks through the artworks, artist talks next to the sculptures and artist led workshops.

Swell Sculpture Festival inspires and captures the hearts and minds of all who visit.

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Main exhibition held along Currumbin, Gold Coast, Queensland Experience pop up exhibitions across the Gold Coast including westerlySWELL at Mudgeeraba & Lower Beechmont, easterlySWELL at Chevron Island and northerlySWELL at Helensvale. Also experience SWELL Smalls Gallery with cultural programming at The SWELL Fringe Festival in Currumbin.

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- a vision for our city where culture is central to our community wellbeing, our city's reputation and liveability, and our economic growth.

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The City of Gold Coast's Culture Strategy 2023.

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The City of Gold Coast's Culture Strategy 2023.

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A PARADISE FOR SURE
WHAT MAKES US DISTINCT? WE WILL CHALLENGE PERCEPTIONS AND UNCOVER A DEPTH AND RICHNESS OF CREATIVITY ON THE GOLD COAST. WE WILL HIGHLIGHT OUR STUNNING NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT, SUBLIME CLIMATE AND ENVIABLE LIFESTYLE. WE WILL BE SURPRISED, CHALLENGED AND DELIGHTED
BY WHAT WE DISCOVER IS DISTINCT ABOUT OUR CITY. WE WILL PROMOTE THE WORK OF OUR HOMEGROWN
ARTISTS AND CREATIVE ENTERPRISES AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO EXPLORE NEW GOLD COAST NARRATIVES.

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The Graffiti Prevention Education Program 

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City of Gold Coast 📍 Graffiti Prevention Education Program 

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City of Gold Coast 📍 Graffiti Prevention Education Program 

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The Graffiti Prevention Education Program
is a sequential education program from the foundation level to the senior years of schooling that investigates the impact of graffiti on the community and the environment.

The 14 modules examine how graffiti is considered an illegal act, what constitutes graffiti, who is the typical offender, the reasons why graffiti occurs, and the penalties for committing the offense. More importantly, the education program aims to develop students a sense of responsibility to prevent and report graffiti in their community and to act responsibly to protect and sustain the environment, locally, nationally, and globally.

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The Craft a Critter Competition is an invitation to students and all Australians to create an artistic depiction of a chosen threatened species. Craft a Critter aims to raise awareness in the community of Australia’s remarkable and unique threatened wildlife. It also provides an information sharing and educational tool to occupy kids, students and adults as they spend more time at home. Artistic creations can vary from drawings, to crochet, to paintings, to sculptures, to clay, the most important thing is to have fun and be creative. The only thing we ask from you is to reduce, re-use and recycle. Try your best to use materials found around the home or garden. The Threatened Species Commissioner is delighted to be launching Craft a Critter and she is looking forward to seeing your critters come to life!

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Watch these short animations for a simple introduction to seven classical instruments. This bite sized content introduces children to the sound of each instrument and how it's played.

Meet Vishnu Violin, the smallest member of the Strings family.

Meet Chan Cello, she has four strings and is played with a bow.

Meet Daisy Drum, she keeps the other instruments in time by playing the beat.

Meet Mei Marimba, a member of the Percussion family. She is wooden and played with two sticks called mallets.

Meet Finn the Flute, he is a member of the Woodwind family.

Meet Pandora Piano, she is a percussion instrument and has white notes and black notes.

Meet Violet Vibraphone, she is a member of the percussion family and is similar to the marimba.

More About Classical Music For Kids

The five instruments above, all feature prominently in Classic Kids: Sounds Like Australia Podcast and live shows which introduces listeners to spatial awareness, storytelling and classical music. The Classic Kids podcast is told through the voice of Kirra the Quokka, who embarks on a long journey across the country, from sleepy Rottnest Island to the bright lights of Sydney Opera House. Through the story of Kirra the Quokka, and the furry and feathered friends she meets along the way, children are taken on a magical musical adventure. The combination of classical music and oral storytelling work together to create the sounds of the Australian landscape and wildlife. The story invites children to engage their imaginations and listening skills.

For more musical education, watch Claire Edwardes from Ensemble Offspring as she demonstrates how the Marimba can create the sound of a train and birds in the bush.

After watching the videos above children can experiment with making their own music, at home or kindergarten, by using found objects to create instruments. Watch this video about how to make a DIY musical shaker.

Classic Kids podcast and live shows are a co-production with Sydney Opera House, ABC Classic FM and ABC KIDS listen.

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Watch these short animations for a simple introduction to seven classical instruments. This bite sized content introduces children to the sound of each instrument and how it's played. The five instruments above, all feature prominently in Classic Kids: Sounds Like Australia Podcast and live shows which introduces listeners to spatial awareness, storytelling and classical music.

