Materials: Liquid tempera paint, Salt, Spoons, Brown paper
bags or fingerpaint paper, Paint containers
Procedure: Pour paint into containers and mix with salt.
Put a spoonful of paint on each child's paper. Then let the
child push the paint around with the spoon. Add more paint
as needed. The paint and salt mixture provides a texture and
sound that children like.
Materials: Liquid tempera, Shallow pans (pie tins or cake
pans), Small balloons, Paper
Procedure:
1. Put liquid tempera into shallow pans.
2. Have several small balloons blown up and ready for
activity.
3. Give each child a large piece of paper.
4. Place one balloon into each of the tempera pans.
5. Let the children bounce the balloons onto the paper.
Trade pans around for variety of colour.
Materials Needed: White paper Small balloons
Food coloring String Box Pin
Procedure:
1. Put small drops of food coloring and water in small
balloons. Blow up balloons. Tie them.
2. Place white paper into the bottom of a box.
3. Let children hold balloon in box, facing down. Pop
balloons with pin on underneath side.
4. See the design on the paper.
Materials Needed: White paper Crayons Brushes
Thin blue tempera
Procedure:
1. Draw freely onto white paper with crayon.
2. Paint over drawings with thinned paint. (Blue works
best).
Materials: paper, tissue paper, spray bottles, water
Cut tissue paper into desired shapes. Fill bottles with
water. Have children place tissue paper on other paper and
spray with water. Then remove tissue paper to see how it
bled onto the construction paper, creating designs.
Materials: Printing block (in soap, in wood, in a linoleum
block, in wax, glue a string design on a block, scratch a
design in glass for printing, glue cut-out cardboard shapes
on a block, roll ink on the block with a brayer), paint,
tray, newspaper, paper
Procedure: Cover your work area with newspapers. Plan a
picture or design that will fit your block. Put some ink on
the tile or glass, Spread the ink on the slab with the roller
until it is smooth. Roll ink onto the printing block cover
it evenly. Print by placing a piece of paper over the block.
Rub over the paper with your hand or with the back of a
spoon.
Material: Drawing paper, Black India Ink, Straws,
Newspapers, Tissue paper, Marking pens or water colours,
Black construction paper, glue
Procedure:
Spread newspapers over your work area. Lay a piece of
drawing paper (any shape) on the newspaper. Drip a blob of
ink on the drawing paper. Quickly, use the straw to blow on
the ink, spreading it in different directions to create
spider-like designs. Blow gently. Let the ink dry. Then
add details and colour to your design by using watercolour
paints, marking pens, or bits of coloured tissue paper. Frame
design with black construction paper.
Materials: Tempera Paint, Cold cream, Brushes, Water,
Newspaper, Washcloth, Soap, Mirror
Procedure:Choose a time when you have on old clothes and when
you have plenty of time for experimenting and cleaning up.
Rub some cold cream into your skin...then paint away. When
the fun is done....wash with soap and water.
Sometimes it's just fun to paint people..even yourself.
Paint a smiling elbow. Flowered ankles. Earlobe pictures. A
knee-monster. Arm stripes. A nose-butterfly.
Materials Needed: 4 small containers, food coloring,
Bubbles and wands (purchased at store), white paper,
paper plates, towels (for clean-up), trays.
Procedure:
1. Have arranged on table 4 small containers. Fill each
container with bubbles and 4 wands.(non-toxic-age 4 &
up)
2. Add enough food coloring to each container (1 green, 1
yellow, 1 red, 1 blue). Thus you will have a mixture of
bubbles and food coloring. (It's best to let this stand over
night.)
3. Have child dip wand into container and blow bubbles
either on tray, plate, paper. If child blows on tray, have
paper ready for child to press onto bubbles.
Ivory Flakes
Water
Food colouring or tempera paint
- Mix water with soap flakes until you have a thick creamy
mixture. Add colour.
- Then whip with a mixer until fluffy.
- Paint on shelf paper or waxed paper. Use your fingers.
Materials: Liquid detergent, Water, Food coloring, Bowls,
Straws, White paper, Measuring cups and spoons
Procedure:
1. Combine a liquid detergent (2T) plus water (1C) plus
food colouring (10drops) This works best if allowed to set
overnight.
2. Give each child a bowl of this mixture plus a straw. Put
the straw into the bowl and blow out to make a large pile of
bubbles. (Practice blowing out.)
3. When there is a pile of bubbles, take white paper and
gently break the bubbles with the paper to create a bubble
print. (Each child has his own straw.)
Materials: Drawing paper, crayons, candle, newspapers
Procedures:
1. Remove the paper from the crayons.
2. Spread newspaper under your drawing paper.
3. Soften the crayon as you use it by holding it in the
flame for a few seconds. Be careful.
4. Draw or drip a design onto your paper. Try combining
colours too!
Materials: Fingerpaint paper, Ready-made chocolate pudding,
Spoons, Paint shirts, Water, Newspaper
Procedure: Arrange all the materials on the work table,
covering the table with newspaper first, if desired. Let
each child spread out a large spoonful of pudding mixed with
some water on his or her paper. Then encourage the children
to experiment with finger and hand painting. When they have
finished, hang their paintings to dry. This is a great
activity to use when studying the five senses, especially
those of taste, smell and touch.
Have children fingerpaint on a table top and when they are
finished press paper onto the pudding to make prints.
Materials: Easel paper, Cornstarch, Water, Liquid tempera,
Large brushes, Paint cups.
