Spring is definitely a time to explore creatively and to get your hands dirty. With that in mind, the focus this issue is on exploration and process rather than results. The results can be lovely but it’s really about having fun. Both these activities are great for toddler and older kids.
Edible Paint Car / Dino Wash
You’ll need: some things to paint that can easily be wiped off; little cars or figurines
several small plastic bowls, some small paint brushes, plain or vanilla yogurt, food colouring, spoon, small tub of warm water and towel
The recipe is simple: plain yogurt and a few drops of food colouring. Drop a bit of each color into separate bowls and encourage your child to paint the items. Leave the spoon out to let them experiment with color mixing. Kids always gravitate towards water and they love scrubbing the things off. Give them a small rag or an old toothbrush to scrub with. Note: you can also do this activity with shaving foam, just a bit of foam in each bowl and a few drops of food colouring.
Balloon Painting
You’ll need: small balloons, heavier paper, some pie-tins or paper plates, some acrylic paint or the shaving foam paint in the above recipe
Blow up a few balloons in various sizes but small enough that they can be dipped in the paint easily. Set out a few plates with a fair-sized dollop of paint in the middle of each. If using acrylic, it can be nice to add some white to all the colors, as the effect becomes less muddy. Show your child how you can dip, roll, and even bounce your balloon on and across the paper to achieve different effects. Have fun!
