Enjoying Your Little One! #1 Art with Shaving Cream

Hi everybody! I've never mentioned this but... I used to be a teacher before I became a Work-At-Home Mom! (Bet you'd never guess with my adventure days and crafts I do with my little one... LOL) I had my son Jackson in September of 2006 and have enjoyed every milestone and teachable moment with him possible. I was thinking that maybe you might like to hear about some of the things that Jackson and I do throughout our days together on the blog. This was my reason to start working from home!!! Years 1 - 5 are the most developmental! :)

Art is very important in Early Childhood development. It encourages your child to explore different mediums and artists, as well as, getting hands-on into the MESSY! This is one thing I absolutely love about Art. I have spent time encouraging Jackson to get down and dirty while teaching him about sensory things through playing with shaving cream and creating goop out of cornstarch and water to name a couple!
Children love to assist adults, so this is a great way to encourage learning through creating a special art project together! It will also incorporate math skills through measuring! ;)

Shaving Cream - I recommend using the sensitive kind, as you might see a reaction using others...if you see any allergic reaction or you are concerned about one, consult your child's pediatrician. Jackson was pretending to shave with Daddy one day using Daddy's shaving cream and ended up with a slight rash that went away quickly. This is why I point out any concerns you might have about allergic reactions. We use baking pans or the kitchen table to play with shaving cream. ;)

Mix the shaving cream with white school glue and create some "sundaes with whipped cream" or "ice cream sodas" or "snowy pictures."

If you are not concerned about your child's "art" clothing for the day, then add some food coloring to the shaving cream for some more fun!

Goop -
food coloring
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup water

This is a great recipe! It feels wonderful in your hands and your children can close the Goop into their fist and then open their hand to watch it transform and slip through their fingers!

Expand this experience more by adding the classic book Bartholomew and The Oobleck by Dr. Seuss to the fun for the day! Go visit the library and borrow it to read with your child!

Recipes from Creative Resources for the Early Childhood Classroom - Judy Herr and Yvonne Libby Larson