Activities with young group

[5 Little Monkeys]

When I do things in a group setting but need to do a bit of one on one things, I give them all paper and crayons to use while I'm helping the one with the paint (or whatever it is we are doing) and than they take turns doing this one on one thing with me.

I have done things at the table and call them by name to take turns. Ya the other ones run up and want to see but that is okay. They can either sit at a chair and watch xxx glue their art or they can come and go but they can't touch xxx's art. They all learn...some cry because it's not their turn but I feel it's part of life and something they need to learn so I just deal with it lol.

And sometimes I have lucked out and had a group where they could all paint or glue or pudding play or whatever all at the same time and only need minimal help from me. They all hate to be the first one to get cleaned up though and that's sometimes our only real problem!

This isn't directed at you or anyone in particular and it definitely changes with each group dynamic but.........I find kids are better at doing things than a lot of adults give them credit for. I do a lot of art and activities with my group but I am super organized(all supplies are near me) and enforce the rules. Yes of course we have had our fair share of mishaps and mistakes (and glitter in every corner for months....damn you glitter!!lol) but for the most part...it works beautifully! I start young with them so they grow up knowing my expectations. I adapt to their ages as much as possible but I constantly have parents say "my child did that??" in awe and disbelief. I have even taken video of them doing it as proof because I have had parents think I did it!! LOL

[Lee-Bee]

When I do things in a group setting but need to do a bit of one on one things, I give them all paper and crayons to use while I'm helping the one with the paint (or whatever it is we are doing) and than they take turns doing this one on one thing with me.

I have done things at the table and call them by name to take turns. Ya the other ones run up and want to see but that is okay. They can either sit at a chair and watch xxx glue their art or they can come and go but they can't touch xxx's art. They all learn...some cry because it's not their turn but I feel it's part of life and something they need to learn so I just deal with it lol.

And sometimes I have lucked out and had a group where they could all paint or glue or pudding play or whatever all at the same time and only need minimal help from me. They all hate to be the first one to get cleaned up though and that's sometimes our only real problem!

This isn't directed at you or anyone in particular and it definitely changes with each group dynamic but.........I find kids are better at doing things than a lot of adults give them credit for. I do a lot of art and activities with my group but I am super organized(all supplies are near me) and enforce the rules. Yes of course we have had our fair share of mishaps and mistakes (and glitter in every corner for months....damn you glitter!!lol) but for the most part...it works beautifully! I start young with them so they grow up knowing my expectations. I adapt to their ages as much as possible but I constantly have parents say "my child did that??" in awe and disbelief. I have even taken video of them doing it as proof because I have had parents think I did it!! LOL

I can't help but giggle reading this. I cannot just give them all crayons while I focus on someone else...even for a minute. They seriously all eat the crayons still. They colours some...but the darn crayons keep going in the mouth...and they like, chew them up...and swallow. lol. They are just way to young. If I had even one partially older child to show them how to do it properly I'm sure it would make a huge difference but they all just eat.

I completely agree that kids, even at 12months can do a whole lot more than us adults typically expect. I am reminded of this daily with my group BUT...we are so, so, so far away from major art projects due to them ALL being under 19months. I know they would learn quick with me there telling them what is expected but when I turn to tell little 'jimmy' to stop eating his crayon, 'johnny' starts eating the paper and 'jenny' starts eating the stickers...and we are just not there yet :-)

Soon...soon.

[torontokids]

I don't do a ton with younger kids but I do start once they show an interest and can sit with me and follow direction. My 18 mos old colours, does stickers and paints but she is also a second child so she does a lot of things earlier then most. What about art that they can eat e.g. paint with pudding, homemade finger paint (food based) or one idea I've heard on here but haven't tried is a piece of paper in a freezer bag with some squirts of paint inside that they can mush around on top, take the paper out and voila. Clean and they can't eat it.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I don't do a ton with younger kids but I do start once they show an interest and can sit with me and follow direction. My 18 mos old colours, does stickers and paints but she is also a second child so she does a lot of things earlier then most. What about art that they can eat e.g. paint with pudding, homemade finger paint (food based) or one idea I've heard on here but haven't tried is a piece of paper in a freezer bag with some squirts of paint inside that they can mush around on top, take the paper out and voila. Clean and they can't eat it.

Mess free painting is a favourite around here for the under 18 mos! So is pudding paint!!

[Lee-Bee]

Mess free painting is a favourite around here for the under 18 mos! So is pudding paint!!

I tried water painting with paint brushes outside the other day. With 2 of the older girls (16 and 19months). Makes me laugh, again. they painted the ground...which got the brushes dirty, which got the water dirty...which they continued to slurp off the brushes...over and over. I spent the whole time trying to keep the water container from being dumped (or drank) and to show them how it was done...but they were just so darn excited about the brushes they kept slurping. Yet another activity that went on the shelf for just a little bit longer.

I did the mess free painting a while back too...in the ziplocks. They tried to eat the bags. Hahahahahaha okay my group is starting to sound really bad. They are an amazing group of kids. They play tea parties, and feed and change their dolls and heck 3 of them were holding hands playing ring-a-round the rosie yesterday (initiated by one of them (16,17,19months old). They play great...they just are soooo young and inexperienced when it comes to anything art related they just assume it is meant to be eaten :-)

No way I would attempt pudding painting. They would 'paint' with any and all food for the next month lol.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I hung up paper in the tub on the far wall and gave them paint filled water guns before....maybe they could do that?

[5 Little Monkeys]

I can't help but giggle reading this. I cannot just give them all crayons while I focus on someone else...even for a minute. They seriously all eat the crayons still. They colours some...but the darn crayons keep going in the mouth...and they like, chew them up...and swallow. lol. They are just way to young. If I had even one partially older child to show them how to do it properly I'm sure it would make a huge difference but they all just eat.

I completely agree that kids, even at 12months can do a whole lot more than us adults typically expect. I am reminded of this daily with my group BUT...we are so, so, so far away from major art projects due to them ALL being under 19months. I know they would learn quick with me there telling them what is expected but when I turn to tell little 'jimmy' to stop eating his crayon, 'johnny' starts eating the paper and 'jenny' starts eating the stickers...and we are just not there yet :-)

Soon...soon.

LOL...sounds like you have your work cut out for you! I have had kids chew/eat crayon before but they get seated beside me and learn fairly quickly that we don't do that haha. I usually always have a younger crew but I've been blessed with kids who enjoy art so they've always caught on quickly what the rules are! As soon as anything goes in their mouth, it is taken away and they don't get another chance until the next time. I usually plan for it to get messier than it does so this sometimes means they do art in just diapers...makes clean up easier and the process less stressful because I'm not overly worried that they'll make a mess.

Good luck!! Soon they will learn the expectations!

Oh, just thought of this....for the ones who like to eat crayons or put marker where it's not meant...the colour wonder markers and paper work great! (As long as they don't bite the tips lol, that has happened!)