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Painting for Kids: 
Maybe you are like my husband who used to ask (during the 6 years that I was a licensed childcare provider) “Why do the kids have to have markers or paint?”  Or even like the Childcare provider I talked to last weekend that shuddered and said, “I hate paint, it’s just too messy”.  Painting with the kids doesn’t need to be as messy as you think it is going to be and it is important for them to have the tactile experience of finger painting and the fun of painting with a brush There are so many ways to paint with kids, that I hope you will read on for many great ideas, projects, and links.
Why is painting important, and what will my kids be learning? Early experiences with paint are great for color recognition as kids choose what colors to paint with.  They will also begin to experience how the primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) , can be combined to create many other colors.  See this link for a full discussion of why kids should be painting. Kids get an opportunity to express emotions that they may not be able to talk about verbally when they paint a creative picture of some of their life experiences.  They also are increasing their fine motor skills as they use a paintbrush to get the paint on the paper, and create a recognizable image.  Coloring sheets and coloring books have their place, but consider giving them blank drawing paper to allow them to be more creative.

Different Kinds of Paint:
There are so many ways to use paint with kids, and so many different kinds of paint to use.  Here are some different kinds of paint.

- Tempera Paint: Tempera paint is a water-based paint that usually washes out of clothes and off hands.  If it has a detergent added to it, then it is considered a washable paint .  You can add a liquid dish detergent to any tempera paint to make it more washable.  Tempera paint is what you would normally use for kids art projects on paper, wood, or even to paint pet rocks.


- Finger Paint: Finger paint is similar to tempera paint, except that it is thicker and easier for kids to get their hands in and create a fun drawing.  It is probably best to use either thicker paper or a special finger paint paper with finger-paint so that kids don’t rub through the paper as they create their pictures.

- Watercolor for Kids: Watercolor paint comes in both a liquid and semi-moist form.  The easiest for kids to use are the semi-moist watercolors. They are easy for kids to use and then easy clean up too. 

Creative Projects with Paint
Make a place mat with 12 x 18 sheets of tag board, tempera paint, and alphabet and number sponges.  Allow kids to sponge paint their name, or several numbers on the tag board.  Dry the projects over night, or until completely dry.  Then place colored contact paper on the back of the tag board, and clear contact paper on the top. 

 

Use liquid water color to color home made play dough, gak, flubber, or even piles of shaving cream on a table. 

Beautiful Hand Prints: Use gold or silver metallic tempera paint to create festive hand print projects for Christmas.  Use heavy cardstock in dark colors such as burgundy, navy blue, forest green or deep red. Using silver or gold metallic tempera paint and one or two colors of either valutemp or washable paint, place several handprints on paper. Don't wash the child's hands between colors; the mixture gives the non-metallic paint a shimmery effect. Dry completely. Place a picture of the child and a typed copy of a handprint poem on top of the paper, allowing some handprints to show. Cut around edges of picture and poem with a scalloped edge or pinking sheers for nicer lines. Frame with an inexpensive wood or metal frame and you have a gift that parents or grandparents will treasure forever.

Links to Painting Techniques for Kids

Here is a fun marble painting idea. Another idea with marbles and painting is to use magnetic marbles.  Using a plastic tray or paper plate, spray shaving cream on the plate, then place 2 magnetic marbles in separate places on the shaving cream.  Put several drops of liquid watercolor on each marble.  Use 2 primary colors to show how they mix to make a new color.  Then move a super strong magnet underneath the plate to make the marbles move and mix the colors.

Here are some techniques and ideas to get you going with painting.

Here is an interactive site that talks about color mixing and primary colors.

There are so many great painting ideas out there.  Do a search on Google or any other search engine for more wonderful ideas.

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