After getting good use out of the sensory bin with expired pasta for a week, I decided to use some of the pasta for a process art invitation.
To do this you will need recycled cardboard, glue, pasta, tempera paint, paint pallet, and paint brushes. If your child is old enough a day before you can provide them with pasta and glue to design the cardboard. This is great for enhancing fine motor skills as they squeeze the glue bottle and place the pasta on the cardboard. Let it dry overnight. The next day invite your child or students to paint how ever they desire on the pasta.
Children really enjoy unusual painting surfaces as it not only serves as a sensory experience but they have to be even more mindful and strategic with how they paint since it is a different element than what they are used to. Process art is a way for children to express and explore their own creativity and feelings towards the world. It helps them use their senses, express emotion, explore process and outcomes, explore color, and create aesthetically pleasing works and experiences.
As children paint, both sides of the brain are engaged, strengthening the connection between two hemispheres. Some children chose to use all of the colors, some mix them, and some chose their favorites. It's always amazing to watch, to see how they create and how they express themselves. Freely letting a child explore and discover art builds their confidence, fosters their cognitive skills when they become aware of all the different ways to do art, make predictions and plan it out and problem solve. Physically painting benefits children, too! It strengthens their fine motor skills, utensil control and helps with pre-writing skills.
"For children, process art is where we want to begin, introducing them to materials and techniques with an attitude of play and discovery". Art is a language and painting benefits children emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.
