Art Activity Ideas

A. Paint on and Paint with1. Epsom Salt paint Snow picture

Mix ¼ cup hot water with 4 TBL Epsom salt (table salt or rock salt can also be used) and stir until it dissolves. Using a paint brush, brush the mixture on dark construction paper. Let the picture dry. Variation: Color a picture a first and then fill in areas with the salt mixture.

2. Dot Picture Using water colors and a Q-tip, paint a picture using only dots. Draw the picture first and then fill it in or create a picture from scratch. Notice how the more or less water used in the water paints will create a different look.

3. Magic painting a. Draw on paper with white crayon. Brush water colors over the paper to reveal the picture.b. Mix 4 Tbl baking soda and 4 Tbl water. Use a cotton swab to paint a picture on white paper.

Let it dry. Brush water color paints over it to reveal the picture.

4. Homemade Watercolor Paint Cakes 3 TBL baking soda, 3 TBL cornstarch, 3 TBL white vinegar, 1 ½ TBL lt corn syrup, coloringMix all together except the food coloring. Divide into small containers ie: jar lids and then add food coloring. Use the paint as it is or let it dry like watercolor cakes. Wet your brush first to use the hard paint cakes.

5. Scratch and Sniff 2 TBL warm water 5-7 drops of food coloring 2 TBL powdered drink mix Mix together in various colors. Allow the scratch and sniff to dry before scratching and sniffing.

6. Tissue Color Mix Tear or cut pieces of tissue paper in the 3 primary colors (red, yellow, and blue). Use glue or liquid starch to attach the tissue paper to paper. Overlap the tissue paper so that the secondary colors (orange, green, and purple) appear.

7. Shaving cream puff paint Mix equal parts glue and shaving cream. Add food coloring, if desired. Mold or smear and let dry. Once dry draw or paint on the design.

8. Ice Cube paint Fill an ice cube tray with paint OR water with food coloring in it. Place a stick or yarn in the liquid and let it freeze. Remove from the freezer and paint.

9. String (worm) painting Put a blob of paint on paper. Attach yarn to a clothespin and drag the yarn through the paint. Can also fold a piece of paper in half and place the yarn in between it. Hold onto the end of the yarn, pull it out.

10. Chlorox Paint Paint with chlorox bleach on a dark piece of construction paper. CHLOROX WILL RUIN CLOTHES!

11. Paint on Foil or saran wrap for a different kind of canvas.

12. Salad spinner paint Use small squares of paper that fit in the bottom of a salad spinner. Place the paper in the salad spinner. Drip blobs of paint onto the paper. Snap the salad spinner lid closed and spin. Open the lid to reveal the painting.

13. Transparent Art Color a picture. Turn the picture over and smear oil all over the back. Hang it up to dry. Your picture will show through.

14. Spray bottle Painting and stenciling Pour liquid water color paints or food coloring water or tempera paint and water into a squirt bottle. Spray outside areas with it like snow. For stenciling, place an item on a piece of paper and spray around it. Remove the item to reveal the stencil.

15. Rain Art a. Place dry tempera paint, dry kool aid, blobs of paint, or food coloring drops on paper. Take it

out in the rain or spritz it with water. b. Use eye droppers and watery paint to make droplets of water color on a paper.

16. Chalk art a. Wet down paper or the sidewalk and then draw on it with the chalk. It will turn to paint. b. Draw with chalk on a dry piece of paper. Take a tissue and smudge the edges out away from

the picture.

17. Straw art Place a blob of paint on the paper and then blow it around with a straw.

18. Homemade Finger Paints½ cup sweetened condensed milk6-8 drops of food coloringMix together until blended

¼ cup liquid starch 1 TBL tempera paintPour liquid starch and paint into a bowl and mix until well blended. Can store if kept covered.

½ c cornstarch 2 c water food coloring / tempera paintMix together in a saucepan and bring to a boil until mixture thickens. Allow to cool before adding food coloring.

1 c flour 1 c water 1 ½ tsp salt coloringCombine flour and salt, add water. Add coloring and mix together. A grainy quality for a different sensory experience.

¼ c soap flakes, food coloring, and ½ cup water. Mix with a hand mixer.

½ c tempera paint 1 ½ tsp dishwashing soap liquid

1 ½ c flour ½ water 1 TBL liquid detergent coloring Mix until it forms a smooth paste.

19. Reverse painting or stamping Paint a picture and then place a blank piece of paper over it to stamp capture the image. Lift the paper to see the image.

20. Salt or glitter PaintMix salt with powdered tempera paint and place in a salt shaker. Draw a picture with glue. Shake the salt mixture or glitter over top. Shake off extra salt or glitter and let the design dry. Thin out the glue with water and you can use a paint brush to paint the glue on.

Various Painting Mediums to use: Fingers, q-tips, toilet paper tubes, toothbrush, rubber band, sponges, straw blowing and stamping, toy car tires, eyedropper, forks, potato stamps, feathers, bubble wrap, string, paint bomb (nylon stocking with ½ c sand), fly swatter, flyswatter, strawberry baskets……

B. Draw / Color On or and With1. Rubbing Plates: Place a piece of paper over the rubbing plates or any rough surface or items and using any drawing medium to rub over the paper.

