Painting with Scissors Simple Cut Outs Matisse Abstract Art Project

 How to Paint Like Henri Matisse

Henri Matisse was best known as an abstract artist. He aligned himself with a small group of artists known as Fauvists or Wild Beasts. Unlike other painters during this era, he painted with bold colors and took risks with his art. Matisse called his cut paper art posters, painting and drawing with scissors  So, how do you paint like Henri Matisse?  With paper cut-outs, of course.

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The Cut Outs or Painting with Paper are part of the Matisse Jazz Series. Matisse created a few artists’ books, many were made in 1941 after he suffered with intestinal cancer. With this technique, he was able to stay in bed and still create art. 

 

Henri Matisse Paper Cut Outs Video for Students.

The painting of the figure with stars around it is one of the most well-known in his Jazz series. The book is made up of circus and theater theme posters made with cut and pasted brightly colored papers that are printed using a stencil technique known as pochoir. Most of the images in the Jazz series are done in primary colors. 

You may have seen a similar cut paper technique in a series of children's books painted and illustrated by Eric Carle. Carle was influenced by the works of Matisse and other abstract artists. Here's an art lesson on Eric Carle. You can also experiment with Eric Carle's technique of wet paper illustration with this lesson, how to paint like Eric Carle.

With his cut paper art, Matisse invented a new form of art, the cut-out. He called this new art form drawing with scissors. He cut out various geometric and organic shapes and arranged them on his gouache painted canvas to illustrate his books. He also hand wrote about each image in cursive rather than using a type setting. This style is similar to today's scrap booking. You can create your own book that has meaning to your life with this simple, inspired by Matisse, technique.

Paint Like Matisse

Supplies Needed:

Mixed Media Paper,18 x 24"

Tempera or Acrylic Paint in primary colors

Wide Paint Brush

Brightly Colored Copy Paper

Glue Stick

Subject Matter that is Meaningful 

We decided to take inspiration from the Jazz poster's cover painting. Using the same primary color scheme, we added secondary colors in orange and violet. There are not lines or any drawing on the art work; everything is done in paper cut outs. Remember, it is abstract art! Use shapes and meaningful colors to represent your subject matter. Our paper painting represents a family pet. Our Cockatiel, Nebu, died at the age of twenty-three. Squinting your eyes while looking at a cockatiel will allow you to see his basic features, yellow spiked crest and orange cheek. The heart represents how close he was to our hearts, and the violet squiggles represent his wings in motion. They can also represent a flutter or the beating of his heart.

While you're planning your design think about the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design. How many can you use? Ours has color, line, shape, space, balance, movement, contrast, emphasis, and harmony. Do you see more? In the comments below, tell us what you see.

MATISSE ABSTRACT ART LESSON PLAN

Painting with Scissors and Paper Cut Outs:  How to Paint Like Henri Matisse

Step one:  Come up with a subject matter that means something to you.

Step two: Sketch it out in your sketch book.

Step three: Think about it in an abstract way.

Step four: Do a thumbnail sketch changing your drawing into basic shapes.

Step five: Paint your paper background in a primary color or black.

Step six: Cut out your shapes.

Step seven: Arrange your shapes on the paper. Think about the Principles of Design, especially balance and unity. Shapes should be abstract, and it shouldn't be immediately obvious what the picture represents (not realistic.) See our student examples below. No drawing! Remember, you are painting with paper.

Step eight: Paste them into position. Tip: Do not use school glue, it bubbles up. Glue sticks work best.

Step nine: That's it! It's that simple to paint like Henri Matisse!

These are student examples from the NCHS Intro to 2D Art class. You may not use these images or reproduce them anywhere else. They are for educational purposes only.

If you want to try this project with preschoolers or elementary students, you may also like to add some books to your Matisse art lesson plans. The books below make excellent companion books for a lesson on Henri Matisse's painting with scissors abstract poster series. Don't forget to read your students some Eric Carle books and remind them that he was influenced by Matisse.

Recommended Reading:

Henri's Scissors Children's Book 

Drawing With Scissors

Rehoming  Pets After a move

Summer Messy Play Activities for Preschoolers

Fun In The Sun - 6 Tips For Creating A Mud Kitchen For Your Kids

Kids love mud! And as dirty as they may get, it’s time to advocate messy play so they can learn new skills the fun way. The fastest and easiest way to encourage your kids to get outdoors is to build them a mud kitchen.They'll be tripping over each other to get outside

Building your own mud kitchen is a creative, cost-effective way of enabling messy play for your kids while saving money on an expensive play kitchen. 

