SPRING ACTIVITY

Spring Rubbing and Collage Project

Sometimes, the best way to deal with spring weather is in small doses. This activity provides you with outdoor and indoor components so you can get some air but not freeze in the changeable spring temperatures.

What you need:

• Sheets of paper. White works well but colors are fine, too.
• Crayons and colored pencils. Older kids might want to try charcoal but that material may be too messy for the littlest artists.
• A bag to carry your art supplies in -- pick a big bag that's easy to get things in and out of, like a beach bag or a large shopping bag
• A large piece of poster paper
• Glue stick
• Scissors

Instructions:

Part one: The rubbing hunt
Set off on a walking tour of your neighborhood, or another location you haven't walked in for a while, like a local park or a downtown shopping area. Keep an eye out for interesting surfaces. You might see tree bark, a park bench, cobblestones, or signs. Anything with texture will do. Place your paper over the textured surface and rub over with a crayon or colored pencil until the image starts to form. Don't hold back -- get as many rubbings as you can on your walkabout. That will make for a more successful collage.

Part two: The collage

When you get home, spread your work out and admire your collection. Then choose the most interesting looking ones and break out the scissors. Cut out shapes from your rubbings and glue them to your poster board. You can arrange them in order, making a rubbing map of your walk. Or you can glue them at random for a more abstract effect.