B a r b a r a s h e r I l L u s t r a t I o n s b y r a L p h

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Have children feel and identify letters and numbers. You can use plastic refrig-
erator magnets or make letters and numbers with glue on a piece of paper.
When the glue dries, it pops up a little, giving the players something to feel.
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Attention Games
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Children are expanding their discriminatory tactile and olfactory skills and
forming connections between how things feel and smell and how they look.
Tile Painting
When we are sculpting something out of sand at the beach, we are unlikely
to feel very critical of our efforts. We know that in a short time the ocean
will erase it all, and we can just enjoy the process.
If we are feeling insecure about our artistic ability, a piece of paper can
be intimidating because the results are permanent. When we look at our
work with too critical an eye, it deflates us and takes all the fun out of the
artistic process.
Painting or drawing on tiles, an instantly erasable medium, gives chil-
dren the opportunity to focus on drawing or doodling without the fear of
permanence. The smoothness of the tile’s surface invites ease in drawing,
and the tissue immediately wipes away the last drawing and readies the
tile for the next. Children can experience only the best part of creativity:
the creating.
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Focused
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Plain white or lightly colored glazed tiles, any size
Colored felt-tip pens or paints