What you need:
- Rocks of various sizes
- School glue or glue stick
- Paint and paintbrushes
- Google eyes, small feathers, pom-poms, felt or material - (IMPORTANT NOTE: google eyes and pom poms are a choking hazard for kids under 4.)
- Scissors
- Empty plastic or cardboard containers such as butter tubs, milk cartons, or cracker boxes
What to do:
- Peruse your backyard, a local park, or nature trail and collect some interesting rocks. Gather a variety of shapes and sizes.
- Look at each rock and ask your child if the rock's shape reminds him of any certain animal or animal's features. Perhaps one looks like a turtle shell, or another resembles a kitten's face.
- Once you have a few ideas, start creating your "pets."
- Use paint to color the rocks wild or wacky colors, glue google eyes, feathers, and material to add personality to your pets.
- While the glue sets and paint dries, decide which "homes" you need to make for them. Use the empty boxes or containers to fashion a special place for each pet.
- When your pets are dry, set them up in their new homes of display them on a windowsill or desk. They make great paperweights, garden ornaments, not to mention cute gifts for friends and family!
Learning Benefits:
- Fosters creativity
- Strengthens observation skills
