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Exploratory Art for Children: Glitter Glue

exploring glitter glue as an artistic medium

One of my favorite ways to nurture creativity in my children is to give them opportunities to explore different artistic mediums. It was so fun to see each kid interact differently with our glitter glue pens this past week! Johnny (four years old) was all about layering colors and seeing how high he could pile the glue before it would start spreading out. Emma (six years old) seemed to enjoy the process of manipulating the glue in different ways – making piles of glue, spreading it out, and seeing if colors would mix. Lily (two years old) used her favorite colors (pink and purple) to make a picture. Three very different approaches, but a very fun artistic activity!

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Do you have a favorite exploratory art activity? How do you enjoy encouraging creativity in childhood?

learning laboratory at mama smiles

Learning Laboratory is a space to share hands-on, fun, and creative learning experiences for children. I would love for you to add your posts to my linky, and text links back or sharing my button is always appreciated! A favorite for me last week was this silly sensory ball painting from B. Inspired, Mama! I also really loved her 10 tips for teaching puzzle skills. This Lego Library Land from Miss Courtney Meets Bobo is Learning Laboratory Paradise! Any child would enjoy making this torn paper earth collage from Like Mama Like Daughter, and I think little boys especially would enjoy this monster truck sight word mash game from Train Up a Child. And, I am utterly amazed by this play house – complete with children’s book bunting – from Sunnydaytodaymama.

MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.

27 thoughts on “Exploratory Art for Children: Glitter Glue”

  1. My kids *LOVE* art projects. Especially ones where glue is involved. They’re still talking about the colored shaving cream from over a month ago!

  2. I too love letting kids explore with different art mediums! When I was a nanny, I used to love making new art materials such as different types of paints and playdough for them to work with. They got to make the art supplies AND do art with it! Glitter glue is also one of my favorites. I just wish the tubes weren’t always so tiny!

  3. Another bathtime scientist and potion maker in our house and now I am wondering how glitter glue would work in soapy water…
    Thanks for linking to our play house. :)

    1. I can’t imagine any of my kids willingly touching glitter glue – we need Rosie to come teach them about proper sensory play!

  4. Bobo really likes dry-erase markers still. He loves erasing and making it look different each time. He gets upset when he can’t erase on paper, now. My favorite project we did was scrape painting.

  5. I love glitter glue – J loves it when I get it out but so far we’ve had so much trouble getting it out the tube that it’s very much a “Mummy do it” activity.

    We’ve had such a fun learning and creative week I hope you don’t mind me linking up a few posts

    1. I find some tubes are easier than others, for some reason…

      I loved all the posts you linked up – thanks! What a fun week you had!!!

  6. My 3 yr old loves piling the glitter glue up high too. Yesterday he created a huge mound of it and then stuck some google eyes on it. Then it all got smooshed (is that a word?) and flattened again. Lots of fun.

  7. I like glitter glue! A bit less messy than loose glitter.

    The kids did some creative writing this weekend. My daughter scribed for my 4 year old!

    1. That is so sweet that your daughter scribed for your 4yo! Sounds like a fun weekend :)

  8. Anna loves experiments, but in our house it’s usually science rather than art. She especially loves making soapy water in different containers during her bath, seeing when her boat will sink, etc.

  9. Priscilla loves glitter glue, too. I think she just loves exploring the cause and effect of squeezing and squirting it onto the paper. Then she likes to take a paint brush and spread it around. Thanks for hosting the Learning Laboratory as always! :)

    1. I’ll have to try Priscilla’s paintbrush extension with my kids – bet they’d like it!

      Thanks for linking up!

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