Almost a year ago I purchased a Discovery Kids Cardboard Color Me House from our local Walgreen’s thinking it would be a great project for a rainy. At the time I hadn’t imagined hanging on to it for so long, but the spring and summer lent themselves to outdoor activities and the playhouse didn’t quite fit with the holiday project curriculum. It was however the perfect way to bring in the new year and introduce our theme for this session, Fostering Creativity and Inspiring Imagination. As soon as students entered the room they were curious to enter the house and check it out. Everyone enjoyed decorating the playhouse, adults included.
This was a great project to kick start the session because it was opening ended and involved moving around, standing, kneeling, and reaching, instead of sitting. Children love kinetic art making and through observation you can see that it’s great for them.
With my older students I drew backdrops for the house and enlisted them to paint in the setting. I love how the forest turned rainbow!
We made great use of the mail slots by writing and sending mail to each other. This was particularly inspiring for my older students who are learning to write. I love that this letter actually refers to our activity.
Over the course of four days eleven classes of approximately seven students each had the opportunity to decorate the inside and outside of the house. Because the house was going to experience so much traffic I reinforced the structural integrity by cutting a piece of cardboard that fit the inside floor space perfectly. You could also make a great house out of an appliance or furniture box.
