mask makers

This week the kids took museum classes about making masks. Here Zoo Boy proudly displays his creation. I signed them up for separate classes, for one reason because Zoo Boy's fine motor skills are not advanced enough for him not to get totally frustrated with art projects intended for kids in Kindergarten and up. With the preschoolers, he did just fine, although his mask was no where near as adorned as other student's. But to have him in an art-project class at all is a stretch for him, so my feeling is that anything he creates is a success!



Here he asks for some assistance (he's the kid in the middle) with a puppet-making activity. He was pretty happy with how his stick-puppet bird came out, and has been playing with it regularly ever since.






Between classes, the kids have some fun with a couple of younger kids out in the museum yard. Here Zoo Boy is dressed up in his mask, pretending to be a monster that the little boys are chasing. J laughs at the antics of the little guys on the sidelines, but he also jumped in and let the little dudes chase him around for awhile too.




J's class explored the museum's collection of masks and talk about the history of mask-making. That's J on the right, casually resting his elbow on the stage.







J's mask masterpiece. It was too wet for him to model it for the picture.

This class was good practice -- we've decided to make the kids' Halloween costumes this year. J wants to be Pikachu, Zoo Boy wants to be a skeleton. I think we've got our work cut out for us!