You can build your mud kitchen in your own way, and in the end, your kids will have the perfect environment in which to get their hands dirty anytime.

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Photo: Jelleke Vanooteghem/Unsplash

Six tips to create your own mud kitchen

1. Use What You’ve Got

Poke around your garage and see what you can recycle to save money on your mud kitchen. You can use wood, recycled pallets, and old timber for the construction. Old cookware and bakeware, utensils, and decorations can also be used to finish out the kitchen,

Remember, the idea is to ignite your child’s imagination, so your DIY mud kitchen doesn’t need to resemble a brand-new toy kitchen set. 

2. Stove Tops Add to The Fun

While it’s great to leave some things up to the imagination, it’s a good idea to make your play kitchen resemble a real kitchen by creating a stove top. You can paint the burners on a piece of timber or wood, and you can even add broken or thrifted appliances to your outdoor kitchen to enhance its appearance. You can also use good, old cardboard to create a play stove.

3. Bake Mud Cakes

The fun part of having a mud kitchen is that your kids get to play with mud and get as dirty as they want. All you need to make mud cakes is some sand or soil and water. You can use old cookware and bake ware to contain them and shape them like cakes and cupcakes.

Parents can get involved by showing kids how to create funky-shaped cookies with cookie cutters and molds or add colored pasta to the mud for added texture. This kind of sensory play is an important part of childhood development, but above all, it’s a whole lot of fun.

Pistachio Pudding Play Dough

4. Set the Table

A mud kitchen is a fun way to teach your child table manners. Guide your preschoolers through setting a table and laying out the dishes. Show them the way to arrange cutlery and allow your children to bring some garden leaves to create napkins for a rustic table setting.

5. Add a Sink

Since you’ve introduced messy play to your preschoolers with colored pasta and mud cakes, it’s a good idea to take care of the cleanup. The most logical way to do this is to add a sink to your mud kitchen! To create your sink, use a silver or grey bucket and fill it with water or a big flower put with the bottom plugged works nicely too.

Add a hose in the bucket so that there’s an accessible faucet. This is a great way to teach children how to clean up after themselves. Add some dish washing liquid and a sponge so you can wash all the cookware the kids used before bringing it back into the house!

How to Make your own Dish Washing Soap

6. Dress For The Occasion

Every chef needs a chef’s hat and apron, so make sure to get these for your child. They will love it! Plus, the apron will offer some protection from mud splatter while playing. Rubber boots are a good idea too. Preschool age kids and toddlers love to wear galoshes!

How to Make your own Chef Hat

 

Have fun with your kiddos and their mud kitchen. You may want to wear some rubber boots yourself! Encourage your children to enjoy free and imaginative play, and you can bet they’ll learn tons of kitchen tricks in the process. Pretend play is the best way to learn!

Recommended Reading:

Pretend Play and Play Date Ideas from Adventures of Kids Creative Chaos

Fun Books about Galoshes from Amazon

6 Ways to Child Proof a Cell Phone

6 Ways to Child Proof a Cell Phone 

Nowadays, it's common to see toddlers and preschoolers happily engaged with a smartphone or tablet. These devices are ideal when it comes to keeping kids entertained. However, eventually your child will ask for their own phone. When that time comes, you'll want to take the appropriate measures to protect the phone and its software settings. Here are six tips to help you kid proof a cell phone.

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Tips to Kid Proof Cell Phone

Before your child takes the responsibility of owning their own phone, follow these tips to kid-proof a cell phone.

• The Right Case 

If adults are susceptible to the occasional drop or cracked screen, imagine what damage a kid can do with a phone! All of these phone and tablet devices are fragile and easy to damage. 

A heavy-duty case is the right move for a first-time phone owner. There are also a wide range of options for cases, so heavy-duty doesn't have to mean boring, bulky, or ugly. There are many cute, protective cases perfect for your daughter or character cases for your son. Shopping for a phone case is a fun activity to do with your kids, enjoy the time spent searching for the right case!

• Screen Protector 

While some cases have built in screen-protectors, this is not a universal trait. A screen protector is something every person needs. This thin protective layer protects against cracking and other regular wear and tear. It provides you peace of mind, knowing your kid is less likely to show you a cracked phone screen and help you to avoid costly replacements.

• Family Sharing Protections 

On some devices, like Apple, you can use Family Sharing for calendars, photos, and other storage. This means you can easily share books, apps, and music purchases rather than buy them multiple times. 