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Socio-dramatic play-based learning ideas 

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Socio-dramatic play-based learning ideas 

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Are you tired of the same old pretend play ideas that you do with your kids? Inject some new passion into your playtime with these fresh and fun ideas for Imaginative Play.
Benefits of Imaginative Play

Developing Creativity - escaping into a world of make believe provides your child with the freedom to explore and develop their own creativity in a comfortable environment. This will help prepare them to think more creatively when trying to solve problems in adulthood.

Growing Imaginations - popping on a costume or playing with just a few pretend play props might be all your child needs to spark their imagination. Once they start on a pretend play adventure encourage them to take the lead in a role play activity and see where they can take it or ask them questions to help them carry on with a story as they play. The more they grow their imagination now, the bigger their ideas will be when they grow up.

Language Skills - Engage your child in a simple play or watch them play shops with siblings and friends and see how quickly they start to learn new words and ways of describing things. Talk to them as they play to keep the conversations flowing and to introduce new words to your children.

Social Skills - Playing together with siblings, friends or caregivers is the perfect forum to improve your child's social graces. They learn how to take turns and share responsibility as they swap roles in different role play scenarios. My own kids love to work together to put on shows for us to watch about dinner time. This could be a simple re-telling of a favourite story, a magic show or a concert of their favourite songs. Noe these shows might now win any Oscar nominations, but the team work, leadership and confidence they develop as they work together to put on these shows and the positive reaction they receive from the audience is worth so much more to them.

Career Research - It's never too early for your child think about "What they want to be when they grow up". Setting up different dramatic play scenarios for your child to play in provides an excellent introduction into the basics of running a shop, serving in a cafe, caring for others in a hospital or looking after soft toys at the vets.

Life Skills - Children learn through play so you can use play making playtime the ideal time to teach them some valuable life skills. Playing with a toy phone is an excellent time to teach your child how to make an emergency call. Setting the table is a dramatic play cafe can then be transferred to helping you set your own dinner table and then helping out with more kitchen chores as they get older.

Real Life Scenarios - Playing Doctors and Nurses is a useful role play activity to ease any concerns your child has about an upcoming trip to the hospital or use soft toys in a vet dramatic play centre to talk through their feelings about their favourite pet going in for an operation

"Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn." O. Fred Donaldson Click here to receive our FREE eBook

Animal Imaginative Play
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.
It feels like my daughter spends half of her day pretending to be an animal at the moment. She is always keen to get me involved as well. " Mummy pretend I'm a baby guinea pig and you are the mummy guinea pig." Being a mummy animal usually involves giving her lots of cuddles and pretend treats, so it's quite a nice way to spend a bit of time with her.

Getting involved in a pretend play activity with your child is an excellent encouragement for them, especially if your child is reluctant to play or feels shy about pretending to play another role.

Cardboard Box Pretend Play

The humble cardboard box is so useful, just think how many times we use them in our daily lives. We receive parcels inside of them, use them for storage and load our groceries into them. Once you have finished with them, you could just throw them out into the recycling bin or you could hang onto them and use them in a fun pretend play activity with your kids?

"The playing adult steps sideward into another reality; the playing child advances forward to new stages of mastery." Erik H. Erikson

Doctors and Vets Dramatic Play

Pretend Play is great way to gently introduce new places that you may need to visit together in real life. Does your child have a upcoming doctors appointment that they are feeling nervous about or is their beloved pet having to take trip to your local vet? Acting out the role of a doctor or a vet is a good way to show and talk to your child about what is going to happen.

"Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning." Mr. Rogers

Dressing Up Box

Growing up I spent a lot of time at my grandparents house, whilst my parents were working. One of mine and my sisters favourtie games to play there was "dressing up." My granny had the most amazing dressing up box full of her and my Granddad's old clothes and accessories. I remember this really big blue sunhat and my grannies scarves and shoes being personal favourites.

Yes you can buy lots of different dressing up outfits now down the shops, but what could be more fun than dressing up in your parents old clothes or even up-cycling them into something much more special.
Click here to receive our FREE eBook
Outdoor Imaginative Play Activities

It is great to get kids playing outside as much as possible and there is so much potential for imaginative play outdoors. I was lucky enough to grow up on a farm and I loved to make dens around our and mud pies in our garden. If it's too wet to play outdoors then why not bring and outdoor theme indoors.

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." George Bernard Shaw

On the Move

My kids love cars and can spend many a wet afternoon zooming them around the house pretending to be racing car drivers or cops and robbers. Our playroom currently had a masking tape road map over half of it as well which they use for one of their many car related play times.