Procedure: Add cold water to 3/4 cup cornstarch to make a
smooth, thick paste. Stir in boiling water until mixture is
desired consistency. It should be quite thick and nearly
clear. Spoon mixture into paint cups and stir 3 or 4
teaspoons of liquid tempera into each cup. Let the children
brush this nearly dripless paint on large sheets of easel
paper to make designs or pictures. This mixture can also be
used for fingerpainting. Store in refrigerator.
Materials: Large paper plates, light corn syrup, red, blue
and yellow food colouring, squeeze bottles, such as those
used for catsup or mustard.
Procedure: Pour corn syrup into clean bottles until they are
half full. Add a few drops of different coloured food
colouring to each bottle and shake gently. Add more colour,
if necessary, to make strong, bright shades. Have the
children squeeze the coloured syrup onto paper plates.
Encourage them to squeeze gently so that the syrup falls in
drops rather than in a stream. Once this is done with all
three colours, have the children tip their plates back and
forth so that the colours blend and create new colours. Let
the plates dry for several days.
Materials: Posterboard, Food colouring, Light corn syrup,
Paint shirts
Activity: Let each child pour a small amount of corn syrup
on posterboard and spread it out to the edges. Help the
child squeeze a few drops of food colouring in various
colours on different areas. Then encourage the child to
cleanup is 'tasty' and the finished product is a shiny,
multicolored picture. OR Let the children paint with plain
corn syrup on coloured posterboard cut into seasonal shapes
such as red hearts, blue kites or green shamrocks or trees.
For additional sensory effects, add scented extracts or
sprinkle on some glitter.
Materials Needed: Cotton balls, Powdered tempera,
Paper, Water, Bowls.
Brushes
Procedure:
1. Give each child a piece of paper.
2. Draw or dab on the paper with dry tempera using cotton
balls.
3. After completing the dry tempera drawing, let each child
paint the entire paper with water using a brush. See what
happens to the dry paint.
4. Let the children experiment with this medium. Colors
will combine and change right before your eyes.
Materials: paper, tagboard, or paper plates (any shape),
crayons, nail or un-bent paper clip
Procedure: Fill the paper with heavy blotches of crayon or a
crayon design. Color heavily over the whole papeer with
black crayon. Plan a picture or design. You might sketch it
on scrap paper first. Use a sharp object to scratch the
design on the black crayon. The black will come off and the
colors will show through wherever you scratch. Try
scratching sharp lines and larger areas too. Gently polish
the picture to finish it. Use another piece of paper, a
kleenex or a paper towel for polishing.
Materials: heavy drawing paper, lots of newspaper, old
crayons, old muffin tin, old brushes, turpentine or an
electric frying pan
Procedure: Prepare crayon paint in one of two ways: Shave
crayons into a muffin tin, keeping colours separate.
1) Pour some turpentine in each section and let sit for two
weeks. 2) Carefully set the muffin tin into an electric
frying pan that is half full of water. Heat on low until the
crayons melt.
Paint your design on paper...or you can try painting on wood
or cardboard.
Fill all the cups of a muffin tin with water.
Place red, blue, green and yellow food coloring in each of
four of the cups of water.
Children use eyedroppers to transfer colored water to other
cups, thus creating different shades of color.
By combining colors, children also create new colors of
purple, chartreuse, brown, etc.
Materials: Muffin tin, Vegetable dyes (food colouring), Rice
paper or paper toweling or squares of an old sheet, Water,
Newspapers
Procedure: Cover your work area with newspapers. Pour food
colouring into the muffin tin. For a lighter colour, add a
small amount of water. Fold squares of paper or
cloth...Experiment with different kinds of folds. Dip a
corner into the food colouring. Hold it a few seconds while
the colour soaks up. Turn it and dip another section. Press
the folded paper between 2 layers of newspaper to squeeze out
extra dye. Open the paper and dry on newspaper.
Materials: 2 pieces of drawing paper, coloured chalk, a
dark crayon, a ball point pen (not to fine), a pencil, 2
paper clips.
Procedure: Use the chalk to cover both pieces of paper with
stripes or puzzle designs with some pieces filled in. Choose
colors that blend well together and make the chalk layer
quite thick. On one sheet, crayon very heavily over the
whole surface with the dark crayon. Clip the two sheets
together (colored sides touching.) On the back of the
crayoned sheet, draw a picture with the pen - press hard.
Use the flat side of the pencil lead to shade sections of
picture. Unclip the papers.
Materials Needed: Cardboard, matt board or plates
Liquid Tempera Spoons Bowls
Procedure:
1. Have 3-4 bowls of paint and spoons ready.
2. Give eaach child cardboard, matt board or a paper
plate.
3. Let her plop small amounts of paint onto the base.
4. Twist and turn the plate slowly to create a design. Be
patient.
5. Talk about the colors created.
Materials: Paint shirts, Liquid starch, Powdered tempera ,
Painting surface such as fingerpaint paper, butcher paper,
paper sacks, cardboard, formica table top, cookie sheets or
oilcloth
Procedure: Put about a T. liquid starch in middle of each
child's paper. Add about a t. of powdered paint to the
starch. If you like, sprinkle salt or sawdust onto the
fingerpaint for a different texture. Let the children use
different tools such as, small pieces of cardboard, old combs
popsicle sticks, cotton swabs or forks.
Let the children stand while fingerpainting. This allows for
greater freedom of movement and helps with rhythm and
coordination.
Boil water, remove from heat. Make a paste with the corn
starch and a little cold water, and add thiss to the hot
water, stirring constantly. Boil until thick and clear
(about one minute). Add colouring. Use this paint while it
is still warm, it feels great!
