O and I painted with water after lunch today. I know that this is a no-no according to Susan Striker, but I've always loved painting with water. I like for most of our art activities to be open ended and creative, but I think a little paint with water and coloring book exposure is ok, too.
where did you find paint-with-water books? I can't seem to find any without ordering them.
ReplyDeleteThey are hard to find! The only place I have seen them is Dollar General, and they only had Babar and Spiderman.
ReplyDeleteI'm a certified art teacher (k-12) and mom to a 3 yr old girl. (I've written on here before -I love your blog!) I really think it is fine to use these paint with water sets and coloring books and such if you are doing lots of explorative art as well, which you clearly are.
ReplyDeletePaint with water books were my favorite growing up!
ReplyDeleteMy girls love these books!
ReplyDeleteI loved this books when I was little and Ebi-kun likes them too. I like a lot of Susan strikers ideas but I do feel she is a bit OTT sometimes.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I have tagged you, thought this would be right up your street...
http://jojoebi.blogspot.com/2009/03/new-kind-of-meme.html
I have seen these in target (their book section). Yesterday, I found some in dollar tree.
ReplyDeleteHobby Lobby has them sometimes, in the kids craft isle.
ReplyDeleteI'd call it fine were it a small part of the art "diet" - and a teachable moment too "How does the water change the look of the paper? Why does it do that?". Very cool.
ReplyDeleteHow fun! We did something similar today minus the books. We used a bucket of water with a sponge brush for my 14 month old.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to keep an eye out at the dollar stores. - I'd have fun with it at least!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm all for free expression in art, but kids have to learn to follow rules and stay within boundaries, too, plus they get ideas for their own art from structured art. That's non-professional unstudied me talking, but I think it's limiting your kids to restrict them only to free art... :)
I don't think Susan Striker is the be-all end-all of teaching kids art. Afterall, many people colored in coloring books, painted with water, had their parents draw for them, etc. and still somehow managed to become artists. :)
ReplyDeleteI actually love Susan Striker books because most of the activities are simple and doable, but sometimes they stress me out!
ReplyDeleteSince I taught my oldest her letters which is also a big no-no in her book,(I assume Striker doesn't like the Montessori method) I used to check her scribbles to see if what Striker said about "losing creativity" was true. But though K did go through many different phases, I didn't see it happening.
I talked to my artist friend and she is in agreement with all the ladies here.She thinks Striker is too militant. I would do a page of the paint-with-water books with an ice cube on a cookie try.(Move the cookie try to get the ice cube to wet the picture.) It's a Maryanne Kohn activity that's sure to please.
Also, I found those books at a party store.
I don't think that there is anything wrong with it. I loved doing it as a child.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of using an ice cube to paint the picture! We'll have to try that :)
ReplyDeleteI am so jealous! I've tried for YEARS to find paint-with-water books for my son (OK, partly for me too) with no success. I loved them as a kid.
ReplyDeleteJosh just got one of those books as a gift Friday. I think it was from Target.
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