Get your child's imagination moving with these ideas for pretend play activities using cars, trucks and diggers.

Play Food

I have lost count the number of pretend ice-creams I have "consumed" and how may orders I have placed in my kids all time favourite dramatic play setting - "Their Cafe" but it is a game I will never tire off (even though it does make me really hungry") as I know how much good it is doing them as they play. My middle some even has aspirations of becoming a chef now which I am sure is partly down to the number of hours he has spent cooking for me in his pretend kitchen.

Play food can be imaginary, made from recycled packaging, you could even sew your own or buy a cheap set online. I had aspirations of sewing a set of felt food for my kids, but after spending an hour sewing a fried egg I gave in and bought a cheap set (the fried egg has made a great pin cushion for me so it wasn't an hour totally wasted!). It has had so much use though, so it turned out to be a great investment.

"It is a happy talent to know how to play." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Playing Shop

Who doesn't remember playing shop when they were a kid? A childhood institution and one of the simplest imaginative play scenarios to set up. You can easily set up your own shop at home filled with empty packaging from your recycle bin and a toy till. Encourage your kids to take turns being customer and shop keeper as they play together. Playing shops is also a great way to introduce the concept of money and to practice using it before your kids are let loose in a shop alone once they are old enough.
Click here to receive our FREE eBook
Playing with Puppets

Making your ow puppets putting on a puppet show is a great rainy day activity. Give your child as much freedom as possible to design and make their puppets and write and perform their own show. They might just surprise you with their creativity and imagination.

Telling Stories

My middle son comes up with the best stories. I wish I had just half of his imagination. He can sit down and write a tale or just tell a story with ease to his siblings as they play together. Encourage your children to tell stories with a small world play or make some Story Stones.
References The Need for Pretend Play in Childhood Development, Psychology Today The Importance of Pretend Play, Scholastic

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Imaginative Play Ideas for Kids - Crafty Kids at Home

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Are you tired of the same old pretend play ideas that you do with your kids? Inject some new passion into your playtime with these fresh and fun ideas for Imaginative Play. Developing Creativity - escaping into a world of make believe provides your child with the freedom to explore and develop their own creativity in a comfortable environment.

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A trunkfull of PROMPTS- Ideas for improvs, writing tasks, games and drama activities. 

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A trunkfull of PROMPTS- Ideas for improvs, writing tasks, games and drama activities. 

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DRAMATIC PLAY PROMPTS- Use a book or story that we have read often as a class to re-enact in gibberish.
OR
My AWESOME ALLITERATION ideas for prompts - Silly Superheroes – Funny FAIRIES – Polite People – Creative Critters – Animated Animals – Frustrated Furbabies - Different Dudes – Imaginative Insects – Curious Creatures – Lovely Ladies – Secret Species – Timeless Tales – Crazy Cartoons – Marvellous Movies – Surprisingly Simple - Fabulous Films – Complicated Characters – Quirky Characters – Heroes and Villians.

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Never be stuck for a drama, theatre or improv game again!

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How drama and improv cards transformed my drama classes (and why I wouldn't teach drama without them!)

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Welcome To Country | Connecting Indigenous Australia

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Aboriginal Dreamtime stories speak of events from the time of creation. These stories have been passed on from one generation to the next for thousands of years. Dreamtime stories are also preserved in our songs and dances. These stories give us understanding of the past and have helped us survive through the laws and morals that lay within these stories.

If you're a teacher or student looking for more educational articles, make sure to bookmark/save our Education Series link here.

1. Tiddalik The Frog

2. The Rainbow Serpent

3. Why Koala Has A Stumpy Tail

4. Waatji Pulyeri (the Blue Wren)

5. How the Kangaroo got its pouch

6. Biladurang the Platypus

7. Mirram the Kangaroo and Warreen the Wombat

8. Girawu the Goanna

9. The Rainbow Serpent - Wandjina Tribes

The power of stories being passed down orally is often criticized by people in today's society. But we are quite proud and content that this tradition has proved itself to be a powerful way for knowledge to be passed on without the risk of it being erased or lost due to technical issues.

10. Dust Echoes - The Mimis

11. Wayambeh the Turtle

12. Moon Creation Story

13. The Rainbow Serpent

14. How the Birds got their Colours

15. Giant Devil Dingo

16. How the Clouds were made

17. Murray River Creation Story

18. The Bat and the Crocodile

Let us know your favourite story and other stories that you think we should add to the list. If you're an educator, let us know which stories your students appreciated the most. We hope more people will begin to realise what Dreamtime stories mean for Indigenous people. These stories hold great significance, much like stories that are passed down in other religions.