Materials: Construction paper, Squeeze bottles, Flour,
Water, Food colour/Tempera powder
Procedure: Fill containers with a runny mixture of flour and
water and add a few drops of food colouring to each bottle.
Let your children squeeze the coloured flour and water
mixture onto their paper shapes to make interesting designs.
OR
Mix equal parts of salt and flour together before adding
water to make runny mixture. Then let the children squeeze
designs on styrofoam trays or sheets of cardboard.
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups salt
3/4 cup water
coloring
Combine flour and salt. Add water. This has a grainy
quality, unlike the other fingerpaints, providing a fidderent
sensory experience. some children enjoy the different touch
sensation when 1 1/2 cup slat is added to the other
recipes.
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups cold water
2 cups hot water
coloring
Add salt to flour, then pour in cold water gradually and beat
mixture with
egg beater until it is smooth. Add hot water and boil until
it becomes
clear. Beat until smooth, then mix in coloring.
Materials: Tape, Cardboard, tin foil, Dark-coloured tempera
paint, Liquid soap, Brush, Nail or pencil, Coloured paper or
fabric for frame, Glue, Q-tips
Procedure: Tape a piece of tin foil to lightweight
cardboard. Add 2 or 3 drops of liquid soap to dark-colored
tempera paint. Brush paint over the whole piece of foil.
Let the paint dry. Use a nail or pencil to scratch a picture
or design through the paint. Don't scratch so hard that you
tear the foil. Cut a frame from colourful paper or fabric
and glue it around your scratched masterpiece.
Materials Needed: Food coloring Water Bowls
Syringes or eye droppers Coffee filter, paper towels, or
white tissue paper, (folded paper towels creates a
Procedure: batik effect)
1. Mix up three or four mixtures of food coloring and water
in little bowls.
2. Give each child a paper towel, coffee filter or white
tissue paper.
3. Use eye dropper or hypodermic syringe to squirt food
coloring mixture onto paper towel or coffee filter. (Colors
will run together and change.)
4. This makes great wrapping paper.
Materials: Liquid tempera, Shallow pans (pie tin or cake
pan), Gadgets or tools for printing, Paper
Procedure:
1. Place a small amount of paint in shallow pans.
2. Use a variety of tools for print: corks, spools, caps,
potato mashers, whisks, rag mops for dishes, or anything with
an interesting design.
3. Let the child press tools lightly into paint and then
onto a piece of paper.
4. Keep all instruments wiped clean for the next child.
Hint: Using a flat sponge in the pie tin or pan works well.
- Placing newspaper under the paper helps cushion and,
therefore, gives a better print.
Materials: Sheets of glass with protected edges or
plexiglas, Liquid tempera, Brushes, Paper, Sponges, Bowl of
water
Procedure:
1. Let child freely paint with liquid tempera onto glass.
It is a good smooth feeling.
2. When the child is finished painting, she may take a sheet
of paper and press onto the painted glass to create a
print.
3. When a child is finished, he/she should sponge off the
glass for the next child to use. Use fresh water and sponge.
Materials Needed: Paper, Tempera (liquid),
Eye droppers or syringes, Bowls.
Procedure:
1. Give each child a piece of paper which has been folded in
half either long ways or side ways.
2. Have two or three small bowls of paint (very thin).
3. With an eye dropper or syringe, squirt some paint onto
the inside of the folded paper.
4. Fold paper and press. Open and see the symetrical
design.
Materials: 4T 60ml Cup of water, 4T 60ml baking soda, cotton
swab, sheet of white paper, purple grape juice
What to do:
To make the paint, dissolve the baking soda in the water. Dip
the cotton swab in the cup and paint a picture. Hard to
see??? Don't worry! Simply brush over the picture with
purple grape juice. Only the picture mysteriously appears in
blue-green colours.
Materials: drawing paper, crayons, knife, newspapers,
iron
Procedure:
1. Spread newspaper on your work area.
2. Fold a piece of drawing paper in half (either way).
3. Colour a picture on one half, making the crayon thick.
OR Shave or slice bits of crayon and arrange them into a
picture.
4. Fold the other half over the picture.
5. Cover with newspaper and press with a warm iron.
6. Quickly unfold the paper.
Materials Needed: Broken crayon bits, Hot Plate,
Small pot with spout, Candy molds, Paper.
Procedure:
1. Let children choose their own crayons.
2. Melt pieces over medium heat. Let children watch this
procedure. See new colours develop.
3. Teacher should pour melted crayons into candy molds.
(Plastic molds work best.)
4. They harden quickly. When cool, pop crayons out of
molds.
5. Let children draw freely with their own crayons.
1 cup white glue
1/2 cup water
Plaster of Paris
Tempera Paint (liquid)
- Put water in a container.
- Sprinkle plaster on water until you get a thick creamy
mixture.
- Add glue to plaster mixture.
- Drip some tempera over the plaster and stir just until the
mixture looks streaked.
- Pour into a mold and harden.
Materials Needed: Shallow box, Paper,
5-6 marbles and/or 2 gold balls, 2 colors liquid
tempera.
Procedure:
1. Use a shallow box
2. Put white paper in the bottom.
3. Place two spoonfuls of tempera onto the paper. (Use 2
colors only.)
4. Place marbles and/or golf balls in the box.
5. Roll marbles around in the paint.
6. This will create a streak painting.
Variation: Add a little salt to the paint. It will
crystalize as it dries.
Materials: Shiny fingerpaint paper, masking tape,
watercolour paints, brushes, small containers of water.
Preparation: Put pieces of masking tape on each child's
paper in any design. More advanced children may be able to
put the tape on their own papers.
