Party Favors - Miniature Art Cart

I often laugh at myself for labeling my children. "Labels" seemed to be pigeon toeing them into some predestined childhood. Little did I know that using labels helped me name the most interesting, the most challenging and the most wonderful aspects of parenting these two little munchkins. My son is the original Preschool Engineer and my daughter, who also does her fair share of engineering, is decidedly a Preschool Artist. Like her engineer brother she is very creative but her materials of choice are different from his. Where he chooses to explore mechanical puzzles and contraptions first, she chooses color and bonding. So I have an Artist and an Engineer.

For my little niche of early childhood education, it is a very very small stretch to see the STEM learning in her work and I find myself embracing the Art in STEAM. Where I have always believed in the beauty of patterns and the artfulness required to understand STEMy problems (and solutions), I am now seeing STEM learning that comes from early childhood art. So it is understandable that the learning materials in the house are expanding to include more art supplies.

At Christmas, my gift to my Artist and Engineer was a Tinkerlab-inspired Art Cart. On the day it was presented, my Artist sat for HOURS outside painting. She skipped meals and I marveled at how she was so intent on her work. (This echoed comments from the teacher and administrator at her school.) "No wonder so many artists are thin," I thought. They must really immerse themselves in their work. Anyways, on that first day with the Art Cart, I let her cut, color, paint, tape and glue to her heart's content. 

The 1st afternoon with the Art Cart.

As Anna's third birthday was approaching I was having fun making plans. We would have cake and friends and gifts. Nothing outrageous but entirely fun. And, since I'm a giver, I knew I wanted her to be able to offer party favors like her brother did. (Both of these kids love to give presents to people.) But where Mikey's favors were miniature engineering stashes, Anna's had to be miniature Art Carts. 

Give-away "Art Cart"

I picked up supplies over the course of some weeks whenever I was in a local craft store. However, for your conveneince, I have made an Amazon List where you can scroll to the bottom and buy the entire set for making 12 of your own Party Favors - Miniature Art Cart. (You will need to order TWO sets of the paint on the list.)

So there you have it - party favors for your Preschool Engineer, your Preschool Artist, your Preschool STEAMer.

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