When I was a pre-schooler, I remember taking some kind of pre-kindergarten ability assessment test. Countless hours spent drawing and playing with little figurines and toys that I set up in miniature abodes meant I had fine motor skills that were well above average. I was, however, pathetically lacking in the area of gross motor skills. I remember having a ball thrown at me (to catch) and my response being something like, "Umm, what's happening? Why?" Sadly, my athletic prowess did not increase much after that time, but my love of arranging tiny little things remained, and is present in one of this season's projects, A House for a Mouse.
After talking about personification, the Art Brainers used clay, boxes, paper, fabric, and other materials to create cozy little homes for mice, turtles, snakes, hermit crabs, fairies, ducks and other small critters. They were asked to consider what a personified animal might want or need in a home, hence the long skinny beds for snakes, nest alcoves, mini ponds, and the cheese safe pictured above. I love when the kids make projects with which they can also play, and these definitely fit that bill. Long live tiny little homes for tiny little things!
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| A family of hermit crabs tucked into bed ^ |
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| A little living room pond for a turtle (left) and cheese wallpaper for a mouse (right) |
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| That's an open fridge on the left with a fish in it, for the cat sleeping upstairs. |
Thanks to teaching artist Naomi for contributing some pictures to this post!