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Popular Aboriginal Dreamtime Stories | Welcome To Country

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Aboriginal Dreamtime stories speak of events from the time of creation. These stories have been passed on from one generation to the next for thousands of years. Dreamtime stories are also preserved in our songs and dances. These stories give us understanding of the past and have helped us survive through the laws and morals that lay within these stories.

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Embedding Indigenous perspectives into The Arts: Drama with Aboriginal Dreaming and The Dreamtime. 

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Embedding Indigenous perspectives into The Arts: Drama with Aboriginal Dreaming and The Dreamtime. 

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Aboriginal Dreaming
Dreamtime or Dreaming for Australian Aboriginal people represents the time when the Ancestral Spirits progressed over the land and created life and important physical geographic formations and sites.

Aboriginal philosophy is known as the Dreaming and is based on the inter-relation of all people and all things. The past of the Spirit Ancestors which live on in the legends are handed down through stories, art, ceremony and songs.

The Dreaming explains the origin of the universe and workings of nature and humanity. It shapes and structures life through the regulation and understanding of family life, the relations between the sexes and obligations to people, land and spirits.

Before European settlement of Australia, there were around 600 diverse Aboriginal populations, based on language groups.

Australian Aborigines have the longest continuous cultural history of any group of people on Earth. Educated estimates date this history around 50,000 years. leo.

Aboriginal people disclose their Dreaming stories to pass on imperative knowledge, cultural values, traditions and law to future generations. Their Dreamings are passed on through various customs such as ceremonial body painting, storytelling song and dance.

The Australian Indigenous people have over thousands of years maintained a link with the Dreamtime and Dreaming stories of the past to the present. Due to their customs and beliefs they have sustained a rich cultural heritage.

None of the hundreds of Aboriginal languages contain a word for time. When we try to explain in English their philosophy we are perhaps best not to use the term 'Dreamtime' but use the word 'Dreaming' instead.

It conveys better the timeless concept of moving from 'dream' to reality which in itself is an act of creation and the basis of many Aboriginal creation myths.

Aboriginal spirituality does not think about the 'Dreaming' as a time past, in fact not as a time at all. Time refers to past, present and future but the 'Dreaming' is none of these.

The 'Dreaming' "is there with them, it is not a long way away. The Dreaming is the environment that the Aboriginals lived in, and it still do today. It is important to note that the Dreaming always also comprises the significance of place.

The Dreaming, or 'Tjukurrpa', also means to 'see and understand the law' as it is translated from the Arrernte language (Frank Gillen with Baldwin Spencer, translating an Arrernte word Altyerrenge).

In most stories of the Dreaming, the Ancestor Spirits came to the earth in human form and as they moved through the land, they created the animals, plants, rocks, rivers, mountains and other forms of the land that we know today.

These Ancestral Spirits also formed the relationships between Aboriginal people, the land and all living beings.

Once the ancestor spirits created the world, they transformed into trees, the stars, rocks, watering holes etc. These are the sacred places of Aboriginal culture and have special meaning.

Because the ancestors did not disappear at the end of the Dreaming, but remained in these sacred sites, the Dreaming is never-ending, linking the past, present and the people and the land.

Dreamings allow Aboriginal people to understand their place in traditional society and nature, and connects their spiritual world of the past with the present and the future.

The Dreamings explain the creation process. Ancestor beings rose from the earth and seas and roamed the initially barren land, created the land's features and then returned to the land to become part of its features in the form of rocks, waterholes, trees etc.

These became sacred places, to be seen only by initiated men."

The spirits of the ancestor beings are passed on to their descendants, e.g. shark, kangaroo, honey ant, snake and so on and hundreds of others which have become totems within the diverse Indigenous groups across the continent.

Aboriginal families and individuals identify with a specific Dreamings. It gives them identity, dictates how they express their spirituality and tells them which other Aboriginal people are related to them in a close family. They can share the same Dreamings so this means that one person can have multiple Dreamings.

"Stories of the Dreaming" have been handed down through the generations, they are not owned by individuals but belong to a group.

The storytellers are chosen by the Elders who have the duty to pass the stories along, ensuring that young people build and retain a sense of who they are.

The journey of the Spirit Ancestors across the land are recorded in Dreaming tracks.

A Dreaming track joins a number of sites which trace the path of an Ancestral Being as it moves through the landscape, forming its features, creating its flora and fauna and laying down the Laws.

