Cup Printing
Date - 25/04/22
When was it done - Small Group (Art Day)
Participants
Gaurvika; Kiaan; Ivanshi; Mysha; Shivyah; Ditya; Virika; Yasha; Uddhav
Materials required
A3 Blank Sheets
Paper Cups
Tempera Paints
Plates
Invitation Set-Up
The invitation was set using A3 sheets which were laid out on the table by the facilitator. Then paints were introduced, which had been poured onto plates from before. After this, the facilitator demonstrated the activity to the children. While setting up this invite, facilitators may often talk about things like the colour of the paints on the plate, and the process of the activity or vocalise every action that they are doing at that moment.
Process
The cup printing activity involves dipping the rim of paper cups into paints and stamping it onto the paper. This process results in beautiful circular patterns. By using the same cup repeatedly, one can also see a mix of colours forming patterns on the paper.
Children’s Response
At first, the children responded by imitating the facilitator as the activity was demonstrated. It was observed that the children were intrigued by the process of the activity - paints on the rim of the cup and the marks that the cup made on the paper. The activity also transformed into different endeavours, like hand printing. Kiaan made handprints on the paper and labelled them as a butterfly. Ivanshi was just enjoying the act of putting her hands in the paint and stamping it onto the paper.
Precautions
Being careful that children did not put the cups of paint into their mouths.
Skills/Concepts
Fine Motors Skills - Cup printing requires one to hold the cup in order to dip it into paint and make marks on the sheet. This activity, thus, promotes the development of fine motor muscles that are present in our fingers, for example. Children also learn to control their strength, as stamping the cup too hard will crush it.
Cognitive Skills - Colour and shape recognition is an interesting part of the activity that takes place during the activity. This activity can also be a good way to introduce colours and shapes to toddlers.
Hand-eye coordination - In order to complete the task at hand, i.e., printing with cups, one would require accurate hand-eye coordination to dip the cup into paint and then stamp it onto the paper. Therefore, this activity promotes hand-eye coordination in children.
Attention, focus and concentration - As children discover that stamping with the paper cups is creating new and interesting patterns, they keep trying to create more new patterns and experimenting with colours as well. This retains their attention, focus and concentration during the course of the activity, which helps in building the same.