Art ProjectsPreschoolers7 Comments
A counting book called 1, 2 ,3 to the Zoo‘ (affiliate link) by Eric Carle inspired this creative art and activity.
The book is a counting train of zoo animals!
Henry really enjoyed this book and loved counting each zoo animal.
A great way to learn to count to ten.
We decided to bring these zoo animals to life and make them interactive!
We set out to paint first.
Painting in Eric Carle style.
I set out four pieces of scrapbook paper with four like-colored paints.
Using a plastic spoon, fork and a basting brush, we covered our paper with paint.
(In all honesty, Henry was not very into the art part of this activity and only used the spoon to paint on the green, I ended up painting the other pieces of paper to hopefully inspire him to do more.)
Once the paintings were finished and dry.
I cut out shapes to make the zoo animals from the book.
I cut out the animals so that they could be pieced together like a puzzle.
(Not interlocking, but overlapping.)
I cut out an elephant, a couple bears, a few alligators, seals and a lion.
Henry especially liked the mouse that was hiding on every page of the book.
So that little mouse had to be included in our zoo animal puzzles too!
(If Henry had been more into the painting, we would have painted more and then I could have made the number of animals that were at the zoo in the book and really enhance the learning experience.)
I have always noticed that Eric Carle layers his artwork in his books and I wanted to be able to replicate that in a way that Henry could be interactive with the art.
I placed the pieces on a felt board that I had made.
Henry took apart the animals and rearranged them how he pleased.
Telling stories about the animals at the zoo.
I am excited to join and be part of World Animal Day on October 4th. I’m celebrating with AngeliqueFelix.com in her Children & Animals at Play Blog Hop for this entire week!
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Esther says
Love this activity! Especially the zoo animals you created in the end!
Lori @ La-La's Home Daycare says
I love love love this activity! This is so cool!
You are so creative!
April says
Just an FYI, the reason Eric Carle's pictures look so cool, is because he uses tissue paper "decoupaged" to a background. All of his art work is layered tissue paper. I love the look it gives. I also LOVE the way you re-created it. Very cute.
Angelique Felix says
Great inspirational resource Eric Carle for the World Animal Day bloghop! Thanks for setting up the magnificent art activity for your children, a lovely way of getting them in contact with animals, but als drama play as art! All in one.
A lovely greeting from Angelique & the World Animal Day organisation
Adrienne says
I love the technique you used to make the Eric Carle style. Very cool! :) Great guest post today at JDaniel4!