These Spirit Ancestors include the Rainbow Serpent, Wandjinas, Mimi Spirits - fairy-like beings of Arnhem Land, Karatgurk - Seven sisters who represent the Pleiades star cluster, These Dreamings are passed down and shared by many Aboriginal communities across Australia.

Traditionally, Dreaming stories would be told through mediums such as the haunting sound of the didgeridoo with song and dances and also by symbolic drawings.

These designs were used as body paint decorations for corroborees and as sand paintings for ceremonies.

Today paintings are created using traditional ochre and modern-day materials, but the use of traditional symbols and art styles keeps this ancient culture alive.

The symbols used in contemporary Aboriginal paintings are the same as those found on cave paintings and rock Art.

The same obligations to pass on their own Aboriginal cultural dreaming story is depicted in Aboriginal Art. It is a visual expression of these beliefs and a way to preserve their culture, beliefs and history.

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Understanding Aboriginal Dreaming and the Dreamtime

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Aboriginal Dreaming Dreamtime or Dreaming for Australian Aboriginal people represents the time when the Ancestral Spirits progressed over the land and created life and important physical geographic formations and sites. Aboriginal philosophy is known as the Dreaming and is based on the inter-relation of all people and all things.

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School MUVE website- Dance and movement learning activities and games

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School MUVE website- Dance and movement learning activities and games

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MUVE is a spontaneous, all inclusive Dance/Exercise Method. The MUVE-Dancer explores creative movement possibilities easily and joyfully. There is no choreography, no right or wrong step, but spontaneous movement and healthy fun with friends. However, coming up with new dance ideas can be challenging. MUVE-Tools help generate different movement ideas ensuring that each dance is fun, fresh and effortless. With the MUVE Lessons we aim to support the growth of physical and social skills, leadership and creative expression through community dance.

Intended Learning Outcomes - All students will be able to:

Observe, practice and create dance movements

Dance with control, changing direction, speed and spacial levels

Work co-operatively as a group, performing, accepting, and respecting the movements and abilities of their classmates.

Teach by Example and LEARN by Following

The MUVE lesson begins with a Dance-Along. Though students are usually happy to move, its important to provide a model for the movements you wish to see. Following the MUSE (lead-dancer) is super fun and a great way to learn new moves. Students follow loosely, shaping each move to their own preference. Different age and skill levels can playfully exercise together. There is no pressure. We enjoy giving and receiving movement ideas from each other.

Kids

"Brand New Day"

Kids

"Best Day Of My Life"

Teens

"I Got A Feeling"

MUVE LESSON PLANS

We have lined up the lesson plans in the order we usually offer them. However, you can use them in any order you like. The Icon Shuttles below will lead you to instructions and sample videos. You do not have to be a "great dancer" to teach MUVE to any group. After you set up each game it will work on auto-pilot all the way to the end of each song.

If you need more detail on how to set up a specific MUVE Dancing Game, go to MUVE Dancing Games

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School MUVE - Dance Lesson Program for Schools!

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MUVE is a spontaneous, all inclusive Dance/Exercise Method. The MUVE-Dancer explores creative movement possibilities easily and joyfully. There is no choreography, no right or wrong step, but spontaneous movement and healthy fun with friends. However, coming up with new dance ideas can be challenging.

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Express Emotions through Dance - MUVE Exercise activities for kids inspired by MUVE Concepts.

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Multicultural Musical Instruments | Product categories |

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Clapping sticks are a traditional Aboriginal instrument, used for percussion. Waruwi uses these sticks during ceremonies and songs. Lots of Aboriginal nations have numerous songs and dances, so clapping sticks would have been used a lot. People often decorated their clapping sticks, and the symbols used had special meanings.

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Content descriptions in each Arts subject reflect the interrelated strands of Making and Responding.

Making and Responding are intrinsically connected. Together they provide students with knowledge, understanding and skills as artists, performers and audience, and develop students’ skills in critical and creative thinking.

As students make artworks, they actively respond to their developing artwork and the artworks of others; as students respond to artworks they draw on the knowledge, understanding and skills acquired through their experiences in making artworks.

·      Making includes learning about and using knowledge, skills, techniques, processes, materials and technologies to explore Arts practices and make artworks that communicate ideas and intentions.

·      Responding includes exploring, responding to, analysing and interpreting artworks.

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Mozart was writing great music when he was fifteen and sixteen, but that is because he started when he was four or five

Howard Gardner

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The Arts

(ACARA, 2018, v.8.4)

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The Australian Curriculum’s rationale for Arts education is based on society’s needs and values, and builds on the Outcomes of the EYLF (PDF 703 KB)

(Australian Government Department of Education and Training [DET], 2019).