Activity: Let the children paint their entire papers with
watercolours. When the papers are dry, help the children
carefully pull off the tape. The white lines that appear
will separate the colours, creating interesting designs.
Materials Needed: Electric griddle or hot plate,
Crayons (peeled), Aluminum foil, Sponge.
Procedure:
1. Heat griddle to 380F until hot. Then turn down to 275F
to keep warm. 2. Be sure to have lots of peeled crayons
ready. 3. Give each child a piece of foil. 4. Place the
foil onto the griddle and let the child draw freely onto the
foil. If the crayons don't melt easily, turn the griddle up
a bit. 5. Provide a thick sponge so that the child can hold
down the foil. 6. Write the child's name in melted crayon
on the foil.
Materials Needed: Electric griddle, Muffin tin,
Crayons (peeled), Paper, Q-tips.
Procedure: 1. Place muffin tins onto electric giddle or hot
plate. Put crayons into muffin tin and let them melt. After
they are melted, keep temperature low but high enough so the
crayons will not solidify. 2. Use Q-tips as paint brushes.
(Throw them away when they get too waxy.) 3. Give each child
a piece of paper. 4. Let child paint freely with melted wax
onto paper with Q-tips. 5. One child at a time only. One or
two waiting only. Warn child that it is hot. Keep ice on
hand in case of burn. Just rub it on. 6. Keep adding colour
to wax and use white crayons to lighten colours.
Materials: Electric griddle or hot plate, Lots of crayons
(peeled), Aluminum foil, White paper, Sponge.
Procedure:
1. Heat griddle to 380F until hot. Then turn down to 275F
to keep warm. Be sure the griddle has aluminum foil over
it.
2. Children draw on foil with crayons. If it doesn't melt
raise heat a bit. Hold foil down with sponge.
3. Give each child a piece of paper. Press the white paper
on to the foil.
4. Lift the paper off the foil and see the print.
Materials Needed: Electric griddle or hot plate,
Crayons (peeled), Paper, Sponge.
Procedure:
1. Heat griddle to 380F until hot. The turn down to 275F to
keep warm.
2. Be sure to have lots of peeled crayons ready.
3. Give each child a piece of paper.
4. Place blank paper on warm tray. Rub the peeled crayon
over the paper slowly and see it melt. If it does not melt
easily, raise the heat a bit.
5. Provide a thick sponge so that the child can hold down
the paper.
6. Let child paint with the melted crayon freely.
Materials: Crayons, Knife for shaving, An iron, Paper,
Newspaper, Waxed paper, Scissors, String.
Procedure: Shave crayons onto waxed paper. Arrange the
colours by pushing them into place. Lay a piece of string at
the top. Cover with another piece of waxed paper. Lay
newspaper over both and press with a warm iron. When wax
cools, cut the waxed paper pressings into a shape you like,
and hang it up.
Materials: Oil paints, Turpentine, Dishpan or pail of water,
Stick or spoon for stirring, Small cans or milk cartons,
Paper or a bottle or hard boiled eggs and a wire for dipping
eggs, Lots of newspaper.
Procedure: Spread lots of newspaper over your work area.
Mix a little turpentine with oil paint until it is thin
enough to pour. Pour some paint on the water and stir (but
don't stir much.) Lay a piece of paper on the surface of the
water and gently pick it up. Lay it on newspaper to dry. OR
Dip a bottle or an egg all the way into the water, and
quickly remove it. OR Dip old sheet into the paint and when
dry outline picture with ink.
Materials: 1/2 cup Ivory Flakes, 1/2 cup water, mixing bowl,
spoon, electric or hand mixer, food colouring, shelf paper or
butcher paper, a few small containers, newspaper
Procedure: Use a mixer to whip the Ivory Flakes and water
until it's thick and stiff. Put some of the 'fluff' into
cups or small containers, and add food colouring to make the
colours you'd like to use. Mix with a spoon. Cover your
work area with newspapers. Paint a picture on hard surface
paper. Spread the bubble paint with your fingers. Let the
picture dry overnight. Then hang it, frame it, and show it
off.
Materials: Spring-type clothespins, cotton balls, paint,
small containers, paper, tape
Preparation: Pour paint into small containers. Tape paper
to table. Clip a cotton ball to the end of ech
clothespin.
Activity: Using the clothespins as handles, let the children
dip the cotton balls into paint and then spread it on their
papers.
Hint: When the cotton balls start to get stringy from too
much paint, replace them with fresh ones.
On: Boxes, Foil with a few drops of liquid detergent to
paint, Paper plates, On shingles with acrylics, On old
license plates (use acrylics), On stones, On wood (use
acrylics), on paper bags, on glass (with acrylics), on
bricks, on paper bags, on tin cans (with acrylics).
Materials: White glue, Waxed paper, Marking pens
Procedure:
Spill glue onto waxed paper in odd shapes. Let the glue dry
unti it is hard and clear. Colour the dried glue with fine
point markers. Remove the shapes from the paper. You can
hang them in windows....from mobiles.....even around your
neck.
Materials: Oaktag or light cardboard, tempera paint, white
liquid glue, brushes, paint containers, aluminum foil,
newspaper.
Preparation: Cover table with newspaper. Cut large
rectangles out of oaktag and cover with aluminum foil. In
paint containers, mix paint with glue to a thick consistency.
Stir well.
Activity: Have the children paint designs on the aluminum
foil with coloured glue. The effect is nice if areas are
left unpainted, since the foil reflects the paint. Hints:
When finished, make frames for the paintings. This is nice
for Christmas because of the shiny effect. Etch designs in
glue with popsicle sticks.
