early years painting

Let’s Get Painting…

First of all put away those paint brushes!

• Arrange a few tea bags on a blank page

• Add a drop of food colouring to each bag

• Spray the bags with a water sprayer

• Then squash with hands

• Remove the tea bags and voilà!

Science and senses run wild!

Paint with cars

• Choose a selection of coloured paints

• Add paint to some paper plates (for cars to fill up)

• Lay out blank paper (wall paper works well and it’s cheap)

• Provide a selection of cars and tell children to roll the car wheels in the paint

• Choose stripes, rainbows, checks or any old pattern

Easy Science, Art R.E. and maths opportunities

MARBLE TRAY PAINTING

• Choose some tin foil or plastic trays, line them with paper

• Find some marbles or any other items which will roll: acorns, wall nuts, rocks, pebbles etc.

• Add 3 or 4 blobs of different coloured paints and simply add the marble and roll away

Language opportunities galore!

Snow painting

• As soon as it lands, store it in the freezer!

• Grab some coloured paint and cotton buds

• Allow children to use the snow as water to wet their cotton buds

• Children make a dotty picture using paint and cotton buds

Watch the science and art unfold as the snow begins to change colour

Toothbrush painting• Put some paint in jam

jar lids or on paper plates

• Provide a supply of toothbrushes (different sizes and bristle firmness)

• Either brush or splatter the paint onto some paper

• At Christmas add some glitter and glue to the mix

• Other times give children a template to splatter around

Science and Keeping Ourself Healthy links

Straw painti ng• Make a selection of

weak watery coloured paints

• Provide some straws (make sure the children know to ‘blow’ not ‘suck’)

• Use a heavy paper• Encourage the children

to drop some paint on their paper then blow the paint around

Talk about the colours mixing and running, mention airflow and wind too!

Whatever you do with paint, just make it fun…