Attitudes are Contagious

​Happy December!!! 

​It’s a month for spreading joy and bringing cheer. One simply can’t help smiling as sleigh bells ring, gifts are exchanged, and people wish good tidings everywhere you go; the joy is simply contagious.  Perhaps no other time of year demonstrates the catching quality of attitudes quite like the Christmas season. Unfortunately, not all contagious attitudes are so cheery. Negativity and bullying can spread like wildfire, as can the sadness and pain that accompanies those actions.

​Today’s craft is designed to help children understand that attitudes—joyful ones and not-so-joyful ones—are contagious and so we must be careful about what we pass on. To help demonstrate this, we will be making shaving cream transfer prints.

​This delightfully simple craft is based off of the picture book This is A. Blob, by L.A. Kefalos which explores the causes and effects of bullying through a unique set of eyes. Through the actions of the main character, we see how pain causes pain, and negativity breeds more negativity. 

​One word of warning: this craft is simple, but it DOES GET MESSY. If you choose to use food coloring, be prepared with the knowledge that food coloring can stain hands, clothing, and surfaces, so be sure to prep surfaces you don’t want ruined with newspaper, plastic, aprons, etc. 
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​You will need:

• Copy of This is A. Blob, by L.A. Kefalos
• Bowl
• Foam shaving cream
• Food coloring (red and blue OR purple) or liquid watercolor paints (regular paints can be used, but the liquid watercolors work best)
• Plain paper
• Markers
• Craft sticks (Or old cardboard or paper plates)
• Scissors
• Stirring device (plastic spoon, craft stick, etc)

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​In the book we read about A. Blob and learn that it has no friends because it bullies…and it bullies because it has no friends. Sadly, this situation is not uncommon. Many children who bully and cause pain do so because they are in pain or have been bullied themselves. Often, the response to bullying is to respond with anger, violence, and more negativity and the vicious cycle continues. This craft recollects the main character of the story while also providing a visual reminder that our actions and attitudes can be catching—for better or worse.

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​Directions

​1. To begin, squirt about a small handful of shaving cream into your bowlAdd food coloring/paint and mix it into the cream. I did use purple food coloring, but it looks very gray in the photos

2. On half of your paper, scoop the colored shaving cream and begin moving it around to resemble A. Blob

3. ​Once you have your desired shape, fold the blank half of paper over to the shaving cream half and press GENTLY. It is crucial that you don’t completely press the paper down or else you will just get a colored piece of paper and the shaving cream squished everywhere, then unfold your paper
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​4. Taking a craft stick or any flat scraping device (I used cardboard), gently scrape the shaving cream off the paper, leaving your print behind

​5. Let paper sit until dry

​6. Once dry, draw on eyes and any words or designs you’d like. I wrote “Attitudes are Contagious”. You could also draw A. Blob’s thoughts and emotions inside
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​7. Talk about what students learned from the craft. Do they see how one attitude easily transfers to others? How will this affect the way they act in the future?

​8. Hang up finished prints as a reminder to spread joy and not negativity!

​Pro Tips:

• Scrape the shaving cream off right away before it has time to make the paper too soggy
• Keep paper or regular towels on hand to help keep the messes contained
• Keep a bowl of water around or work near a sink for the same reason as above
• If you want to get extra-creative, you can make a marbled design inside of A.Blob that represents what it is feeling inside. Here are directions on marbling via blogger The Artful Parent. Instead of placing the shaving cream directly on the paper, make the marbled design in a separate pan, blot the design on half the paper, and fold as before to double to design.

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​We hope you enjoy this quick and easy craft! Check back here each week for more crafts and insights. If you try this craft at home, please share your work in the comments! We’d love to see what you create!

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​This is A. Blob is a masterfully illustrated picture book suitable for children ages 4-8. Written by Lori Kefalos, author of several animated shorts, including “Who’s that Knocking,” “Chug,” and “Croc, Pots and Wildebeests,” which was nominated for Best Independent Short Short, Ages 5-8, at the 2009 Kid’s First Film Festival and for best short at The Los Angeles Women’s International Film Festival, This is A. Blob is the first of a series following this bully.

This first installment follows the antics of A. Blob, a slimy, purple, blob-like creature who wreaks havoc on the elementary school playground with its bullying ways. As the story progresses, however, readers learn that A. Blob may have more than meets the eye.

Along with its powerful illustrations and rhymed verse for early readers, this story invites children to put themselves in the shoes of another and encourages readers to consider why bullies behave the way they do – and start to consider what can be done to help.

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​BOOK 2 NOW AVAILABLE!​
A. Blob is back, and this time it's on a bus! As the slimy bully pokes and pesters the children of Lincoln Elementary School, it seems like they will never be able to ride the bus in peace. That is, until one brave girl takes stand. 

Can one act of bravery change everything--including A. Blob? Find out in this second installment of The Blob Series!