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Teaching and Learning in South Australia

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Davies-Plummer, C [@dustinkoaart.]. (2021, July 10).  Instagram Image

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Artist Jonathon Gemmell, founder and creator of ART BY ME JWG uses his inspiration of the ocean (either swimming himself or from viewing from above) or the gardens that surround him to create large abstract landscapes. Jonathon hones in on his creativity in unique ways; by appreciating the calm of nature, rather than the bustling urban noise. He quotes "When I'm in the studio its like the world stops, there's nothing but myself and my painting", which depicts the meditative state creativity brings (artbymejwg, 2021).

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RSA ANIMATE: Changing Education Paradigms

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Creativity is inside all of us and all around us. The more we identify this, the more we can appreciate and nurture the innate creativity inside ourselves.

Traditionally, creativity is the act of creating, making, designing, or constructing something. In 21st-century discourse, creativity is so much more. Like building on prior concepts, knowledge, and skills with innovation and cooperation to find unique solutions to practical problems. According to Sir Ken Robinson (2010), creativity is producing original ideas of value and is not limited to the arts domains or activities. Creativity involves a person in experimentation, imaginative design, original thinking, evaluation, and expansion of concepts and ideas.

Like knowledge, creativity is dynamic and ‘interpretive’; a culmination of everyone’s unique life perspectives and understandings. Their personal revelations resulting from cognitive, sensory, and emotional experiences, social interactions, and sociocultural influences.

It is manifested by all kinds of artistic expressions and demonstrated through actions, bodies, sounds, symbols and signs, communication methods, relationships with each other, and the more than human world (Sinclair et al., 2017).

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Maggie-Jean Douglas -an amazing young artist who  won this year's  National NAIDOC Poster competition.  She is a proud Gubbi Gubbi woman and has been surrounded by Aboriginal arts all her life. Her artwork Care for Country centres around healing and repairing using bright colours of landscapes around Australia to celebrate culture & history, protect her culture and advocate for positive change. Douglas thought she would never be able to represent these themes well enough. This form of visual arts demonstrates learning from the past while creating something unique. .

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Sir Ken Robinson

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The importance of early childhood learning as a foundational building block to lifelong learning is well recognised, as has been reinforced by recent Australian political announcements. This article explores the place of the Arts in early learning in Australia.

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The importance of early childhood learning as a foundational building block to lifelong learning is well recognised, as has been reinforced by recent Australian political announcements. This is the first article of two that will explore the place of the Arts in early learning in Australia.

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Early sketch of the USS Enterprise by Matthew Jefferies (1964).

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Early sketch of the USS Enterprise by Matthew Jefferies (1964).

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Matthew Jefferies who created the iconic science fiction vessel USS Enterprise wanted the ship to be as practical as possible while also being the cutting edge of the future (Ottens, 2005). Obviously there are some influences such as things that Gene Roddenberry didn't want the ship to have - no wings, no smoke trails, etc - and the belief of Flying Saucers in the UFO community, but ultimately what became the Enterprise was from Matthew Jefferies' own imagination (Ottens, 2005).
Ottens, N. (2005). Designing the First Enterprise, Forgotten Trek. Retrieved from https://forgottentrek.com/designing-the-first-enterprise/

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Level 1e - Foundation Year

Competencies & Skills

Typically, by the end of Foundation Year, students:

Identify and clarify information and ideas

identify and describe familiar information and ideas during a discussion or investigation

Organise and process information

gather similar information or depictions from given sources

Apply logic and reasoning

identify the thinking used to solve problems in given situations

Responsibility & Enterprise

Typically, by the end of Foundation Year, students:

Pose questions

pose factual and exploratory questions based on personal interests and experiences

Imagine possibilities and connect ideas

use imagination to view or create things in new ways and connect two things that seem different

Consider alternatives

suggest alternative and creative ways to approach a given situation or task

Seek solutions and put ideas into action

predict what might happen in a given situation and when putting ideas into action

Transfer knowledge into new contexts

connect information from one setting to another

Draw conclusions and design a course of action

share their thinking about possible courses of action

Evaluate procedures and outcomes

check whether they are satisfied with the outcome of tasks or actions

(ACARA, 2018b)

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Art activities and quizzes- great site

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Salvador Dalí made paintings, sculptures and films about the dreams he had. He painted melting clocks and floating eyes, clouds that look like faces and rocks that look like bodies.

Sounds weird right? Think about what your paintings would look like if you painted your dreams? I bet they would be pretty weird too!

Dalí was involved with surrealism. This was an art movement where painters made dream-like scenes and showed situations that would be bizarre or impossible in real life. Look at this painting above - does the lake look like a fish to you?

