Kindergarten Dreamcatchers

Kindergarten is studying North American art. One of the projects that they did before the holidays was to create a Native American dreamcatcher. We had a discussion about dreams- good and bad. Then they talked about what a dreamcatcher could do- catch their dreams (very literal for my second language learners).

I gave each student a paper plate and had them fold it like a taco. They cut the center out using the line that was already on the plate as their guide.

I had pre-wound small spheres of yarn and each child was allowed to choose the color that they wanted. I showed them how to wind the yarn around the plate, making sure to go all the way around to fill up the plate.

They chose a different color yarn and used this to create the web in the middle of the dreamcatcher (winding around the outside of the plate this time).

The next step was probably the most difficult. I put a container of beads on each table and showed them how to take a piece of string and thread it through their yarn so that it was hanging down. They took 5 beads and threaded them onto the string. Originally, I thought that I would have them tie them on- bad idea! I quickly revised my plan and just had them bead and then raise their hand so that I could come around and tie knots for them.

At the end, I let them choose 5 feathers (I had to limit them on the beads and feathers, or else I would have run out of both by the end of the first class!) and they placed them around their dreamcatcher to finish it off!

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Kindergarten Bluebonnets

 This was the project that I used for our annual Houston Livestock and Rodeo Art Show this year. I originally found the activity in the December 2009 issue of Arts and Activities.

Before class, I had some of my older students help me thread plastic tapestry needles with green yarn. They tied a knot in the end and used masking tape to tape the yarn so that when the kindergartners were sewing, the yarn would not come unthreaded.

Each kindergarten student had a 12 x 18 piece of burlap. I ordered the variety pack, so that each student could choose different colors.

I had them draw a vertical line with a crayon in the middle of the burlap. This was for the stem of their bluebonnet.


I demonstrated how to sew the stem, going front to back and then

passed out the needles.

For some of the students, the sewing was pretty easy. However, for many of my students, this was a difficult task. We spent the majority of class sewing the stem of our flower.

I had some pre-cut pieces of green felt out so that when students were finished sewing, they could glue their leaves onto their bluebonnets.

I gave them a green marker and they added small stems/branches radiating out from the central stem.

 During the last class, I had a tray on each table with a blue tempera cake on it. I showed the students how to dip their thumb into a tub of water and then rub it in the paint. They then made 3 prints and repeated the process.

Once they had finished the blue, I went around and switched out the blue tempera cakes and gave each table white tempera cakes.

They repeated the same process, however this time they used their index finger and made a print right over the top of the blue thumbprints.

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