It was a summer to remember for my preschooler. Not only did she score big during her soccer camp, she also conquered her fear of amusement parks and deep water. She’s now a self-proclaimed thrill ride-loving fish, who can’t wait to share her accomplishments with her new classmates this fall.
However, before she heads back to school I have a couple of fun summer activities that we need to complete, including this one:
SUMMER MEMORY GARDEN
Materials:
Large piece of mural paper
Paint
Markers or crayons
Construction paper in a variety of colors
Pom poms (various colors)
Coffee filters
Clothespins
Pipe cleaners (various colors)
Photos of your child participating in summer activities
Directions:
Hang mural paper on a wall. (Tip: Consider doing this project in the garage or in the yard if you worry about messes.)
Have your child paint grass and flower stems on the paper, then have him draw a few ants, worms, and snakes with additional paint.
Cut out a flower shape (about the size of a coffee cup saucer) from construction paper and let your child decorate it however he wishes. Next, glue the photos of your child in the center of the flowers and attach it to the paper above the flower stems.
Have your child use the markers or crayons to decorate the coffee filters. (Tip: To create a tie-dye effect, pinch the filters in the center and slide into a clothespin.) Use the decorated coffee filters as bugs by attaching pipe cleaners for the antennae.
Cut out leaf shapes from green construction paper. Then, have your child make a colorful caterpillar from the pom poms. To do this, simply glue a line of pom poms together and then attach the finished product to the leaf before adding it to the garden mural.
Cut out circles from black and red construction paper (about 3 inches in diameter) to make ladybugs. Use a large black circle on the bottom, then glue 2 red half circles on each side for wings. Finally, add a small black circle (1-inch diameter) for the head. You can use a black marker to add dots to the ladybug.
The last step is gluing the ladybugs to the mural.
Step back and take a look at your masterpiece. If your child feels like it is missing something, have him use the remaining art supplies to add whatever he desires.