Ages 0 and up

Have a Ball

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AGES:

0 and up 

INGREDIENTS: 

  • Balls of various sizes (e.g., exercise ball, Wiffle balls, ping pong balls)

  • Optional: containers, buckets, plastic bottles 

 INSTRUCTIONS:  

Here are some great tips for developing motor skills through play: 

  1. Pair balls with containers. Observe as children experiment and discover the endless possibilities. 

  2. Play catch! Roll and toss the ball back and forth. Chase the ball when it rolls away! 

  3. Roll, lay, and sit your whole body on a big ball! 

  4. Set up “pins” using plastic bottles and go bowling! Kick, toss, and roll the ball down the lane. 

Chalk Painting

AGES:

0 and up  

INGREDIENTS:  

  • Cardstock, cardboard, or a chalkboard (dark colors work best)

  • Chalk

  • Paint brush

  • Spray bottle

  • Water

  • Optional: mortar and pestle

INSTRUCTIONS: 

  1. Place paper and materials on a table or floor. 

  2. As you scribble, make dots, draw and explore, use your water and spray bottle to watch how the color of the chalk changes as it dries!

  3. Try using a paint brush and some water to blend your ingredients together. You can use your whole hand to blend colors too! You can also use a mortar and pestle or bowl to mash up your chalk and mix with water into pigment.

  4. Spray it with water to see what happens. Experiment!

  5. Take pics and tag us on Instagram and Facebook @chicagochildrensmuseum!

Follow along with this Recipe for Play with our Art Studio Educator! Check out the tutorial below.

No-Mess Painting

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AGES:

0 and up 

INGREDIENTS:  

Tempera paint  

Contact paper  

Yoga mat or any nonporous surface (optional)  

Duct tape (optional)  

INSTRUCTIONS:  

  1. Lay out 1 sheet of contact paper, sticky side up.

  2. Pour at least a half cup of paint onto the contact paper.

  3. Place a second sheet of contact paper over the paint and press to seal.

  4. Attach to a yoga mat using duct tape (optional).

  5. Use your whole body to squish, mix and draw in the paint. Add 2 colors of paint to explore color mixing.