This sculpture above is by another famous surrealist artist called René Magritte. I wonder why he has painted a head full of clouds?

Surrealist artists were influenced by a famous psychoanalyst called Sigmund Freud. A psychoanalyst is a doctor who studies the human mind and tries to understand it. Freud believed our mind was divided into two parts: the conscious part and the unconscious part. The conscious mind is what we use to make decisions every day, like whether we walk or ride a bike to school. The unconscious mind is where our memories are stored. Most of the time we are not aware of our unconscious mind, but sometimes the memories stored there get mixed up in our dreams and this is what Dalí tried to paint.

Dalí was born in 1904 in Figueres, Spain which is near the Pyrenees Mountains. Surrounded by this landscape as he was growing up, Dalí often included the scenery he saw as a boy in his paintings.

Look at the painting above. Can you see the Spanish landscape in the background? The hand holding the egg mirrors the man sitting in the water. There are a lot of odd things going on in the background that don't seem to be connected. What else can you see?

Salvador Dalí was a very eccentric man. Here is a picture of him

You can always recognise him because he has a funny moustache. He liked to dress in crazy clothes and have long hair which people found very shocking at the time.

Dalí was even expelled from art school just before his final exams because he said that none of the teachers were qualified to examine him. Cheeky!

Salvador Dalí went to Paris after leaving art school, which was where he met the surrealists. The surrealists appealed to his wild sense of humour, they invented surrealist games and enjoyed putting different objects together to make something playful and disturbing at the same time. Here is Dalí's version of a surrealist sculpture. It is called Lobster Telephone. You couldn't call anything on that!

What two objects would you put together to create a surreal sculpture?

In 1936 the Spanish Civil War broke out and Dalí was greatly affected by it. This is a painting Dalí made about the war.

The background is mainly brown, yellow and black, representing the Spanish landscape. The strange forms in the foreground represent a man and a woman. It's pretty gross, but they are eating bits of each other's flesh with a knife, a fork and a spoon. Dalí uses this shocking idea to say something very powerful and important. He is saying that by fighting, the Spanish people are destroying their country and each other.

When Dalí was in Paris he also made a film with the director Luis Buñuel called Un Chien Andalou (An Andalusian Dog). It was the first surrealist film and had no plot, just a series of scenes that only slightly link together. Later, Dalí went to Hollywood and worked on other films with famous directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Walt Disney.

Dalí liked to use lots of different materials to make art, including paint, sculpture and film. He even designed furniture, jewels and scenery for theatre production. He was a man of many talents and he is still seen as a great artist who influences many artists today!

What do you think of Dalí's artwork? Is it funny, weird...scary?

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Salvador Dalí made paintings, sculptures and films about the dreams he had. He painted melting clocks and floating eyes, clouds that look like faces and rocks that look like bodies. Sounds weird right? Think about what your paintings would look like if you painted your dreams? I bet they would be pretty weird too!

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Salvador Dali's surrealism works are the epitome of creativity and original thinking. His work still pushes boundaries and holds enormous value in its capacity to provoke thought, curiosity, and unique (albeit unconventional) filters of interpretation for both artist and observer. I also love that he demonstrated creativity in different domains: sculpting, designing furniture, jewels, and scenery for theatre production, and collaborating with famous Hollywood directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Walt Disney.

Mountain Lake (1938) demonstrates Dalí’s use of multiple images and optical illusions. It shows his unique perspective and ability to capture different ideas simultaneously by integrating the fish into the lake.

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Salvador Dali Salvador Dalí Mountain Lake 1938

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Ken Done - ART - Permanent Collection: A selection of works that are predominantly owned by The Ken Done Gallery.

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Salvador Dali was no ordinary person, & his art proves it! Teach kids to think outside the box with these 10 Surrealist Salvador Dali Art Projects for Kids.

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Salvador Dali was no ordinary person, & his art proves it! Teach kids to think outside the box with these 10 Surrealist Salvador Dali Art Projects for Kids.
"Each morning when I awake, I experience again a supreme pleasure - that of being Salvador Dali." - Salvador Dali

When you read that quote, what comes to mind? You probably think of a man who thinks a great deal of himself, is supremely confident in his abilities and is perhaps, a little eccentric. Well, you are spot on! While these alone don't describe the immensely interesting personality that was Salvador Dali, it does describe elements of his character and the fact that he was a force to reckon with in the art world. That's Salvador Dali for you - immensely talented surrealist artist and complete showman!

