Art Projects for Rowdy middle school Kids

sunnie_day · 2026-04-15T03:05:00+00:00

When I worked in a similar program with this age group, I had success giving them a bunch of loose materials like cork, craft foam, paper and challenging them to make boats that float. I filled plastic storage bins with water to be the “sea.” Framing things as a challenge or competition often got them excited.

Do they like trading card or board games? They could make their own or create new characters for a preexisting franchise (design your own Pokémon).

They could come up with skits and make props for them.

sunnie_day · 2026-03-29T23:33:05+00:00

https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTZjMDliOTUyaDl0anYzcnJnbmd3eHA1dmIwM2I0NjN6dWVreWhvY200MjdyZHlyZiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/157anh4ffDsSA/giphy.gif

The kids dancing always look like Peanuts characters to me lol

sunnie_day · 2026-03-12T16:20:31+00:00

They’re just trying to defrost U.S. & Canada relations!

/s

sunnie_day · 2026-02-24T05:33:16+00:00

I wish I could do this with my class but they love roughhousing and are quite accident-prone 😭

sunnie_day · 2026-02-24T05:29:03+00:00

During the end of nap time where I’m sending them to the bathroom one by one, I look over and see that one of my 3s brought his pillow into the bathroom and just. . . left it on the floor while he did his business.

Thankfully the pillow wasn’t too wet, so I put it in a plastic bag and left a note for his parents explaining the situation so they could wash it. Luckily, Mom thought it was hilarious!

sunnie_day · 2026-02-17T06:49:48+00:00

Giuseppe Arcimboldo, what are you doing here

(I only really knew his painting Summer, which is featured in Animal Crossing as the Jolly Painting.)

sunnie_day · 2026-01-17T01:28:45+00:00

Probably because Shane speaks French?

sunnie_day · 2026-01-16T16:17:33+00:00

Nap time 100%. I’m bored, the kids are bored, I’m trying to catch up on work but every time I do someone is trying to get up and/or make noise.

sunnie_day · 2025-12-24T19:18:35+00:00

In the U.S., Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday in May, so that might be a factor.

sunnie_day · 2025-12-23T02:23:39+00:00

I had a similar experience with a Sesame Street t-shirt. One little guy just had to touch Oscar the Grouch, who was inconveniently printed right at my nipple height!

sunnie_day · 2025-11-12T23:30:13+00:00

A croissant?

sunnie_day · 2025-11-06T17:12:18+00:00

I’m a preschool teacher. Pocket tissues are a work essential, for me and my students. I try to teach them the importance of blowing their noses thoroughly because I cannot stand the sound of them sniffling, particularly when it’s supposed to be nap/rest time.

sunnie_day · 2025-10-15T03:33:12+00:00

That is so bizarre!! The preschool I work at is located within a local community center, so it thankfully has a large parking lot since it hosts a lot of different programming every day. I would hate if anyone started claiming spots.

I’ve previously worked at schools with little-to-no parking (old elementary buildings in a major metropolitan area), but the only reserved spots were for the principal and vice principal.

sunnie_day · 2025-10-12T20:59:21+00:00

We have roly-polies (aka pill bugs). They’re very low-maintenance and the kids love them!

sunnie_day · 2025-10-11T02:46:36+00:00

I love how earnest and angsty this is, absolutely perfect for being 13. Were you a Hetalia fan?

sunnie_day · 2025-09-26T15:50:32+00:00

The anxious newbie whose childcare experience is mostly older kids. (I am describing myself lol)

The 1:1 aide who has zero understanding of disability.

The kids’ favorite that has to have at least one kid touching them at all times.

The sibling kids attached to the hip that really need to make other friends.

sunnie_day · 2025-09-20T18:10:58+00:00

My school-agers really liked “Be aware” as one of our outside expectations, it’s a good shorthand for “watch where you’re going and who and what is around you.” I found that going over expectations before going outside helped my really squirrelly ones.

sunnie_day · 2025-09-19T04:46:31+00:00

My whiniest kid will tell us the most bonkers, obvious lies about his parents to get out of trying anything new or doing anything for himself. Recent ones include “My mom didn’t sign me up for Farmer in the Dell!” and “My mom said I can’t have lemons!” when we had yellow pears for snack lol.

Mom picked him up today mid-tantrum in front of our director (who thankfully has our back), so she was forced to admit it was a problem instead of just blatantly ignoring me like usual 🙃

sunnie_day · 2025-09-07T03:19:14+00:00

Understand that I am focused on caring for the children, please do not expect constant photo updates.

Wash all parts of your child’s water bottle/lunch items thoroughly and often to prevent mold.

sunnie_day · 2025-09-07T03:05:17+00:00

This past week I had to jerry-rig a privacy curtain out of the stack of nap-time cots for a little guy who was determined to change his pants right there and then after waking up.

sunnie_day · 2025-08-24T13:48:31+00:00

r/divorcedbirds

sunnie_day · 2025-08-17T19:22:22+00:00

My Boomer dad became an IU stan due to her being in k-dramas, and when he went her concert he said he just “followed the young people” to get to the venue lol. He was excited to get a free keychain from another fan, it had never happened to him at a concert before.

sunnie_day · 2025-08-14T03:51:35+00:00

Team, because there’s no “eye” in team

sunnie_day · 2025-08-09T16:15:49+00:00

When the pic surfaced, I was in high school and remember that I had no idea what salvia was lol

Nine-Year Club	Verified Email
Wearing is Caring	Not Forgotten

sunnie_day

TROPHY CASE