Around and Close....Tap, Tap!

I LOVE this shot I took because of the shadows!

A while back I posted on the terror of using liquid paint with the adorable, but young pre-schoolers or Pre-K 3's as they are now called.  

They're cute, funny, shy, and curious...

and if you give them paint.... they tend to become cute but crazed monsters covered from finger to elbow!!

So what did I decide to give them this morning?

PAINT!

We started with the story Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsch.  Students review their colors by helping me read along to this brief but exciting kids book. (which I've heard comes in SPANISH too?! WISHLIST ITEM!)

After reading the story I introduce the ever so important shape: Mr. Circle.  Explaining to students, that the way we draw Mr. Circle is by saying "Around and Close"(this is said while creating a circle with a counter clockwise motion).

Students practice in crayon drawing circles while saying those three magic words (no, not "I LOVE ART") " Around and close" until 10 minutes until the end of class.  I then distributed the paint(pictured above) and baby food jars for students to use as stamps! Look to the left to see them in action! We usually say "Tap, Tap" for stamping.  Once when we dip the jar into the paint, then when we gently stamp it onto our page!  Students did a great job stamping their circles and made some awesome abstract art today!  

Fear of Liquid Paint with 3-year olds: CONQUERED!