As you may have also guessed, I’m super-into mixing
art into all kinds of activities. This includes kids’ math activities. Piet
Mondrian’s Trees is provided inspiration for this artsy adventure! When I look
at it, I see the intricate shapes that the black lines divide the colors into.
Does this mean that my child, or yours, sees it in the same way? Maybe, or
maybe not. That said, start with a few open-ended questions. Ask your child
what he can find or what he sees when looking at this famous artwork. I was
lucky enough to work in a museum that had Trees hanging on its gallery walls.
If you can’t get a peek at the real thing, here’s a picture of it to talk
about:
And, now on to the art-making…
Here’s What You’ll Need:
·
Cardstock paper or a canvas – You can buy
an inexpensive pre-stretched canvas at an arts and crafts store.
·
A black marker
·
A ruler
·
Tempera paints
·
A paintbrush
Here’s What to Do:
(You can adapt this project for children of different
ages. If you have a preschooler, focus on basics such as shapes and reading the
numbers on the ruler. Older kids can pay more attention to the actual
measurements and create fractions by dividing shapes into parts).
1. Draw
a ‘tree’ using the marker and ruler. Your child can measure out shapes as
leaves and a trunk. Remind him that Mondrian’s Trees doesn’t look realistic. Encourage
him to get imaginative and design his own abstract shape tree.
2. Pour
the paint into pools. I like to use wax paper as a quick and easy (and
inexpensive) palette. Have your child mix up his own colors. He can try a traditional
green tree color scheme or go with a season (for example, oranges, yellow and
reds for fall or whites, greys and blues for winters). Another option is to use
colors that aren’t exactly ‘real’ looking.
3. Paint
between the lines. Don’t worry if your child ends up painting on or over the lines.
The idea here is that he tries to create color blocks (this is also a great way
to improve fine motor skills). I'm usually not a 'color between the lines' type of girl. But, in this case it really can help to build your child's dexterity skills and eye-hand coordination. No one’s perfect, and your child shouldn’t
expect to paint in the lines all of the time.
4. Let
the paint dry.
5. Go
over the lines with the marker or black paint (use a thin brush or a toothpick
that your child dips in paint).
Your child doesn’t have to just make a tree. He can
make a flower, elephant, gerbil or anything else that his creative mind dreams
up.
Are you looking for more kids’ math activities that
also double as art? Follow my Pinterest board to find ideas!
Follow Mini Monets and Mommies's board Creative Kids Crafts on Pinterest.
Very interesting! We love art adaptations in our home and I like this math twist. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteThat is very stunning and a creative way to incorporate maths.Thanks for linking to my blog for the Parenting Pin-It party.
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