The Busy Spider

Le Xin is a big fan of Eric Carle and she simply loves reading his books. I went to the library to borrow "The Busy Spider" for Le Xin to read.

Le Xin was thrilled to see that story book!

Big sun like The Hungry Caterpillar story said Le Xin. I was glad she could recall seeing a similar picture in another Eric Carle's book.

Using her finger, Le Xin tried to feel the web...

I like the web said Le Xin. Suddenly I had a idea, since she was so fascinated with the story so I asked her if we should try crafting something related to the story. Mummy can we make a web? Le Xin requested.

So I took a black drawing sheet and drew this.

Le Xin was excited when I told her we were going to make a spider web indeed!

Using a bottle of white glue, Le Xin carefully traced on the lines I drew.

She appeared to be happy when she did this, a little joy she displayed meant so much to me :)

Wait for me Mummy, almost finishing said Le Xin

This was how the web looked like in the end, well done my darling girl! 

As you know when the white glue dries up, it will become invisible so I sprinkle a little glitter and dust off the excess glitter powder so that the glitter will be stuck onto the glue.

Next, we also crafted a spider....

We decided to use some left over clay from our play. Le Xin began molding the clay into a ball to make the head of the spider.

She is good at doing this isn't she? Thanks to her play dough....

I am done,  a ball said Le Xin

Next, she went on to roll a bigger ball for the body of the spider.

I like how she looked so focused...

Le Xin tried to lift her ball and drop it onto her mat to observe what happened. I was assuming she probably thought it was going to bounce or something but obviously it didn't haha :p

Mummy the ball is soft said Le Xin. It will soon harden replied MummyT2X

Next, I got Le Xin to flatten the two balls she created, I helped her to joined the two flatten pieces together and molded it into a shape of a spider. Lastly Le Xin and I attached the white yarn together.

After a few days later, when her spider was dried, I got her to paint it....

She chose the colours she wanted to use and how she wanted to paint it. I was only an observer by her side.In fact, I didn't even guide her, I was afraid that I will end up directing her so I kept quiet haha :)

It's looking good....

Ta da.....her spider. I helped her to add on the googly eyes...

This is one of my favourite follow up activity I did with Le Xin after reading a book. It felt like a mini project from reading, to refining her motor skill as she traced the web, to the molding of the clay and lastly the painting of the spider. Le Xin was very much involved in each of the step and I like how she was showing so much of excitement when crafting her busy spider, this has helped to motivate me to do more projects with her in future. I hope you enjoy reading this post to find out how I have integrated the component of Arts after exposing my child to a book. 

Try this with your child/students too! I am pretty sure they will love it and remember always allow them to take the lead as much as you can :) 

Ending this post with our masterpiece....loving it to bits!

Our spider web with our busy spider on it....