Materials: construction paper, glue in squeeze bottles,
tempera paint, brushes.
Preparation: Twenty-four hours ahead of time, squeeze glue
on a paper for each child in a pattern of your choice. Do
not rub the glue. Just allow it to dry as it was squeezed on
the paper.
Activity: Hand out the papers and let your children paint
over the glue patterns. The glue provides a new, interesting
texture for them to work with.
Variation: Depending upon the ability of the children, you
might want to let them squeeze the glue on their own papers.
Materials: Construction paper, rubber cement, tempera paint,
brushes
Variation: Have your children dribble rubber cement on their
papers. Allow the glue to dry about half an hour. Next,
have the children paint over the glue. When the paint has
dried, let the children peel off the rubber cement, revealing
the pictures or designs they have made.
Materials: Construction paper, cotton balls, brushes,
various colours of powdered tempera in margarine containers,
hair spray.
Activity: Let the children paint with the powdered tempera
using cotton balls or brushes to smear the dry paint on their
papers. When they have finished, spray each child's picture
lightly with hair spray to set the paint.
Hint: Q-tips may also be used for painting, but they require
somewhat more refined small motor skills.
Hint: Use meat trays or paper plates to hold the powdered
paint. If using several colours, the trays can be passed
around the table.
Materials: Q-tips, tempera paint, construction paper, egg
cartons
Preparation: Assemble supplies. Cut egg cartons in thirds
to make four-part paint containers. Pour small amounts of
paint into each container.
Activity: Have the children dip Q-tips into paint and use
them like brushes to create designs on their papers.
Variation: Use dried wide markers in place of Q-tips. Let
the children dip them in paint and use them to draw or write.
Materials: Large sheets of paper, plastic scouring pads,
paint pans, liquid tempera paint, paper towels
Preparation: Place folded paper towels in paint pans and
pour on liquid tempera to make paint pads.
Activity: Let the children dip the plastic scouring pads
into liquid tempera and use them to 'paint' on their papers.
Stroking motions or up and down movements create interesting
effects. This is fun to do with two colours of paint.
Materials: Cookie cutters or other simple forms,
construction paper, styrofoam meat trays, sharp cutting
knife, toothbrushes, tempera paint, tongue depressors.
Preparation: Hold cookie cutters or other forms on styrofoam
trays and cut around them with a sharp knife to make
stencils.
Activity: Have the children place styrofoam stencils on
construction paper. Then let them dip toothbrushes in paint
and rub tongue depressors across the toothbrushes to spatter
paint onto their papers. Use Christmas or Thanksgiving
cookie cutters for holiday pictures.
Materials: Pine branches, pinecones, easel paper, paint.
Procedure: Pour paint into shallow containers. Have the
children use the pine branches and pinecones to paint at the
easel. They'll enjoy seeing the different types of patterns
these materials make. This activity can also be done with
other kinds of small tree branches, ferns, feathers and
grasses such as hay or wheat.
Variation: Let the children use 3-inch to 4-inch
branches of various evergreens to dab on paper. After they
finish, staple each child's branch on his or her painting.
When doing this activity, discuss the smell, texture and
colour of different evergreens.
Using your favorite playdough recipe, make two different
batches of playdough--one colored red with food coloring and
one colored yellow.
Give each child two playdough balls, one of each color. As
children mix the two colors, they will discover the creation
of orange.
Continue with other colors.
Materials: Drawing paper, Crayons, Pencil
(Pointilism is a method of making a colour by combining tiny
bits of other colours. To make an area appear green, you
would fill it with points or dots of blue and yellow.)
Procedure: Plan a design or picture. Sketch it on drawing
paper. 'Color' each area by making dots of colour. Use the
point of your crayon, and place the dots close together.
Remember to mix dots of 2 colors to form the colour you want.
Stand away from the finished picture, and you will see that
the dots blend together.
Materials: Dark paper, Hole punches, Bowls, Glue and
brushes, Colored tissue paper
Procedure:
1. Punch holes with paper punch into black or dark
paper.
2. Glue the dark paper onto a sheet of tissue paper. (You
will need a couple of bowls of glue and brushes. It's best
to water down the glue and spread thinly over tissue.)
3. Hold up to light and hang in window to see the design
better.
Materials: Printing ink or paint, Flat pan for ink, Fruits
and vegetables, Paper towels for drying fruit and vegetables,
newspapers, cloth or paper for printing
Procedure
Cut fruits and vegetables. Dip them in ink and print.
Try corn, strawberries, pears, cucumbers, radishes, oranges,
carrots, beans, lemon, cauliflower, pepper, avacado, tomato,
mushroom, apples, shapes carved in a potato.
Try leaves, fork, comb, coins, noodles, toothbrush, pinecone,
potato masher, sponges, shells, your lips, screws, gears,
hair rollers, cheese grater, buttons.
Materials: Several stalks of Queen Anne's Lace, red, yellow
and white paint, dark paper.
Procedure: Pour paint into shallow containers. Have the
children dip the Queen Anne's Lace blossoms into paint and
lightly dab them on their papers. The finished products
resemble brilliant fireworks displays.
Use a large piece of mural paper taped to the wall.
Provide a variety of colors of chalk or crayons.
Play a record and let children make color sweeps back and
forth in rainbow fashion on the drawing surface.
Stop record periodically so children can change colors.
Materials: Butcher paper, several different colours of yarn,
construction paper that matches yarn colours, glue,
crayons(Optional).
