This week we’ve been reading We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury. It is wonderful story for children 0-99 years old, taking you on an adventure with exquisite illustrations and playful language. I have been wanting to do a mixed media project with Burt for a while and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. The key with this project is time. We completed the project over several sessions, building up as we went along.
For this Bear Hunt Mixed Media Project you will need:
- Paper
- Poster Paint (blue, green, red, white)
- Paintbrush
- Glitter
- Bubble Wrap
- Sponges
- Pine Cones
- Baking Foil
- Tissue Paper (green and red)
- Black Card
- Brown paper or card
- Glue
- Scissors
We started with water. We started by rustling the bubble wrap. We found that when you scrunch the bubble wrap up it makes a sound like a bubbling waterfall. I cut a small section of the bubble wrap and Burt painted the bubbles with blue paint. Then I helped turn the bubble wrap over and we printed the splashy, sploshy water on the paper. Burt was a fan of repeating, “Splashy, splashy,” as he painted the bubbles.
When the whole of the paper was covered in beautiful blue prints we mixed up our mud. We mixed red and blue to make a sludgy, purply mud. We made a fair amount so that it looked like thick, oozy mud in the paint pot.
Once the mud was mixed Burt took a scouring pad from a selection of sponges and he began printing. Each time he put the sponge down on the paper he loved repeating, “Squelch, squerch. Squelch, squerch.”
Next, I poured out some green paint and gave Burt a selection of pine cones. This was going to be our forest. We started out painting the pine cones and then rolling them over the paper, “Stumble, trip.” However, Burt preferred dunking the pinecones in paint and then rolling them and this was just as effective.
When the forest was finished we let the paint dry before starting the next part of the project. Before starting again I used tin foil to make some small discs of ‘snow’. I only made them about 3cm wide so you can make quite a few with a small amount of foil. Be aware that foil can be sharp, which is why I folded over the edges of my snowflakes.
When we were ready to start on our snow Burt painted swirling, whirling swirls of white paint with a paintbrush and then he stuck the foil snowflakes on top by dunking them in PVA glue and sticking them on. Finally, he added a generous amount of glitter! You can’t have a snow storm without glitter, can you?
We let the paint, foil and glitter dry. Then we tore strips of green tissue paper to make our long, wavy grass. If you tear tissue paper the right way it tears in long strips. It is also a great activity for little fingers as there is a lot to think about and it makes a great sound. When we had enough I squirted PVA glue along the bottom of the page and Burt stuck the grass down. We did two layers to give the grass some depth and I only aded glue to the bottom of the page so that the grass is free to wave in the breeze. We also scruched some mall balls of red tissue and Burt stuck them on to represent the poppies.
Finally I cut a cave shape out of back card and gave Burt some torn pieces of brown packaging from the recycling box and he dipped them in glue and stuck them around the edge of the opening to the cave.
The finished art work is really something special. As we made it over the course of three sessions we were able to discuss and explore the book in detail. I think the final art work feels like it really tells a story.
You can read more about the story that inspired us We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury, or discover some more crafts and activities linked to the book.
Have you been inspired by a book to craft, go on an outing or do an activity this week?
aw what a fabulous piece of artwork, very creative indeed with great outcomes x
That is such a great idea, and what a lovely piece of art you’ve ended up with too. I’ll definitely be trying this with my kids, they are huge fans of We’re Going On A Bear Hunt
Such a great idea! I may have to give this a go this afternoon with my little boy. Thank you
That is a lovely painting! I would never had thought of using those items to paint but it looks like fun and we always have bubble wrap around the house. I think we’ll give this a try at the weekend thanks for the ideas.
FAB i think my reception class would love this !
ninjacat recently posted…The Reluctant Traveller
Oh my goodness! You’re about the best mum EVER! x
What a fabulous end result- gives Van Gogh a run for his money! I love all the book tie in crafts you do, such wonderful ideas!
Sonya Cisco recently posted…St Georges Day and the Dragon Protection League.
How fantastic! We love the Bear Hunt so much that I even managed to teach it in France to my little class. I love the outcome at the end, I think my class would love something like this!
Love this book too Kirsty. (You do pick the best!) And of course another great art project to go with it. I love crafts and art that accompany stories, it ‘s such a great way to help children really engage and understand.
Emma (My Little 3 and Me) recently posted…Climbing Incy Wincy Spider (Itsy Bitsy Spider)
What a brilliant idea! Harry has recently started to enjoy crafts and has done a few mixed media things and one of the recent books at nursery is this one, which he keeps reciting, a few weeks later. A good classic I think!
Mummy Glitzer recently posted…A Food Bank User’s Perspective
Love all the techniques you have packed into one art work, so good to make something to be really proud of together!
Penny A Residence recently posted…Just What Kind of Mother Are You? #weektoview
I absolutely love this! What a great craft session - all 3 of my children would love this. Such a brilliant way to explore the book further - very inspiring!
it looks really great!
What a fantastic idea this is! We love the book so think my little boy would like to have a go at this
x
Louise Edwards recently posted…The Energy Show: The Science Museum on tour (a review)
What a fun art project! Will have to try this with my two!
Mummy of Two recently posted…The Sky’s the limit with TalkTalk
What a great way to immerse your child in a book! Looks beautiful, the finished work of art!
oana79 recently posted…Comment on Baby troubles by Ivelina
What a wonderful project! Just as much fun as reading the book I bet!
love the foil and bubble wrap prints that is really good
Helen The good life mum recently posted…April Highlights
What a great craft - and such a sensory experience my boy would love it.
What a beautiful picture and I do like it when parents let their kids get their hands dirty.
Nayna Kanabar ( recently posted…How to Sprout Mung Beans
great idea! We love that book
Polly recently posted…Make it: No-sew Fairy Tutu’s
This is one of our favourite books.
Your artwork is fabulous, I love all the different paint effects and textures.
Liz Burton recently posted…5 Ways to Brighten Up Your Garden Fence
Looks fantastic! !going to pin this for when we do a bear hunt week soon!
Rachel recently posted…The first ‘last’: the positive pregnancy test.
Oh my goodness, this is fantastic. I thought I was the perfect mum and all I did was read the book to my son :-)))
Trish - Mum’s Gone to recently posted…15 Glasgow: An address to remember
Oooh that is GORGEOUS! I love this arty activity!!!
What a lovely art project! I can’t wait to do more stuff like this with my daughter when she’s older x
Kerry recently posted…Birthday Cake Ice Cream
A classic favourite of ours The Bear Hunt book and this is such a great craft and take on the book, I love it and I’m sure my girls would too
Wow what a fabulous creation x
Ohh wow looks so good .x
This looks great, oh how I wish I was more creative! x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins recently posted…How Does Your Garden Grow? Week 17
brilliant team work, what a fab piece of art x
HPMcQ recently posted…365 24.04.14
Super duper piece of art!
Jane recently posted…Preparing to say goodbye….
What a great idea
Kizzy recently posted…Bacon, Mushroom and Parmesan Omelette
What a great idea, so creative x
wendy recently posted…How I See The World
This is such a fun idea Kirsty - you are one crafty banana!
Mammasaurus recently posted…50. How does your garden grow?
I love this idea! the mixed media looks fantastic! x
Fritha Strickland recently posted…A Easter egg hunt
I’ve literally had to act this out three hours ago, trying to recite the whole book from memory to get F to walk to meet daddy. Great ideas to try with the kiddies. x
Lori recently posted…BROCCOLI AND OTHER BITS
This seems like a great project, although it would be a little too hard for me.