The APJCC Preschool, an integral part of the Addison-Penzak JCC & Jewish Silicon Valley community, serves roughly 120 children between the ages of 18 months and five years old. As a play and inquiry-based program, we believe that young children learn through hands-on experience and open-ended exploration. In the spirit of Tikkun Olam—caring for our world—and reducing waste, we utilized donated, found objects like mirrors, cabinet doors, laminate flooring panels, and beyond to create our own works of art. Each classroom worked collaboratively using a variety of mediums to morph their unique item into something reimagined through the eyes of children. We hope you enjoy our upcycled works of art.
Available for Viewing March 2-28, 2025
Barvazim | A Symphony of Strokes
This piece highlights the children’s exploration of color and sound. We specifically chose to investigate these elements using a flat wooden board with ridges. The process began during the children’s free play time, where we observed how they interacted with the board. The children expressed interest in the piece by climbing on it and using toy cars and trucks to drive across its surface.
Their exploration continued as some children began tapping the board with drumsticks from the instrument box. They were intrigued by the loud sounds produced as the sticks moved across the ridges, which quickly became their preferred activity with the board. Building on the children’s enthusiasm for sound, we decided to integrate their love of visual art. The children dipped toy cars and drumsticks into paint, creating both sounds and visual patterns as they moved the items across the board. This activity not only engaged the children in creating art and music but also supported their development. They worked on fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, cognitive, and linguistic skills by exploring cause and effect. We proudly shared our creation with Teacher Susan and even had the chance to play it as a musical instrument in our weekly Music Class.
D’vorim | Icky Sticky
Our group art project began with thinking about how we could lay material over a laminate surface. We loved the wavy texture and thought to staple gun a white cloth onto the surface and lay glue on top of the wood piece.
After the base of the board was textured enough to add different materials, we brought out different glitter colors and also colored sand. The children pointed out which ones would work best. We mixed glue, glitter and paint together and spread it across the board. The children also added 3D materials like tissue paper and paper confetti.
The children in the classroom talked often about each material that went onto our board. Brooklyn asked, “Is this paint?” as she used a paint brush to paint it on the board. When Vira placed her spatula inside the glitter glue she described it as sticky. Some enjoyed adding more material while others didn’t like it on their hands and asked to wash their hands often
Shemesh | Lava
In our class, we considered this an art project as well as an experiment! Before beginning our project, our canvas was a blank piece of wood. The children in our classroom like to think of themselves as scientists, so we decided to blend their love for art with a science project. We began our journey by creating ice cube paints. Each friend helped mix and pour everything together into ice cube trays. Just like an experiment, we did a test run to see how our idea would turn out. We did our first test on different material—a blank piece of card board paper—and with the help of our kiddos, we picked each spot for all our colorful ice cubes.
After our trial experiment, we asked our class what they thought about it. Some friends suggested more colors, others suggested more of a certain color (more blue)! With all these new suggestions we decided we were ready for our experiment. We used our pincer grasp with droppers and vinegar to create a bubbly reaction! “It’s melting!” friends yelled as they continued to merge the colors. Once our canvas was all dry, we gave friends glitter paint & wooden circles to add. Shemesh worked together to make our masterpiece that we decided to name “LAVA!”
Dubonim | Animals over the Moon
We began by showing the class our “canvas”- a paneled mirror with six separate blocks. We asked what we wanted to make it into, and we spoke with friends about different points of interest, the resounding answer being animals and where they live! “A park!” Ezra suggested. We asked what we should put in the park:
“Ice bears! And teddy bears!” -Ella “A whale,” -Julian “A cow,” -Lia “A pig,” -Iris
We got to work on our first layer using white and green paint, which later covered the mirror completely. Friends expressed some sadness that they weren’t able to see their reflections, so we scrubbed all together to get some of the paint away before replacing it with some see-through alternative. They used brushes to paint on the mirror, noticing the thick texture and covering every surface. What emerged was a blue and green translucent mirror. The next step was adding some decoration. We also included a moon, and the children picked the corner to glue it onto. They worked together, noticing the change in texture after the confetti was added. Finally, it was time to add our animals. Friends helped paint the whale blue and assisted with painting the base coat of the cow, pig, and teddy bear. Every time we worked on the project, they reminded us they wanted to add the items. We decided together where to place each animal before gluing it on together.
