Usually, when we get out the glue guns, it's with the idea of building something, but this time I had the idea that the kids could draw pictures with the glue on a block of wood, then use it as a stamper.
Some of the kids have sort of freelanced "glue drawing" over the years, but this was the first time that we made it all about just squeezing the trigger and letting the hot stuff flow.
I have to say, it was a good way to use glue guns in a mixed aged group like we have this summer (2-6 years old), with the varying degrees of experience and capabilities. It let the kids focus on learning how the tool works and concentrate on not getting burned without the distraction of a finished project in mind.
Even so, it's easy to get distracted when you're 2-years-old, especially when there's an older kid across the workbench demonstrating some skilzzz.
The stamper aspect of this project was a complete failure. Dried/cooled hot glue is not a good medium for transferring the liquid water color we use as a stand-in for proper ink. But that's okay, drawing with hot glue was enough.
Awesome! I "wasted" so much hot glue as a child, playing with it rather than building with it. Have you tried using thick acrylic or tempera paint on sponges to press the glued blocks into , to print?
ReplyDeleteOf course, Kali! Thank you! I'm confident that would work -- stickier paint! =)
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent idea to use the block of wood with the glue drawing as a stamper.
ReplyDeleteVery creative!
Wonderful. The tool to build becomes the tool for art...
ReplyDeleteWe must try.
And here I've been too afraid to let my kids use the glue gun (mainly because I have a great scar on my leg from my own mishap). Maybe I'll let them try...
ReplyDeleteBut Tom, it's the 'failures' that set up the successes. Besides, they're often more fun anyway.
ReplyDelete