How to Make an Observation Kit for Children

An observation binder is a great thing to keep vacationing children busy while they learn. Sh-h-h, they will have fun and will not know they are learning. This project will keep your children or day care group from age 2 and up busy for days.

Materials needed:

A vinyl covered binder that will fit 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper with thick cover which are found at discount, office and dollar stores for under $3.00 each. This will hold up better than the thin vinyl binder covers.

White lined notebook paper

White drawing paper

package of page protectors

2 pencils per child

A package of colored pencils

Non toxic craft paint and brushes, brush rinsing containers with water

Stickers that represent the children and their interests, bugs, flowers, planets, alphabet, numbers, animals etc.

Tool for adult, paper punch.

It is important that you let each child do their own thing.

Day 1 Prepare work surface by laying newspaper or a crafting tablecloth over surface. Have each child open their binder and lay it flat on the work surface. Inspire them to decorate their own binder according to their individual taste. They can paint their names and any design they wish. Set aside to dry

Day 2 The young artist can check their binders and add stickers to finish up the design. Help them load a portion of white lined paper, empty page protectors and drawing paper.

Observation Take the children outside. Tell them to look around and explain that to observe is to see. Have them write what they see. If they have trouble finding words encourage them to draw what they see. Don't expect works of art or full blown sentences. It does not matter. They are recording what they observe. A two year old can paint splotches on his cover and write squiggly lines on the notebook page of the day. He can also draw a picture of the bird he sees in the elm tree. It won't be recognizable to you but when he 'reads' his words and shows his drawing he has expressed his power of observation. Older children do well with this. Some collect leaves and press them into the pages and simply have a great time. As a parent you will be pleasantly surprised that the youngest children will develop a keener power of observation as the summer rolls along.

Photos Take photos of your young observers in action and help them to make scrapbook pages on the rainy days of summer. These will go into the page protectors. Have them take their books on vacation trips and they will keep busy on long rides if they are encouraged to record what they observe.

If a teacher asks, what did you do during summer vacation your children or daycare participants will have a record!