Please find below our daily SolBe Family update letter containing helpful resources and exciting projects to explore while we all do our part to stay home during this pandemic. Subscribe here to receive daily updates. April 29, 2020 SolBe Families, Wednesday again- loony times. I have flashes of moments where life feels unchanged. These small bursts are fleeting and it feels like that semblance of normalcy is usually followed by an avalanche of fears, uncertainty, and anxiety. How can we encourage our kids to become creators in this environment of unruliness and angst? Much of our history indicates ingenuity and genius have been birthed out of similar times. Let’s channel our inner Picasso with this activity and see if we can find some relief…or courage or JOY! Any time we are working on a face study, my mind drifts off to the many faces created by Picasso. For a fun take on this series, you can pair this project with the book “When Pigasso Met Mootisse” By Nina Ladden. Read by Eric Close here . Project of the Day: Mix and Match Montessori Faces Materials Paper Markers/Face Cardboard- if you have it! Scissors Step One This one is a little more of a heavy lift for parents. You will need to play a bigger role in getting everyone set up. I used cardboard as the base for the face. Any faces your kids love you can glue or tape everything on! Step Two So. Much. Cutting. If your children are older, I recommend having them assist you in cutting out/coloring/designing the noses, eyes, ears, mouths and, of course, eyebrows! Fine Motor Skills Dev, for the win! Lay out all of the materials in piles. Various shapes and sizes of all. Pro Tip: I traced the outline of the cardboard onto the white paper and then drew the face in. This way the proportions worked. Step Three Give your child some space to explore the materials and assemble the faces on their own. You have set them up and now is the time to sit back and allow them to play the artist. There is no order or direction, they have everything they need. How exciting to see what they create! Step Four What questions can you ask to spark creativity? Who does this face look like? Could you make a face that looks like me, a friend, a teacher? Most important direction, as always: HAVE FUN! More resources to follow in the coming days. Feedback and more ideas welcome! Above all, be well and stay healthy! The SolBe Team
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