Preparation: On pieces of butcher paper, draw arched lines
to represent rainbows. Put glue on the rainbow lines and let
the children place a piece of different coloured yarn along
the entire length of each line. Have the children tear the
coloured paper into pieces, one colour at a time. Then have
them glue the torn paper onto the area between the pieces of
yarn, under the yarn for that colour. Encourage them to fill
the entire space with the appropriate coloured paper pieces.
You may want to colour a portion of each space with a crayon
to help.
Material: drawing paper - 2 sheets, crayons, thin dark paint
(tempera or acrylic), a wide paintbrush, newspaper, a pan of
cold water
Procedure:
Draw a design or picture with crayon. Make sure you crayon
heavily, and stay away from dark colored crayons! Crumble up
the paper that you've drawn on. Dip it in cold water.
Squeeze out the water so that it isn't dripping. Spread out
on newspaper. Paint over the picture with dark paint (one
quick coat). Place the other sheet of drawing paper on top
and press evenly with hand. 2nd paper will give a new print
and soak up paint.
Materials: Liquid tempera, Shallow pans (pie tin or cake
pan), Brayers (available at art supply stores), Textured
pieces, Paper
Procedure:
1. Put small amounts of paint into the shallow pans.
2. Give each child a piece of paper.
3. Have a variety of materials with different texture
available (sandpaper, velvet, mesh, corrugated paper,
etc.)
4. Roll a brayer into paint. Arrange some of the textured
material under the paper. Roll paint over paper, material
underneath. A unique design will show.
Materials Needed: Liquid Starch Water Bowls
Tempera or food coloring Salt Brushes
Matt board, cardboard, or paper plate Measuring cups
Mixture: 1/8 cup liquid starch
1/8 cup water and 1 teas. tempera or 2 squirts food color
plus 1/2 cup table salt
Procedure:
1.Give each child a paper plate, matt board or cardboard.
2.Keep stirring mixture.
3.Let the children apply the mixture with a brush.
4. It will crystalize as it dries.
Materials: Baby food jars, 5 containers of cornmeal, 5
different colors tempera paint (dry), Small spoons, Cotton
balls, (Mix tempera and cornmeal together.)
Procedure:
1. Give each child a baby food jar and a small spoon.
2. Let children spoon the coloured cornmeal into their jar.
Do not shake or stir.
3. When jar is full, (make sure cornmeal is packed down)
put cotton balls on top, then put lid on tight.
Note: Don't let children stir the cornmeal in their jars.
Materials: Sandpaper (medium grade), crayons, white paper,
iron
Procedure:
1. Give each child a sheet of sandpaper.
2. Ask the children to draw heavily onto the sandpaper. Use
wax crayons only.
3. Place the sandpaper drawing-side onto white paper.
4. Iron the back of sandpaper onto paper.
5. Presto! Print!
Materials: a piece of screen or a metal strainer, tempera
paints, an old toothbrush, dishes for paint, drawing paper,
newspaper
Procedure: Cover your work area with newspaper. Hold the
screen over a piece of paper. Dip the toothbrush in paint
and brush it on the screen so that the paint splatters onto
the paper. Wash the brush and 'splatter' with a new colour.
OR Lay a cut-out shape (or objects or leaves) on top of the
paper. Splatter paint over the paper. The part you have
covered will stay free from paint. You can move the
objectsand repeat with a different colour.
Materials Needed: Shaker bottles, Salt, Bowls,
Powdered Tempera, Glue Plus Water, Glue Brushes,
Heavy Paper or Tagboard.
Procedure:
1 Mix 1/2 salt and 1/2 tempera and put into shaker
bottles.
2. Give each child paper or tagboard. (This can be cut into
specific pattern. Example: Christmas tree, heart)
3. Let child paint pattern or paper with watered-down
glue.
4. Sprinkle mixture onto glue. Creates a knobby effect.
Materials: Fingerpaint paper or white glossy wrapping paper,
large aerosol can of shaving cream, powdered tempera in old
salt shakers or food colouring
Procedure:
Spray shaving cream on a wet paper and allow the children to
sprinkle on the colour of their chose. They can experiment
first with the colour and then with the designs.
OR
Spray the shaving cream on a table surface, plastic placemat
or cookie tray. When each child is finished experimenting
with colour and shape press a paper on his or her shape.
Materials: Crayons, Knife for shaving, An iron, Paper,
Newspapers.
Procedure: Cover a flat surface with newspaper. Arrange
crayon shavings on drawing paper until you have a picture you
want. Hold an iron over the picture but do not touch the
picture with the iron. You just want the heat to melt the
crayon. OR Place the picture under a hot light until the
wax softens enough to stick to the paper.
Materials: Plastic bottles of different coloured shoe polish
with sponge applicators, Coloured construction paper
Paint
- snowmen, snow scenes on blue paper with white polish
- stripes on candy canes using red paper and white polish
- white shoe polish onto a brown shoe polish tree and add
food colour into the white polish for the blossoms
- brown shoe polish for puddles and glue paper pigs on
- pastel shoe polish onto ovals for Easter Eggs
- white clouds and white waves with brown sandy beaches
- white ghosts on black paper, black on orange paper
When bottles are empty-fill it with watery tempera paint.
Materials: bar of soap, Water colour paints, Small brush,
Large needle, Yarn
Procedure: Paint-a-scene on a bar of soap! Try any size,
shape, or colour soap. Try painting on some
already-been-used bars too!
Create a soap on a rope. Dig a hole with a large needle and
hang the bar from a rope of yarn.
Materials Needed: White glue, Liquid Tempera,
Bowls, Spoons, Matt board, Paper plate, Tagboard,
Glitter.
