PAINTING ACTIVITY ON THE TABLE WITH KIDS
PAINTING ON THE TABLE WITH KIDS
This activity is super simple, great for a crowd, and only takes a a little bit of forethought. We’ve been doing this open-ended painting activity for years and the result is unique every time.
YOU WILL NEED:
Washable paint
Sturdy, wide butcher’s paper
Paint Brushes
A few recycled jars
An object shaped like a rectangle to trace (you could use a book or a tray)
HOW TO:
Roll out your paper onto the table. Cut it to size and secure it to the table with painter’s tape.
Decide on a complimentary color pallet. (If I don’t want the painting to become muddy, I use the color mixing chart in one of my favorite resources, Carboard Creations by Bar Rucci.) Often times, I let the children choose the colors we are going to use. Fill jars a quarter of the way and add a brush for each color. ( I do not add water or the opportunity for washing brushes with this activity. )
Trace your rectangle in a repeating pattern over the table. Use a dark marker so that it will show well. You can use any repeating shape you’d like.
Bring in your kids and watch them paint. You’ll probably want to get in there yourself at some point. I often paint along side my crew.
*PRO TIP: not brave enough for paint? Start with water colors or even markers!
We let the large mural dry over night and then go back at it with a completely different color scheme. The result is often stunning and the children can often repeatedly work on the same mural for a week straight.
*While the paint we use is washable, I would still recommend washing soiled clothing right away