Day 26- Children's Museum

Today we went to the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh. Let me tell you, every time we go, it never ceases to amaze me at how much fun it is! And each time we go, the kids get more involved.  Today was so much fun to watch because the kids were so excited.

As soon as we got there, we started in the craft room because it involves a lot of drying time for things.  Painting was first, Iris HAD To color all of her paper in, and Penny really worked on the best ways to hold her paint brush, and enjoyed the ability to paint, obviously!

Then we went over and made screen prints.  Iris was able to help Mike decide what she wanted to make and what she wanted it to look like- a snowflake and many shapes.  Penny wanted a snowman.  I love screen prints, and for those of you not familiar with the process, at least at the Children's Museum, you cut out paper into whatever you want your picture to look like.  The thing to remember is that whatever you design won't have dye (or paint in this case) when the product is finished.  So, we cut out shapes, (I will base this off Penny's design) of snow men.  I cut out 3 different sized circles, a nose, 2 hands, and 2 boots.  Then we took the pieces over to the screen print table, picked the color paper we liked, and then laid the pieces we cut onto the cardstock.  After the pieces are aligned on the cardstock, we put a screen over the paper and pieces, and then pour paint over the screen and spread it with a large spatula like thing.  Once the entire paper is covered, you lift the screen and your picture is done.  At the museum, you actually get to run the painted picture through a big dryer thing.

The last art we did in the craft room was make your own paper.  We have done this every time we have been to the children's museum.  It is a square screen on a little wooden frame.  They put a second wood frame on top of the screen, then there are 3 bins of paper pulp with a TON of water with ladles.  Then, you just ladled the paper pulp into the frame until you can't see the screen anymore.  Once the screen is covered, you sponge the excess water off the paper pulp and then they cover the pulp with a towel and put it under a vice and press as much water out as possible and then let it sit to dry.

That was all the crafts we did today, but I did manage to make a # 4 for Iris out of paper.  I have to finish this up because I don't think it is making much sense, i've been writing this for almost 2 hours lol.