Procedure:
1. Combine equal parts of white glue and tempera. Use 3-4
colours.
2. Give each child a piece of matt board, paper plate, or
tagboard.
3. Spoon glue/paint mixture onto the board. Twist and turn
to see it run.
4. Sprinkle glitter over wet glue mixture.
Materials: Wooden box with screening attached to top, White
paper, Stencils, leaves or design, Liquid tempera, Bowls,
Brushes(vegetable, tooth, scrub - brushes)
Procedure:
1. Pour a small amount of paint into bowls - use 1-2
colours.
2. Place a tray with leaves or stencils on table. Let
children choose stencil and place onto plain white paper.
3. Place the wooden frame over the paper with the
arrangement on it. Take a brush, dip into the paint and
scrub back and forth across the screen until paper is
completely covered with paint.
Materials: A sprayer, liquid tempera paint, construction
paper, tape (masking tape), newspapers, scissors, pencil
Procedure: Tape newspapers to a wall or to windows. Fill a
sprayer with liquid paint. Cut a shape from scrap paper.
Roll a piece of tape, stick it to the back, and place the
shape on a piece of construction paper. Tape the
construction paper to the newspaper. Stand about a foot away
and spray the picture. You can spray different parts with
different colours or one colour on top of another. When the
paint is dry, remove the cut-out shapes. I've seen a
Halloween scene..sprayed with iridescent poster paints and
topped with an spooky poem.
Materials: Tempera paints, Drawing paper, Rolling pin,
Spoon, Newspapers brayer
Procedure: Cover your work area with newspaper. Drop or
dribble paint onto drawing paper. Fold the paper in half or
cover it with another sheet of paper. With a rolling pin (or
your hand) press gently outward from the center toward the
edges. Peel back the top layer of paper....you'll have a
double design. Repeat the process with other colours if
you'd like.
Materials Needed: Tempera/food colouring
Window Squeegee White (non-porous) paper
Procedure:
1. Tape one edge of paper to table.
2. Drip several colours of paint along edge.
3. Pull colours across with squeegee.
Materials Needed: Flour, Funnels, Water,
Squeeze bottles, Bowls, Tempera, Salt,
Matt board or cardboard.
Mixture: 1 1/2 cups flour (add last) 1/2 cups salt
1 - 1 1/2 cups water 4 times this in a large bowl
Divide into smaller bowls and add tempera to create different
colors. Put mixture into squeeze bottles with a funnel. It
should run easily. Keep lots of extra mixture ready because
it's used up fast.
Procedure: 1. Give each child a piece of card/matt board.
2. Let child squeeze mixture onto board. Not too much.
3. Encourage squeezing on top of each other. Let dry.
Materials: Tagboard, Scissors, Pencil, Tape, Crayons or
colored chalk, Drawing paper, Paper towels
Procedure: Draw a simple design on tagboard. Cut it out
carefully. Tape together any cuts you made. You now have 2
stencils. Crayon or chalk heavily around the edge of either
stencil. Place the stencil on drawing paper and rub the
color onto the paper. You can use your finger or a paper
towel to do the rubbing. Use either stencil, or both, to
make a design or picture. Once stencil can be used to make
lines going toward the center and the other can be used to
make lines going away from the center.
Materials: String, Paint, Paper
Procedure: Fold the drawing paper in half. Then open it up.
Cover a piece of string with paint. Use the brush to coat
the string. Lay the paint-y string on one half of the paper,
leaving the ends hanging over the edge. Curl and twist the
string as you lay it on the paper. Fold the other half of
the paper over the string. Hold it down firmly with one
hand. Use your other hand to pull the string out from
between the layers of paper. You may pull one or both ends
at the same time. If you want another colour, repeat the
steps after the first colour is dry.
Supply list: Water colour paints, Craft glue, Fruit-flavored
gelatin, Paper, Paintbrush
1. Place your paper on a sheet of newspaper. Use the
watercolours to paint a fruity picture. Let your painting
dry. 2. After your picture dries, spread craft glue over
each of your fruits. Sprinkle powdered, fruit-flavored
gelatin over the wet craft glue. 3. Let your picture dry.
The craft glue will dry clear and you will be left with a
sweet-smelling picture.
Contributed by Melba (Itsmeguys2@classic.msn.com)
Rainy Day Play by Nancy Fusco Castaldo
Need: Juice concentrate cans or round dairy boxes, Heavy
yarn/twine/bric-brac, glue, large pieces of paper, tempera
paint
Ahead of time: Dip the yarn/etc. in the glue. Wipe off the
excess glue from each piece. Wrap sticky yarn/etc. around
the boxes. Let dry overnight.
Activity: Pour shallow amounts of paint on large styrofoam
vegetable trays. Put these and the textured boxes on the art
table. Let the children roll the textured boxes in paint and
then print designs on their paper. Encourage the children to
use different colours and try the different prints. After
the activity wash the textured boxes so they are ready to use
another day. (Try using: seeds,corrugated cardboard,styrofo.)
Materials: Cotton cloth, Large pot for dyeing (not
aluminum), Commercial dyes for fabric, String or heavy
thread, Large spoon, Water, Scissors, Newspapers,
Clothespins, Adult help.
Procedure: Cover everything. Prewash fabric. Soak in cold
water then squeeze and blot dry. Experiment first.
Tie cloth. It needs to be tied tightly so dye doesn't soak
inside. Dye the cloth according to directions that come with
your dye. Use a large stick to stir and handle the cloth.