Salvador Dali was involved in a huge variety of art forms, but surrealism is considered his true forte. Ironically though, he was kicked out of the group of Surrealists in the 1930s, to which he haughtily responded: "I myself am surrealism". Surrealist art depicts various unrelated elements put together in any order, depending upon the artist's view. You've probably come across one of the most iconic pieces of surrealist art which shows 'melting watches' - Dali's most famous work, ' The Persistence of Memory'.

Dali's work wasn't just an assortment of random objects - they often had deep religious and political underlying themes. He was also drawn to mathematics and quantum physics and many pieces of his work reflect this fascination as well. But most of all, Dali's work had no boundaries - it conformed to nothing and could be anything.

That is why Dali is a great inspiration for young kids, especially the ones who want to color outside the lines! Teach them more about this colorful artist and personality with these 10 Salvador Dali Art Projects for Kids.

Dali's appearance was often an art performance in itself and his mustaches were the talk of the town! They were flamboyant, and were seen in a variety of shapes and sizes, sometimes even decorated with flowers. Use Your Colored Pencils has this absolutely fun project to make Dali portraits with black pipe cleaners as mustaches. Twist and turn to your heart's desire!

Dali enjoyed painting elephants and his painting, 'The Elephants', is among the most popular of his works. The painting features regular sized elephants on extremely long, spindly legs, completely disproportionate to its size! Well, that's Dali! Plateau Art Studio has a lovely take on this painting, with a collage made with crumpled paper fabric and other materials. Adding kids' photos inside makes it truly personal art!

There is no doubt that the painting of the 'melting clocks' is Dali's most iconic. Did you know that it was inspired by a piece of Camembert cheese melting in the sun? The Pinterested Parent has a very simple but impressive craft where you can recreate Dali's iconic clock. Try creating a full set, just like in the painting!

How would you like to ask Dali a question? Or play a game of elimination with various works of Dali's art? Now you can do all that and more with some cool Dali-inspired games! Artsology has a good collection of art and artist-inspired games that'll keep both kids and adults busy!

This book by Anna Obiols was released on the centenary of Dali's birth, and brings together Dali's iconic paintings in a lovely, dream-like sequence. Little Salvi has many adventures where he witnesses strange things like long legged elephants, a key under the water and clocks being tossed like pizzas! A great read for kids of all ages.

The very spirit of surrealism lies in the seemingly odd combination of unrelated elements, put together in what looks like a haphazard fashion. Due to this, Dali's work often had dream-like sequences, and he even described his paintings as 'dream photographs'. Raising Arizona Kids has an easy way for kids to create their own surrealistic art work, by making a collage of anything they want. This is a great exercise to see the directions their brains go and you'll end up with some absolutely original works of art!

This is one of the easiest costumes to try for a Halloween party or an art-themed costume party! Dali had a very distinctive style of dressing, and of course, the mustache is really all you need! A simple suit, slicked-back hair and a walking stick will complete this costume in no time!

Dali wasn't just a painter; he also wrote, sculpted and designed sets for movies, plays and even shop windows! Channel this trait of Dali's into these clay sculptures by One Artsy Mama, based on his long legged elephants. let the kids make any creature of their choice and try to make them stand upright with toothpicks as legs. You can make it more challenging for the older kids by including joints in the legs.

Once you look through a few paintings of Dali, you know that he used a vast array of components in his work. This project from Se7en tries to do the same, with kitchen utensils! Hand the kids some common utensils and let them create their own pictures. Color, cut and arrange in a Dali-inspired melting display. A great example how the commonest objects can turn into one-of-a-kind art!

Coloring pages are often the best way to introduce kids to the work of a certain artist. Super coloring has coloring pages based on many of Dali's art pieces. The best part is that like Dali, your child can think outside the box and add his or her own elements to the pictures. They can float, sit, stand or roll - there are no limits!

From placing a lobster on a telephone to crashing a bath tub through a glass window, Dali was by no means conformist. But it's just that element of eccentricity that makes his art so evergreen - it's not something you easily bore of! He did do some traditional art as well, but though they appeared simple, they were still heavy with meaning in their depth. These Salvador Dali art projects for kids should help them get a small glimpse into the mind of this artist, the man who melted time!

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10 Surrealist Salvador Dali Art Projects for Kids

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Salvador Dali was no ordinary person, & his art proves it! Teach kids to think outside the box with these 10 Surrealist Salvador Dali Art Projects for Kids. When you read that quote, what comes to mind? You probably think of a man who thinks a great deal of himself, is supremely confident in his abilities and is perhaps, a little eccentric.

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https://kendone.com.au/cms/resources/EduResource/worksheetprimary.pdf

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Ken Done Swimming in Jellyfish Lake 2013