Fingerpainting is one of those pleasures as a child that I remember just reveling in! Where we live (and the season we're in), fingerpainting in it's most glorious state (that's messy, messy, messy!), is not an option. But, I really wanted the kids to get to fingerpaint! So we decided to make a "clean" version and focused on making the colors move with our fingers!It.Was.So.Much.Fun!
The kids had a blast. Here's what we did:
Gather your Materials and prep your workspace:
-White paper to paint on (I used printer paper)
-Different colors of finger paint ( I used primary to do a little science activity too!
-wax paper
-newspaper to lay down underneath you as you work.
Instructions:
1. Drop spoonfuls of fingerpaint on white paper (less is definitely more my friends!) To work on color change, make sure the two colors are primary.
2. Cover the paper and paint with wax paper.
3. Working on top of the wax paper, have your kids spread out the paint with their fingertips, working from the inside out. I also encouraged them to squish it around near the center to mix the color and watch them change.
As you can see I had to hold the wax paper a few times because it had a tendancy to slip and slide. We tried several combonations of colors (e.g. blue and yellow, red and blue) to see how they would turn out.
4. When your child is finished, peel the wax paper away from the fingerpaint to reveal a stunning and Rorschach-esque masterpiece! Let dry. Luke kept changing his mind as the paint moved. "Mommy, it's a rocket ship...Now, it's a dinosaur..." It was pretty sweet and fun to see how they experience the same project differently.
Here is the blue and red version.
To achieve the rainbow effect, line red,yellow,green,turqoise, & blue up in a row and repeat the above steps. Did I mention how fun it was?!
what a great idea, my little one has got to the point where he doesn't like getting paint on his fingers so this would be a good alternative.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! We've got about 7 days of rain ahead of us, so this would make a great rainy day project :)
ReplyDeleteWow! Brilliant idea! I am so doing this. My boys have been asking me to paint and I always seem to find a way out of letting them doing thinking about the mess. This is so good. Thanks for sharing. Learning from others is definitely great. Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteThis is a fantastic idea. You're brilliant!
ReplyDeleteWow, I like that idea!!
ReplyDeleteQuestion, I dont have any experience in fingerpaint, what do I get?
Any craft store has finger paint. Try JoAnn's so you can use your 40% or 50% off coupons. Hobby Lobby has 40% off coupon online all the time too.
DeleteIt's usually washable which is good. I have seen some recipes on Pinterest for home made finger paint, items you may already have in your pantry. Have fun!
This is a fantastic idea! I've been avoiding fingerpaint too because it's too cold to do it outside and I hate the mess. I'll have to try this out.
ReplyDeleteOkay, definitely going to have to try that one! I hate messes, but think I can handle this.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I'm all about no mess. We'll have to try wax paper next time.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! I know my 2 yo would love to fingerpaint bc she basically does each time we paint...so I do not want to introduce her to it quite yet. BUT I will do this with her! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I'll have to do this with my daughter while my son is at school. She needs a special project just for her.
ReplyDeleteMichelle, you do such cute stuff with your kids! This looks like a really great idea. And maybe the rainbow thing can double as a St. Patrick's Day activity :-)
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking about doing this with my tyke. I was thinking I could use them to cut butterfly shapes out of since you get mirror image kind of.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this idea! With up to 7 daycare children at any one time, I absolutley hate doing finger painting...But this is PERFECT for them!!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant!
ReplyDeleteoh my gosh, what a great idea! I think I could even do this with my one-year-old (ok almost 2 but I have like 30 days to still call him my 1-year-old).
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome idea! I'd always shied away from fingerpainting because of the mess, but this I've got to try!
ReplyDeleteFunny, beautiful and clean... I definitely LOVE it!
ReplyDeletethanks a lot.
Have you tried paperclips to prevent the wax paper to slip?
I am an Art teacher for our local homeschooling community. I have the pleasure of teaching 15 children (ages 4 yrs old to 10 yrs old). So paint projects are not high on the to do list. But this wonderful idea has inspired me to break out the finger paint and some soothing music.
ReplyDeleteThank You.
I am an Art teacher for our local homeschooling group that meets once a week. I have 15 students ranging from 4 years old to 10 years old. Painting has not been at the top of my list, but with this wonderful idea I am reconsidering the idea.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing
Love this!!! NO MESS :) Can't wait to try this today.
ReplyDeleteIt's a really fun one! :-) thanks for stopping by!
DeleteWhat a brilliant idea for my 2-1/2 year daycare toddler when not sponge painting. What kind of tape is best for holding down the wax paper?
ReplyDeleteProbably packing tape, but you could try scotch tape.
DeleteI forgot to mention that I'm considering taping the wax and painting paper a splat mat or disposable tablecloth, but wondering what type of tape is best?
ReplyDelete