Field trip try out

I was looking for a field trip to take our co-op preschool to, ending up our unit about "the arts". I saw that the Garfield Park had an art center and they were displaying an art exhibit called "Black Pearls". It is Black History month so I thought it might be worth checking out. It also had an "art for all" activity room that I thought the kids might enjoy. But in the end, I am glad I checked it out with my kids because it would have been a total field trip bust! But my kids made the best of it, and might have even enjoyed themselves doing the art activity. The art activity was focusing on making a "freedom quilt". Each pattern in their quilts had a code or meaning behind it. The girls were asked to match up the quilt squares with their meanings. They did pretty good.                                                                         

The girls were then asked to draw their own quilt square and have some type of meaning behind it.

Little C is hard at work drawing a picture. She really didn't get that it had to have a meaning behind it. One of the reasons this activity wouldn't have worked for 5 preschoolers.

The nice lady at the GPAC (Garfield park art center) made me do one too. Here is my rough draft. Can you guess what the meaning behind it is?

The girls were then asked to make their quilt square on a fabric or paper square and use pieces of fabric or pieces of paper to complete it. My girls were all over getting to cut up the fabric and use it in their projects. Mom isn't so fancy free to let the girls cut up all the fabric at home!

They got to glue their pieces together. They had a sign on the table that read :Think before you glue. Hmm, do they know children or what.

Little C had little interest in making a quilt square, but she did enjoy coloring in pictures of the squares that they had there.

Here is my finished quilt square. The meaning behind it- "Strengthen Families" 

Here is "A's" rough draft. She had to cut out one of the squiggly lines to make a pattern, so she could cut it out of the fabric. Don't pay attention to the backwards music notes. It's expressive art right? She can make them any way she wants!

Here is her finished quilt square. Meaning- Music is joyful.

Here is "B's" quilt square. Meaning-I love spring!  Who wouldn't be thinking about Spring on the day we went. Absolutely gorgeous weather outside. A welcome change to the snow and ice.

The lady in the art center asked Miss A if she played the piano after looking at her quilt square. She did say she did. So the lady told her that she should go play something on the grand piano that they had out by the art display. -Oh, I forgot to mention the art display- it was "Short and sweet". Two walls with about maybe 10 pieces of art to show. I was hoping for more. Anyway- Miss A was having a ball showing off her piano skills. They said it was there for anyone to use. Just come and play it any time.

The art center had these steps out front. The girls thought taking a picture on them would be neat.

Since it was a such a nice day, we had to go take advantage of it and play at the park there as well. Notice the girl in the left corner of this picture? She has a really pouty face. There is a story behind it.  Miss A was taking pictures at the time so I asked her what was up with the girl in the picture. She said that she was telling "B" to smile for the picture and the girl asked if she was talking to her. Miss A politely said "No, I am talking to my sister". The girl's name was also "B" and she was sorely disappointed that she wasn't getting her picture taken. But Miss A got her in the picture anyway! It still makes me laugh just looking at it.

Little C was enjoying the swings as her sisters were climbing and running all around. So, the field trip wouldn't have worked for the preschoolers, but my girls and I sure enjoyed our afternoon anyway.