In addition, Family Sharing protections allow you, as the parent, to receive alerts when your child tries to download an app, book, movie, and more. You can approve or reject – allowing you to monitor what your child is downloading, as well as the purchases. 

It certainly is upsetting to have surprise purchases in your inbox when your kids don't understand some apps and games cost money! Let family sharing help. 

• Disable In-App Purchases and App Downloads 

Another option is to disable in-app purchases. Some games have micro-purchases in the app where a simple click can rack up a hefty bill. 

Instead of letting your child purchase endlessly, you can go to Settings > General > Restrictions. From there, simply disable In-App Purchases. You can also disable app installation or deletion. This allows you to monitor how your child is using their phone. 

• Monitor Screen Time 

Most smartphones have screen time built in so you can check and track how much time is spent on each app. If you suspect a Candy Crush overload, you can look at your child’s phone and see just how much time is spent on that game. From there, you can have healthy conversations about screen time and how to limit phone usage. 

• Gift Cards 

Over time, you might want to teach your child the value of money and how to wisely spend what they have. An option is to use gift cards instead of connecting to a family account. For example, you can use an iTunes gift card for Apple products or an Amazon gift card for a Kindle Fire or another Amazon device. 

With family settings in place, you can still approve purchases, but you give your kids a little more control over spending.

Bottom Line

Opening your child up to the world by handing them a cell phone is a rite of passage. But before you give them this full responsibility, take some precautions to make sure the entire experience helps prepare them for adulthood. 

Recommended:

App to Limit Cell Phone Use

Phones for Kids

At What Age Should Child Get Cell Phone?

24 Best Educational Toys To Gift Your Kids This Year

Gift Guide: 24 Cool Toys for Kids

As a parent, one of the biggest dilemmas for every birthday and holiday season, is what gifts to buy for your kids. Recently, it's become a trend to give kids gadgets, but always giving the gift of technology is proving detrimental for your kids well-being of our future adults. Instead, why not invest in something that's both educational and enjoyable. This way, your children will develop and grow into well balanced adults and still have fun along their childhood journey.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

For More Help
Buying presents for infants and toddlers is even more difficult than for older children. Luckily, there are many websites and blogs to guide you with gift ideas and recommendations. Snugbaby is one such helpful blog. From reviews about the best strollers for your young ones to life-saving advice for new struggling parents, Snugbaby.net has it all. So, be sure to check it out for more helpful gift reviews and advice on parenting little ones.

0-1 year olds Educational Toy Gift Ideas

Melissa and Doug Shape-Sorting Set
This classic toy is a popular educational toy for kids and comes in a variety of themes. See the farm sorting set pictured above, It gives a basic introduction to shapes and colors, as well as, problem solving skills and manual dexterity.  Kids have to insert the blocks into the correct shape.

VTech Musical Rhymes Book
This colorful book with baby-friendly pages engages your toddlers with nursery rhymes while providing a fun way to learn the rhymes.


Skoolzy Rainbow Counting Bears with Matching Sorting Cups
Another simple game, it's an excellent way of teaching colors and simple math skills. Here, toddlers learn to put the bear in the matching colored cup. They also have to count the number of bears available to fill each cup, which makes it a helpful lesson in mathematics.

Download our counting math activity printable to use with this game.

VTech Sit to Stand Learning Walker
This popular toy encourages 9-month-olds to walk while engaging them with colorful activities and sound, thus developing their sensory skills and coordination.

1-3 years (Toddlers)

Learning Resources Alphabet Island Game
Using the classic ABC rhyme doesn’t have to be the only way to teach kids the alphabet. Make learning fun for your toddlers while they go treasure hunting for the alphabet.

Sensory Alphabet Activity

Learning Resources Fine Motor Hedgehog
The spikes on the hedgehog are color-coded and easy to grip, making it a great game for kids to play to  enhance motor skills, color coordination, and sorting abilities.

LeapFrog Scribble and Write Tablet
What a great way to introduce letters and numbers before your kids start preschool. Kids trace the letter or number using the tracing tool without the need for writing with crayons or pencils.

The Learning Journey: Match It! Spelling
Visual learning is a great method to teach kids. Linking words with images helps children learn more quickly. Moreover, the puzzle nature of the game also develops kid’s dexterity.