2. Leaf ART Find a colorful or green leaf. Place the leaf on light colored paper. Cover the leaf with muslin fabric. Pound it with a hammer and color on the paper and fabric with the leaf dye.

3. Sandpaper ColorColor on sandpaper. Place muslin fabric over it and iron it. The colors will imprint on the muslin.

4. 3-D art½ c glue ¼ c sand 2 TBL liquid paintMix in a baggie. Cut the tip off the baggie and draw with it.

5. Draw a picture or a letter with glue. Let it dry. Use water color paints over it to see it appear.

C. Mold and Construct1. Crazy Critters ½ c quick setting plaster of Paris 5 TBL water Balloon Funnel 1 TBL tempera paint or 5-7 drops of food coloring Supplies to decorate critterBlow up the balloon as large as possible a couple of times without tying it off. Allow it to stretch out. Deflate and place a funnel – like item into the opening of the balloon. Mix ingredients until smooth and pour them into the balloon. Remove the funnel and tie off the balloon. Stretch the balloon into any shape and hold until the plaster firms. Let the balloon sit for at least 1 hour before tearing off the balloon. Paint and decorate your critter.

2. Homemade PlaydoughRubbery Playdough:

2 cups baking soda 1/½ cups water1 cup cornstarchMix with fork until smooth. Boil over medium heat until thick. Spoon dough onto plate or wax paper until cool.

Kool-Aid Playdough:2 cups flour 2 packages Kool-Aid½ cup salt 1 cup boiling water2 teaspoons oilMix dry ingredients. Add boiling water and knead. Add oil. Add flour to desired consistency.

Play DoughIn a sauce pan mix: 1 c water, 2 TBL oil, and food coloringAdd: 1 c flour, ½ c salt, and 2 tsp cream of tartarCook over medium heat stirring constantly until not sticky. Let cool and store in a ziplock bag.

Soap doughMix together 2 C soap flakes, ½ c water, and food coloring. Beat with a mixer. Shape and let dry. Use it as a bar of soap.

No cook salt dough3 c flour ¼ c salt 1 c water 1 TBL oil Mix flour with salt. Add water, food coloring, and salt slowly. If mixture is too stiff, add more water . If too sticky, add more flour. INDIVIDUAL: ¼ c flour, 2 TBL salt, 2 ½ TBL

Perfect Dough2 cups flour 1 c salt 2 c water 2 TBL oil 2 TBL cream of tartar food coloringCombine dry ingredients. Add water and oil. Stir well. Microwave high for 4-5 minutes. Stir again. Microwave another minute. Stir until

water Optional: 1 tsp oil, 1 tsp cream of tartar

dough is consistency of mashed potatoes. Knead in food coloring. Store in zip-lock.

Peanut Butter clay1 c creamy peanut butter 3 Tbl honey 1 ½ c powdered milkMix together and knead until dough is smooth. Decorate creation with other food items like raisins and chocolate chips.

Chocolate Play clay16 oz ready to spread chocolate frosting1 c creamy peanut butter 1 ½ c powdered sugarCombine all ingredients.

D. Create1. Chain Loop

Make a chain of different colors and attach it together to make a rainbow or other item.

2. Chain loop picture Create different colors and sizes of paper strips. Lay the 2 ends of the paper strips flat on paper so that the loop is sticking off the paper. Staple the 2 ends to the paper to create a loop picture.

3. Magazine (bracelet) String Cut out long triangle strips from a magazine – make the tips come to a point. Roll triangles around a pencil/pen and glue down the points. String it together and tie off.

4. Crayon Melt Shavings Layout a square of wax paper. Gather crayon shavings from a rubbed against a cheese grater (less is more) onto the wax paper. Fold the wax paper in half. Place the wax paper in between newspaper or a towel and iron over the top of the towel to melt the crayon.

5. Paper Tear Collage Tear pieces of various colored paper or magazine pages. Glue it down to create a picture, word, a number…

6. Bean and Macaroni collage: Glue down the various collage supplies to create a collage, word, picture…..

Variation: Color 1 cup macaroni by soaking it in a mixture of 1 tsp rubbing alcohol and food coloring.

7. Rainbow Fish Share Give each child a copy of a fish. Give each child the choice between a piece of foil, and various squares of colored construction paper. Ask the children how they can make this a rainbow fish if they only have 1 color. Guide them towards tearing off pieces of their paper or foil and sharing with each other. Once the children have shared enough, the can create a tear art fish collage.

8. Crayon melt Hot glue a row of crayons onto a canvas or other surface. Use a blow dryer and melt the wax crayon so the wax drips and runs down and over the page. Leave the crayons attached to the page.

9. Magazine Butterfly or other creation Find 2 colorful pictures in a magazine. Cut them to the size you want. On a diagonal, fold them like a fan. Place the 2 pieces together on a criss cross and tie together with a pipe cleaner. Spread the wings out to reveal a butterfly.

10. Toilet Paper Tube JewelryCut a toilet paper tube down the middle so it is split open. Cut ends to a slight point and decorate the tube with, jewels, foil, color, etc…