There is no better way for kids to learn about all four seasons than to actually live through each one. One thing I remember from my childhood is going for walks outside and watching how things change over time.
These art activities for all four seasons can be used at home or at a day care in Rockville, MD, to help kids learn more about spring, summer, fall, and winter. Along with cute projects like cotton ball trees and paper plate trees, there are also fun ways to learn through play, such as sorting rocks and using your senses.
Children can learn more about the four seasons through this game, which can also be used to start a conversation about each season. It would be fun to use with your child at home or at child care in Rockville, MD. Put it next to some picture books about the season to help your child see how the words in the books relate to things in their own world.
Paint some wooden slices to look like the four seasons. Then, paint some rocks or use stickers on rocks to create things that belong in each season. The kids can sort the picture rocks by putting them on the wooden slice that matches the season.
Get some sticks and leaves and cut them up into pieces of different sizes. Glue the sticks to a piece of cardboard to make the base and branches of a tree. Cut a piece of tin foil a little bigger than your cardboard. Put a little pressure on the paper around the sticks to make the sticks and their design stand out. Make the foil around your raised image smooth. Fold all four sides of the foil under.
Paint the tree trunk and leaves with acrylic paints. There are different ways to paint the sky. You can paint a blue background depending on the time of year or your mood. Pick fall colors like red, yellow, orange, gold, and green that are very bright. When a tree blooms in the spring, the different shades of pink look beautiful together. In the winter, paint the inside of your trees white. In the summer, show off all that green, or you could go crazy with color all year long. Everything will look great.
First, half one of the paper plates and paint it black and yellow. While the first plate dries, cut the second white plate’s circular center out and then split the circle in half. Then, fold the wings’ tips in half to make two triangles.
Make a small cut on the edge of the paper plate and fold it over. The slit should fit the two folded squares of the white paper plate wings.
Sticky tape the tips of the wings to the inside of the plate after putting them in the slit. Masking tape is better because little kids can cut it and use it themselves. Now, the wings should sit comfortably on top of the bee and be able to move around. Create legs using pipe cleaners and use googly eyes for the finishing touch.
Make a strong bubble solution in the bowl by adding a few tablespoons of water and about 1/2 cup of dish soap to it. To create a layer of bubbles, combine everything. Once bubbles have formed, add a few drops of food coloring or liquid watercolors.
Create bubbles using a bubble wand or plastic straw by blowing into the solution. Make sure the mixture doesn’t get sucked up by kids. Place the paper softly on top of the bubbles when they are close to the surface to record the imprint of bubbles popping.
Cut the apples into five slices, working your way from the top down. Older kids can do this with supervision, but adults should be doing this for younger kids. With a sharp knife, carefully cut a hole in the middle of each slice, removing any seeds. Put a knot in the string and thread it through each hole. Make sure there is enough string to hang it from a tree. Spread peanut butter on each slice and then add birdseed. Push it a little to get it to stick, and then hang it from the nearest tree.
To make pure white snow playdough, you will need two cups of cornstarch, a cup of salt, one and a half cups of boiling water, and two tablespoons each of cream of tartar and vegetable oil. You can also add some silver glitter to make things even more interesting. Mix everything into a large bowl to make the play dough and knead until you have reached the desired consistency.
Make sure there are potatoes of different sizes when you cut them in half. Wipe them off with the paper roll to remove some of the water. For a snowy background, paint the bottom part of the blue card white. Paint the cut side of the bigger potato with white paint. Put it on the blue card to make the snowman’s body. Do the same thing with the smaller potato to make the head of the snowman.
The plastic eyes should be peeled off and stuck on the snowman’s head. Put dots of glue on the snowman’s body, and then press the pom poms on as buttons. For carrot noses, cut orange felt into squares. For orange noses, cut orange felt into ovals. Put them on with glue and use a black pen to make the mouth.
Cut out a half-circle from some other felt. Put it on with glue and add a pompom to the top to make a fuzzy hat. Cut a strip of felt for a warm scarf and glue it on. To make the snowman’s arms, cut and twist the pipe cleaner. Make sure there is a lot of glue on the arms.
Your children will be able to observe the various changes that take place in the environment around them as the seasons change. Everything from the leaves on the trees, the temperature, and the clothes they wear to the animals they discover in their environment. Seasonal art activities, whether done at home or at day care in Rockville, MD, are one of the best ways for children to learn about the four seasons and have fun while being stuck indoors.
MCCA has been recognized by the Maryland State Legislature for its commitment to Montgomery County issued a quality programs and special needs child care Proclamation in 2016 to MCCA for its commitment to Montgomery County child care for more than 50 years. MCCA was also selected as a 2018 nonprofit finalist for a MOXIE Award for boldness and innovation
MCCA is the oldest nonprofit licensed child care provider in Montgomery County and started its work in 1968 as a Community Action Project of the War on Poverty. Recognizing the need for quality child care programs in their neighborhoods, a group of local activists formed an association to establish centers in Montgomery County that would serve a diverse population and establish high standards for child care. Now, more than 50 years later, MCCA’s dedicated and expertly trained staff continue their tradition of providing high quality child care and play-based education for children.
Families with school aged children who can afford their child care expenses during the school year often struggle to afford the all-day programs they need when school is out for the summer. The Richard Krampf Summer Adventures Scholarship Fund was established to help provide children a safe and stimulating place to spend their weeks when school is out. Please contact an MCCA Director for details on how to apply.