VTech Smart Shots Sports Center
This game is a great way to introduce an active toddler to sports. The Smart Shots Sports Center comes with a net and two balls. It teaches counting by scoring hoops for points and also teaches shapes, songs, and simple words.

ehome Toddler Musical Instrument
People of all age groups enjoy music, kids are no different. This set contains various musical instruments, so parents don't have to worry about which instrument to buy. Encourage your kids to try out playing the different instruments. Who knows, you may have the next Michael Jackson in your house. These also make a great gift for Easter baskets!

3-5 years (Preschool)

Magnetic Drawing Board Mini Travel Doodle
There's nothing wrong or right when it comes to art. This is the basic concept behind this old, yet popular toy. Give your kid free reign over the board and let the pen do the rest. It's fun for trips with family too!

Tips for Family Travel

Learning Resources Pretend and Play Doctor Kit
Playing doctors is still just as popular as ever. The doctor kit is a great gift for aspiring doctors and it's also a great way to teach kids to be kind, helpful, and patient.

ThinkFun Zingo Bingo Board Game
This award-winning game is a fun family activity. Essentially bingo with tiles that have labeled images, it teaches kids word-picture association, and it's also a great way to teach preschoolers new words.

Ideal My First Magic Set
Magic is always fascinating to kids, and what better way to teach your kids confidence, social skills, and self-discipline than using this fun magic game? The 25 tricks in this set, which comes with props, instructions, and online videos, make a great Christmas gift for children.

Back To Nature Outdoor Toy Set
For little explorers, this set includes a flashlight, binoculars, compass, and a magnifying glass. Make the game more fun by making a map and preparing a treasure and set your kids out treasure hunting. Can you imagine a memorable childhood play experience?

5-12 years (Elementary School)

Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Exploration Kit
Does your kid love tinkering around with electronics? This is the perfect gift for engineers in the making. The color-coded circuit components come with a guide and after they have mastered the basics, watch your kids build their own circuits!

See our Snap Circuit Activity for Homeschoolers.

Melissa and Doug Fashion Design Activity Kit
Science isn't the only subject of educational toys. Let your child's creative side flourish with this attractive fashion design kit that contains fashion plates, pencils, and crayons.

Scientific Explorer Mind Blowing Science Kit
This kit is equipped with 11 fun activities that will entertain your little ones’ inquisitive minds. Build curiosity for new things and a love of science with this science experiment kit that's easy to clean and will quickly become your kid’s next favorite toy.

Grow ‘n’ Glow Terrarium
A unique toy that even adults have fun playing, is this gardening terrarium game. Kids plant the Chia seeds in the terrarium. The kit also comes with glow in the dark stickers and resin figurines to decorate.

IQ Builder Building Toy Set
This building toy set, featuring various shapes and sizes, challenges your kids to expand their creative boundaries in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Equipped with a storage box, this must-have STEM toy, barely takes any space in your room. 

ThinkFun Gravity Maze Marble Run Logic Game
Develop strategic thinking skills with this innovative game. It uses blocks arranged in different ways to  creatively work around the effect of gravity. The difficulty level increases as the game gets more complex.

Scharkspark Telescope For Kids
This birthday, gift your kids something out of this world. This wonderful telescope helps kids realize the beauty of our vast universe. Introduce your kids to the amazing world of star-gazing and also teach them to take care of their toys with this real working scientific instrument.

National Geographic Break Open Geodes
For the little James Huttons and Florence Bascoms who love scavenging and exploring, this amazing geology set is the perfect gift. Watch your kids squeal in delight when they discover beautiful gems after breaking open the included rocks.

Thames and Kosmos Candy Chemistry Kit
Inspire your kids love of chemistry with this fun game that rewards kids with handmade sweet treats. Sweets and science have truly undeniable chemistry together, a match made in heaven.


Summary
Parents spend a lot of money and time trying to give the best educational toys for kids. From toys to education, parents try not to compromise anything for the sake of their children. However, the best gift that parents can give their children are good values and a strong support system. Always encourage your children to try new things on their own and give their best effort. Eventually, your little one will grow to guide you on the journey of life, instead of the other way around. 

Good luck on your journey of parenthood; you'll need it!



Recommended:

Activity Games you can Play with Things Around the House

Sensory Play Ideas

Classroom Safety Tips

Safety Tips for Children in Early Childhood Education from ChildCare Education Institute

Anywhere you go, the safety of our toddlers and preschool children is a topic of concern. We need to become vigilante when it comes to the safety of our kids. A recent study shows more than 794 children were killed by vehicles in 2017. Unfortunately, many of these deaths took place at daycare facilities under the supervision of early childhood educators. Back up cameras are not enough. All adults need to know these safety tips for children from ChildCare Education Institute.

