I’ve been following Teacher Tom’s blog for a little while now. Teacher Tom is a preschool teacher who gives me all sorts of wonderful ideas, especially for making outside spaces child-friendly. He also just has a wonderful love of children that I enjoy reading.
But today’s post on his blog perfectly sums up why I adore him.
He was inspired by these blocks (so am I!) and decided to try to make some with his students.
Now anybody who’s been around the internet block a time or two knows that when most folks are inspired by projects for children online, they try to recreate them to absolute perfection, and then document the steps in 25 photoshopped, frame-worthy pictures. The final result usually belongs in a high end Etsy shop or an art gallery.
It also tends to look like it requires so much trouble, so much artistic skill, so many expensive supplies and so much time that I just forget about it and get out the playdough.
This is how Teacher Tom recreated the project with his kids.
And more. Glorious messes galore.
And the final bit, that made me smile like mad? Just as I was thinking “I wonder what special paint he used and if he’s coating it with varnish,” he mentioned it was plain old tempera paint… and it rained that night and it probably all washed off so “I guess we’ll just have to do it again.”
And you know what, I’ve done THAT craft! The kids do love it. We did it on big rocks and cement border stones, but they had a blast (me too, actually!). And it did wash off, and we did do it again.
I have scrap wood in the back yard and I have lots of tempera paint. I know some kiddos who would love to make that pile into some fabulous, tacky, gloppy, beautiful, colorful, perfect blocks.
Thank you, Teacher Tom, for crafting for the kids.
That’s much like the reason I LOVE your blog and articles you right. I try so many of the activities you post because you make them look actually do-able and not intimidating! Thank you for sharing with us!
Aw, thanks Jennifer! 🙂
But hey, if you ever do want paint that lasts longer, you can get all the house paint you can carry away (for free!) in my town. Ask me. :o)
Ooh, okay, I’m interested! We have to paint our garage this summer and I’d also love it for crafts and woodworking projects and rocks and pretty much anything else not nailed down. 🙂
Ahh! I just discovered this post. How flattering and humbling. Thank you for your kind words!