After dyeing rinse the cloth thoroughly in cold water. Untie
it and rinse again. Squeeze out water-re-tie and die again.
When finished rinse, cover cloth with a newspaper and iron
it.
Materials Needed: Clorox liquid bleach, Q-tips,
Colored Tissue Paper, Smocks or Aprons.
Procedure:
1. Let the child select tissue paper.
2. Dip Q-tip into bleach and paint onto the tissue
paper.
3. This will take the color out and you will have streaked
effect.
4. Be very careful to watch the bleach. Aprons should be
worn and no more than four children should do this at one
time.
Materials: black construction paper, Coloured cellophane,
Scissors, Rubber cement, String or yarn, hanger or straw or
wooden dowel.
Procedure: Cut shapes for your mobile from black
construction paper. Cut each one double so you end up with 2
exactly the same. Cut large holes in each shape in the spots
you want to see through. Cut pieces of coloured cellophane
large enough to cover each hole. Brush cement on one side of
a construction paper shape, put cellophane to cover hole, put
more cement on edges and finally cover with other piece of
construction paper. After it drys punch a hole near the top
and hang with yarn or string.
Materials: Paper, Paint, Cookie Sheet,
Tree branches with needles.
Procedure:
1. Mix paint so that it's fairly thick. Place in wide, flat
container. (A cookie sheet works well.)
2. Dip tree branch (pine) into paint.
3. Slap branch onto paper. See design.
Materials Needed: Squeeze bottles, Heavy paper, Paint.
Procedure:
1. Children should stand and squeeze 3-4 dots of paint
directly onto the table top. (Can be dime size to pea
size.)
2. Place paper on paint and twist with heel of the palm
about 1/2 turn.
3. Lift and see design.
Materials: Artichokes, carrots, green peppers, small cabbage
halves, corn on the cob, potatoes, broccolli, etc
Plain paper, Shallow pan, Flat sponge, Liquid tempera,
Spoon
Procedure:
1. Cut vegetables so that the lines will show up in the
print. (Example: cut the artichoke lengthwise and also
crosswise; cut the green pepper in half wideth-wise)
2. Use a shallow pan with thin sponge cut to fit. Smooth
paint onto sponge with back of a spoon.
3. Press vegetables into the paint and stamp onto paper to
print. (Citrus fruits work well, too.)
Materials: white paper towels, black non-permanent marking
pen, water, small brushes
Procedure: Draw a large black heart outline on a paper towel
for each child. Let your children brush water over their
black heart outlines. Soon the dye in the lines will start
to bleed, showing the many colours actually in the black ink.
Some colours will spread faster than others, leaving
definite colour rings around the heart outlines.
Materials Needed: Paper, Payons (found in art stores),
Water, Water dishes.
Procedure:
1. Each child should have a sheet of paper (white is best).
A small dish of water and set of water color crayons
(Payons).
2. The child should dip the Payon into the water and then
draw with it. Payons should not stand in water.
3. Each child should empty his water dish and refill dish
with clean water for the next child.
Materials Needed: Toilet tissue tubes, Wax paper,
Crayons (peeled), Potato peeler, Iron, Rubber bands.
Procedure: 1. Cut wax paper into rectangular pieces that when
folded, will amply fit over the end of the toilet tissue
roll. 2. Let the child cut tiny pieces of tissue and place
on wax paper. They can tear it if they can't control
scissors. Another variation is to have the child grate
peeled crayons with a potato peeler onto the waxed paper. 3.
Fold the waxed paper in half and press with a warm iron until
the paper sticks together. Child can do this carefully. 4.
Fasten the waxed paper to the end of the toilet tissue roll
with a rubber band. 5. Hold up to light and see the various
colours.
Materials: Water colour paints, Drawing paper, Brush, Pan of
water, Newspaper, Fine-point marking pen
Procedure: Soak a piece of drawing paper in water. Hold it
up to drip for a few seconds. Place the wet paper on
newspaper. Paint right away on the wet paper with
watercolours. The colours will blend together and blur as
you paint. When the painting is dry, you can add fine lines
and details with a dark pen.
Materials: Coloured tissue paper, Poster board or tag board,
Scissors, Glue, Water, Brush, Newspaper, Small can or mild
carton (babyfood jar?)
Procedure: Cut several of the same shape from tissue paper.
You can cut them all at once by piling several layers
together. Use colours that will look good together.
Decide how you want to place the shapes on a piece of poster
board. They can overlap. Mix some water into white glue
(about twice as much glue as water.) Brush a thin layer of
glue mixture over the surface of the poster board. Do one
piece of paper at a time - glue.
Material: Drawing paper, Permanent marker or ink (black),
Bright coloured crayons, bright coloured crayons, baby oil or
cooking oil, a rag, newspapers
Procedure:
1. Outline a design with black ink or marker on drawing
paper.
2. Colour in the spaces with crayons. You can leave some of
the space white, if you wish.
3. Turn the drawing over. Ly it on newspaper.
4. Rub oil over the back of the picture. The oil makes your
picture transparent.
Materials: 8 1/2 X 11 manila paper, Brown liquid tempera,
Small jars, 6 inches of string, a clothes pin
Procedure:
Mix tempera to a consistency that won't drip, but is not too
thick, either. Pour into jars. Talk to the children about
how worms crawl, wiggle squirm, or observe a real worm, if
possible. Have each child dip a string into a jar of
tempera, keeping one end paint-free (use clothes pin). Then
have the child drag the string across his or her paper as a
worm would crawl or wiggle. Encourage the children to
continue dipping their strings and painting until their
papers are covered with 'worm tracks.'