Kochavim | Ocean Commotion
Kochavim began our project through curiosity and wonder about ocean life. To encourage their curiosity, we began reading books and talking about ocean life in the shallow to the deeper part of the ocean.
We first started our masterpiece by painting blue and green tempera paint on a poster board to replicate the ocean. Then, we placed poster board squares on the back side of the original painting which was consequently divided into three parts…perfect! The top reflects the shallow part of the ocean, middle one reflects the mid-deep of the ocean and the bottom of the frame reflects the deepest part of the ocean. We covered the panels to glue sand all over the trim. Next, we made and added octopuses, fish, crabs, starfish, turtles, sharks and seashells to complete our project. Then we added the finishing touch which was our beautiful sun and talked about titles for our Ocean Masterpiece. We narrowed it down one by one through voting (drum roll please)…….“Ocean Commotion” was the winner!
Parparim | Tree-Cycling
We selected a canvas with a picture of a tree. We showed the children and as a class we decided to create our own tree on the existing canvas. We then took a walk to the art room to find some natural materials. They worked together to collage layers of colorful tissue papers to the entire canvas. We drew an outline of the tree and glued painted wood shapes to the trunk, and tore pieces of green butcher block paper to make the leaves. After completing the project, we had a circle time discussion about the importance of trees. We asked the children, “How do trees help us?” They responded with, ‘Leaves, Shade, Sticks, Wood, Fruit!.”
Our art project discussions coincided nicely with our learning about the Jewish holiday of Tu B’shvat (the birthday of the trees).
Tzabim | Silly Banana Peel
Our canvas started as a giant GIANTS flag! We knew we wanted to cover it completely, so our initial layer was acrylic paint. As it dried, it also developed a fun shape. The children really got into color mixing.
For our second layer, we decided to use tempera paint to add stars as it matched our PJ party day in class.
Our next layer was tissue paper squares and starch. Some painted starch down first and used it like glue, placing the tissue paper right on top and moving on to the next piece. Others did the opposite, putting the tissue paper down first and painting starch on top instead.
Our next layer was glitter glue and sequins. The kids enjoyed this experience to the fullest. Many got quite sticky for a more sensory process.
Our last layer seemed to be the most popular. We discussed with the children their ideas and they suggested things like stickers, balloons, old paper, dinos, moon, and pictures of ourselves. We had some glittery painted paper from a previous project, so we used that as the “old paper” idea along with clear glue to stick it down. Some were very intentional about placing one paper at a time others were more into sprinkling many paper pieces at once.
N’marim | Mishpacha
Our “cubs” in N’marim decided on a tiger themed art project to reflect the theme of our classroom!
Our ’canvas’ began as a piece of laminate flooring! The children each chose their own shade of green for our paint-drip background and mixed their own combinations of green with white or black to create highlights and shadows.
We wanted each child to be represented in our work, so we decided to include their names. We helped to tape off each letter in the children’s names on individual wood tiles that they painted either orange or white. Then, they added their own unique tiger stripes before removing the tape to reveal the letters using negative space.
Finally, the children assisted with the correct order and placement of the letters in their name. We all enjoyed this wonderful teamwork experience that utilized our creativity, fine motor skills, and letter recognition!
Peelim | Curious Curio Cabinets
In Peelim, we aim to have all of our art projects be child-led, continuous, and expose the children to all kinds of art materials. When we first showed our class the piece we would be decorating for the art auction, we took note of all the things they wanted to add to it like: “Paint them with paintbrushes. Purple and pink.” Draw on them!” “We can use the glitter pens.” “I think we could glue paint chips on them.” “I’m gonna tell my mom if we could buy flowers to glue to it. Real flowers!”
Each week, we collaboratively added a different layer onto our curio cabinets, from paint, to glitter glue, to tiny animals that we colored ourselves! Our final product includes all of our ideas, and each child in our class has added their unique art style. We are so proud of what we have created!
Recent Posts
APJCC Preschool: Found Objects Art Gallery
How to Ease Preschool Jitters and Fears in Children
Two Schools, One Community: APJCC Preschool & Yavneh TK Program
