A Staple in the Classroom or Home

Have you been using the easel lately?  In all my years of teaching, the easel is something I just couldn’t do without!  I won’t go on about it’s many benefits, but if you don’t have one in your classroom or house, I highly recommend getting one!  Ikea even has one for $20!  Throw a shower curtain under it, and hang another on the wall next to it and all your fears are dismissed 🙂

Just providing regular old tempera paint is perfect at the easel, but sometimes you might want to spice things up a little.  Here’s a short list of additions to change the scent or texture of the paint, providing a whole different experience for the kids!

Things to Add to Your Easel Paint

Texture                                  Scent
Wood shavings                 Shampoo or conditioner
Cornmeal                            Toothpaste
Coffee Grounds                Spices
Sand                                      Extracts (peppermint, vanilla, etc.)
Cornstarch                          Body lotion

Now let your imagination run wild, and come up with some other ideas that your kids will love!