Don't be surprised if your child scolds you the next time you throw out a spent marker. Today we bundled markers that were no longer useful for coloring, wrapped a rubber band around them and placed them point side down in jars. We poured water into the jars and watched as the water magically became colored. We made liquid watercolors! We will test out our colors tomorrow in our studio work. 

We gathered around clay slabs and found objects that made interesting marks in the clay. We could use the objects to cut the clay, poke it and make lines in it. We also could make the objects stand up in the clay.

In our small groups, we learned the printmaking process of getting your paper ready, inking your brayer, rolling the ink onto your print plate, and then transferring the ink to the paper, carefully to avoid smudges. In our other small group we added color to the tubes we had glued to boards earlier in the week. It was hard work to cover the tubes with paint.

During free exploration time, we enjoyed exploring colored film that changed the look of the room and our friends. Kelley's husband Danny dropped by during lunch and saved some friends from uninvited bugs who decided to picnic with us today.

Today we gathered around clay that was formed into rectangular prisms. The clay didn't stay in that form for long! Soon nests, eggs and birds appeared. And then, the mama birds were desperate to feed their babies. Many small worms were made, but then a large snake showed up to the party. We pulled out mesh to show how the imprint could make snake skin. Soon we had many scaly snakes and found other creative uses for the mesh.

In small groups we put details on our found object sculptures and continued to explore printing. We also made print plates by creating designs on wooden boards with foam stickers. We'll be learning the printmaking process tomorrow.

This morning we gathered around clay that was presented in the shape of balls. We noticed yesterday that this was a shape they were interested in making and we wanted to see how they might move beyond the ball. When one child poked her finger deep inside one of the balls, Susan took the opportunity to teach how to make a pinch pot to the group. Another friend said that he thought the result looked like a nest.  And so it began....Everyone was trying out the new skill to make a nest and then placed it on the board. Then we needed eggs and birds. Our nest count was 15, or was it 21? It's hard to tell when your preschoolers don't exactly have one-to-one correspondence as they count. What ever the number, it was a wonderful example of children working together toward a common goal, exchanging skills and knowledge, and sharing a limited resource so that everyone could be a part of the project. Not bad for 10 kids around one clay board!

In our small groups we began found object sculptures. The children looked in books for inspiration for their sculptures and then we constructed the bodies. Tomorrow we will add the details. In our other small group, we collaged cut paper tubes on our painted boards from yesterday.

During free exploration, we painted, worked in the message center, tested out stamps (as a pre-cursor to printing), played with balls and tunnels, returned to clay, collaged in the tinker room and had duck and milkshakes in the restaurant.

See you tomorrow!

We had such a nice opening to our camp week with our preschool friends today. We opened around clay and were happy to see that everyone was willing to dig their hands right in. We rolled balls, made coils and many friends found ways to make their clay stand up. The pictures show how our work evolved throughout the day, with everyone exchanging skills and ideas.

After our gathering activity, we split up for small group work. Susan and her friends mixed paint, starting with the primary colors and white in squeeze bottles. The children explored what would happen if they mixed two of the colors together, and then they were encouraged to make more of the color they mixed. The paints were then used to cover a board that will be used in a project that we work on every day. We also made the paint available to use at the easels during free exploration.

In Kelley's group, we explored the kinds of marks we could make with everyday items if we dipped them in black paint. The children enjoyed discussing what the items were used for: "Oh, I had medicine in this!" and "Tic-tacs were inside here!" They then made designs on colored paper.

We ate snack and lunch on the patio where we heard the sounds of the metro and enjoyed people watching from our perch. The children also explored enormous planters on the patio and even tried to move them!

During our free exploration time, many friends worked together to create a kitchen that was eventually connected to a restaurant that served iced mango-lemon tea and soup. Designing the kitchen and collecting the ice for the tea required a lot of cooperation and team work. 

Friends also painted at the easel, worked in the message center, explored lenses (ice) on the sensory table, added color to their found object prints and returned to clay. "An army of snowmen" with silly tops was created on the clay board. 

We hope you enjoy the pictures from our first day. We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!