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According to the CDC, Unintentional injuries—such as those caused by burns, drowning, falls, poisoning and road traffic—are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children in the United States. Each year, among those 0 to 19 years of age, more than 12,000 people die from unintentional injuries and more than 9.2 million are treated in emergency departments for nonfatal injuries. Read the CDC report on Childhood Injuries.

Safety Prevention in the Classroom

Safety in the classroom doesn’t just happen, teachers must be prepared and plan for it. What can we do to prevent these senseless deaths and keep our youngest family members safe? When child caregivers and other adults equip themselves with the tools needed to protect children in their care, they can reduce unnecessary injuries and accidents. Safety education is key.

ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI,) the industry leader for online professional development, offers over 55+ safety courses for ECE teachers. These high-quality and research-based courses provide early childhood educators with operating procedures and best practices for keeping children safe on and off school grounds.  I highly recommend all ECE professionals explore CCEI’s vast online course catalog and enroll to take their safety courses today!

CCEI has over 35+ certificate programs offered in both English and Spanish! They’ve graduated over 15,000 early childhood professionals from its CDA and other certificate programs -- with over 5 million online course hours completed by students. CCEI’s web-based coursework is available 24/7/365. 

Here’s a list of some of the 55+ safety courses offered online with CCEI:

• CCEI112A: Child Abuse: Signs of Abuse and Reporting Requirements for Early Childhood Professionals identifies and defines the major categories of child abuse, explains the responsibilities of mandated reporters, lists methods of reporting, and emphasizes the importance of visual checks.

• HLTH110: Protecting Infants: Reducing the Risk of SIDS and Shaken Baby Syndrome  introduces the risk reducing and preventative strategies designed to keep infants safe.

• CCEI110A: Indoor Safety in the Early Childhood Setting introduces early childhood professionals to indoor safety standards in an early childhood setting. Topics covered include toy safety, poison control, the development of appropriate play space, controlling high traffic areas in the center, and other safety standards.

• HLTH104: Basic Health and Hygiene Practices for the Early Childhood Setting  provides basic information everyone should know about preventing the spread of infectious diseases in the child care setting.

• CCEI119: Food Allergies in the Early Care Setting provides an overview of food allergies and basic food allergy safety principles to employ in the early care setting.

ChildCare Education Institute offers professionals 150+ online child care training courses (in English and Spanish) to meet licensing, recognition program and Head Start requirements. It’s the perfect online training for busy early childhood teachers. Read our review on CCEI here: Continuing Online Study for Early Childhood Education. I highly recommend you try these safety courses today from CCEI, so you can create a safe environment for your students. The courses are easy to digest and easy to apply to your daily schedules.

Maintaining a healthy and safe environment for children in an early childhood environment is essential. Parents count on caregivers to keep their children safe, healthy, and happy when they're in the classroom. Early childhood professionals need to stay up-to-date on the changes to licensing regulations, best practices, and health and safety standards set forth by governing agencies. Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs has been updated. Learn more about the recent safety standard updates.

Have you considered any of these safety tips for the childcare environment?

• Cots/cribs are placed 3 ft apart or have barrier and assigned to a specific child or cleaned and sanitized after each use
• Furniture and equipment is in good repair (check for broken toys, accessories, wrinkled/disrepair rugs/carpet.)
• All chemicals are locked/out of reach of children. 
• All entrances/exits are kept clear of clutter, snow, ice, etc. 
• Tables and chairs are not stacked while children are present.

Your state likely has many resources available to help guide the safety practices and policies in your classrooms. Download this free Childcare Health and Safety Checklist PDF from Indiana.gov.

CCEI offers many continuing ed courses for ECE staff and caregivers. I encourage anyone working with children to take courses with CCEI. That’s right, anyone! If you’re a homeschooler, you’ll find many of the courses beneficial to your homeschooling learning environment as well.

ECE teachers in a brick and mortar environment will find that CCEI is convenient and easy to navigate, most classes take about an hour. Preschool teachers and daycare providers alike, will definitely want to take a look at the safety courses and maintain a weekly safety checklist for their program environments. 

Looking for fun ideas and activities for preschoolers? Check out our Preschool Scavenger Hunt Group on Pinterest.

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Join our Classroom Ideas Group Board on Pinterest

More Safety Tips for Kids from Kids Creative Chaos

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