When we are home we have a few to go art activities that we enjoy doing. But first, we always have an art cart with art supplies available at all time so they can create whenever they want!
When we are home we have a few to go art activities that we enjoy doing. But first, we always have an art cart with art supplies available at all time so they can create whenever they want! To see what's in our cart, check this post. For more activities, read on!
For regular art activities, one of our favorite supplies that I do not display in their art cart is liquid watercolor. It is not available at all times because it is very staining and therefore still a supervised activity. We use it many different ways:
- with pipettes on diffusing paper
- with pipettes on a vertical card-stock for a drip effect
- with spray bottles
- for paint resist with oil pastels
- with salt for a snow effect
- with permanent markers
With a hot glue gun draw what you want on a piece of carboard then let your children rub a crayon on them! It is a very versatile activity as you can draw anything you want!
You can do color mixing with tempera paint or liquid paint (use liquid watercolor paint or food coloring with pipettes).
Color matching is fun especially when it comes to different shades of the same color. Paint swatches are great for this however trying to match any color in the house will work too!
All you need for this one is paint, rubber bands paper, paintbrushes and a cookie sheet! Wrap the rubber bands around the cookie sheets, add a sheet of paper in the cookie sheet, then paint the rubber bands... pull on them... and splatter them! It is a fun process art as well, check out the full video tutorial here.
This is a messy one -but oh so fun!! First you spray shaving foam on a cookie sheet, then add liquid watercolor (or food coloring) dots all over it and then spread in the foam doing zig zags. Lay your paper on it, remove it, let is dry and wipe the foam off (very fast!) and it makes for amazing looking marble paper! In addition to being a beautiful activity it is a also a great sensory activity and my boys always end up with both hands in the foam!
My boys both went through a phase in which they wanted to glue everything they found! I prefer to use card-stock for a collage and offer them loose parts such as gems, buttons strings, googly eyes... with a glue bottle. For younger kids who cannot yet press the glue bottle hard enough I recommend giving them glue in a small bowl with a paintbrush.
You can find a very simple tutorial on my IG page here. It's also a great one to do outside. You can also do some basic printing with wrapping bubbles!
Bleeding paper with photo paper. Place squares of bleeding paper on top of photo paper and have the kids paint with water on top of it.
Chalk on black paper for a nice contrast.
Paint resist! You can do these many ways! Here are a few
- oil pastel and watercolor paint
- washi tape and tempera paint
- hot glue on canvas with tempera paint
Our favorite process paint is a mix of paint, with glue and Epsom salt on top! It is fun and gives beautiful results!
Another good one is to take a large canvas and do a collaborative work with loose parts. First paint the canvas. Once dry add another layer. Once dry mix loose parts with glue and paint and pour on top of the canvas!
Use watercolor or tempera paint and paint on shells, pine cones, sticks, leaves, anything they find outside! Use post its and stick them on the windows, use cardboard boxes to draw on, use blank books to draw in...
Never miss a beat.