How do you do free reading?

[Anita]

Re: How do you do free reading?

I buy washable liquid paint, probably that crayola variety Anita is talking about, in big bottles. They use ice cube trays as their palette. Keeps the paint separated and usable. Add a felt backed plastic table cloth and you're set.

I buy a new table cloth at each turn of the season when they go on sale. $2 for spring butterflies? Sold! Keeps the mess contained and Im not all crazy about cleaning it because I replace it 4 times a year. Sometimes it's on a table. Sometimes it's on the floor.

I think of art as like tying shoes. At first it's going to be all messy and drive you crazy. The drama! The mess! But, with practice, things get neater and quicker. They don't spill their paints as much. They don't paint the wrong thing. And pretty soon they can do it all on their own.

And drawing paper is not lined notebook paper. Decent supplies are key. We have real watercolor paint paper, not just computer paper.

But don't think art is just drawing and painting. My daughter sewed a doll blanket for fair this year. And we are learning to knit this winter. My son built a football stadium out of legos.

1) Shower curtains from the Dollar Tree. BAM. Or synthetic oil cloth by the yard from Wal Mart. BAMBAM. Both are super cheap.
2) Yes! Do not skimp on crayons, colored pencils or good quality paper and scissors if you can possibly help it. Crayola is awesome for almost everything at this age (though I keep our supply closet vey basic; invisible ink and expensive character coloring books need not apply). Prismacolor has, hands down, the best colored pencils. Dollar Tree has decent first scissors, but Fiskars from WalMart are my favorite. Tru-Ray construction paper from Amazon or Hobby Lobby — or just card stock in standard 8.5x11” — saves money (because you use less) and also saves HOURS OF FRUSTRATION. Good paper makes a beautiful finished product that folds, bends, rolls and strips beautifully and it’s sturdy enough to hold up to a minor beating. The colors are also nice and saturated.
3) NOPE! Art is definitely not just 2D. Get your kids interested in fabrics, yarns, melt and pour soap and candle making, cooking, baking, cake decorating and glueing jewels and gems on stuffed animals and dolls. (E6000 glue is cheap, stands up to the washing machine after it dries and is washable while wet.) Add yarn hair to your paper bag dolls. Get some GIANT googly eyes from WalMart (my daughter LOVES those) and give your creation some 3D expression on his face! It doesn’t have to be fancy. You should see the sculpture my oldest makes with magnetic blocks. Search “ModPodge crafts” on YouTube and then report back in six months when you’ve finally surfaced from that rabbit hole!

The possibilities are myriad. And definitely without needing to spend a fortune or derail your entire home and home school.