Project Boards can encompass a wide range of topics depending on the child's age. For the younger child, alphabet, numbers, colors and shapes are great topics. For older children, life cycles of animals, autobiographies, historical events, food groups and the planets can be used. The materials needed are poster boards, paints or markers and the child's imagination. Poster boards can also incorporate images, computer printouts or hand-written explanations.
Three-dimensional projects can be more time-consuming and create more of a mess. However, the benefits outweigh the effort. Younger children benefit from the tactile experience. Making simple seed sculptures on boards, textured finger painting by mixing paint with seeds or oatmeal and weaving onto a nail board are all possible ideas. Older children create functional projects such as an erupting volcano, salt-clay maps and dioramas of books. It allows them to investigate the world in 3-D. Materials needed are usually in your kitchen and include flour, salt, newspaper, food coloring and, of course, a poster board.
Posters are simple and have little mess but require more writing and research. They are more appropriate for older children. Posters can be any subject from insects to landmarks. Examples include seed posters, timelines, how to do just about anything, endangered animals, geography, anatomy, leaves, mythology and anything you or your child can imagine. They are a great teaching tool to reinforce information the child has previously learned. It can also allow them to research new information or concepts. Conducting research will enhance their computer skills. Materials needed to create a poster are poster boards, ink pens, markers, crayons, the Internet, a library or an encyclopedia. The possibilities are limitless.
Make sure you display your child's work. Children benefit from seeing their accomplishments. Look into your county fair to see about entering one of your child's creations. Have fun with these poster ideas and let your child's imagination soar.