TinkerLab Art Starts: 52 Projects for Open-Ended Exploration

How easily children get bored. Here is a valuable resource with simple materials that adults can easily find and arrange to channel children’s curiosity and imagination into rewarding handiworks. Art educator, Rachelle Doorley, has assembled a series of fifty-two projects to engage the youthful participants and encourage their individual expressiveness. Beginning with instructions for the adult on how to create a stimulating working space for youngsters to indulge their fantasies, along with a limited supply of art materials that along with encouragement should engage the desire to experiment with the provided materials. A long list of easily accessible materials point out what can be used in the activities that may involve paints, water, and sponges; or paper scraps, felt, and glue to piece together collages; or building materials using blocks, beads, and toothpicks; and of course working with the always essential coloring crayons. Each activity is colorfully illustrated and the project clearly. outlined as to the materials needed, how to proceed, and varieties of ways to encourage the engaged child to approach the project. This collection of open-ended explorations along with the superbly organized instructions provide a valuable framework for adults and educators to reference when seeking enriching children’s activities.