Simple Beach Scene

A fun art activity with simple materials. A simple beach scene can be so much fun! With the onset of summer, we wanted to engage in a “summery” activity. I asked Big A what’s the first thing that came to her mind when I said summer. She said “Sun”! Mom: What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when I say summer Big A (her trademark excited squeal) : Sun Mom: !!!! Mom: What else? Big A: Ice Creams! Mom: (with a “come on “expression) Anything else? Big A: Beach? Mom: Finally! Yay I guess partly California sun is to be blamed. We have taken the kids to the beach/aquarium we have nearby quite often. Beach is not strictly for summer around here.

1. Big chart paper
2. Glue/glue stick
3. Sand
4. Toothbrush/paint brush
5. Paint
6. Puff balls

Not a whole lot of things right? Mommy sketched out a very simple beach scene dividing the chart into three basic sections – sand area, ocean and sky A couple of umbrellas, chairs, pet etc on the sand. A ship on the ocean and a few birds on the sky with a big shining smiling sun. Big A colored “inside” the umbrellas and chairs. Then she glued down a part of the sand area while mommy was trying hard to keep baby A from eating sand! My little Krishna! (You should know Hindu mythology to understand this reference. Click here if you care) Bring out the bowl of sand and pour/spread on the glue. Both the A’s had so much fun pouring sand on the glue. Of course the inevitable throwing sand on the other sister did happen. Instead of a paintbrush, Big A gets a kick out of using a toothbrush to paint with the switch turned on so that paint can splatter. Ofcourse! We used blue and white pom pom balls (puff balls as she calls it) to create the sky. She ended up using foam stickers to get the ocean animals inside the water. Good piece of art. Use it as a base for ocean pretend play Big A did actually brought out her ocean animals spent time playing with the ocean animals ,although she really insisted that we pretend that horses play on the beach- actually there are many horse riders on the beach in India) There were numerous stories about sharks coming out of the ocean, brave princesses casting nets to catch the sharks. Nets ofcourse are very strong that the sharks can’t bite through them. Mommy S is happy that the play possibility for this activity translated into the reality. Well she learnt about animal habitats. More than anything she really got her creative juices flowing.