Art Works! is a series of blog posts created by the staff at www.EscapadeDirect.com that offer children of all ages and abilities the opportunity for hands-on art activities that allow them to explore, discover, and express their individual creativity.

We encourage parents to join in on the activities, too, and create their own Art Works!

Art Works! Activity #15: Finger Painting Fun

Kids of all ages just love to touch and feel their artwork – and this activity is hands-on fun!

Make sure to see our additional ideas for this product below.

What You Need:

• Finger Paints (click our Finger Paint Recipe to make your own, easy paint)


• White Paper or Art Board


• Art Tray or Cookie Sheet

What You Do:

• Place several colors of homemade finger paint (see recipe link above) or purchased finger paint into small bowls (recycled margarine tubs or plastic ice cube trays work great).


• Place a sheet of paper or art board on an art tray or on a cookie sheet (the tray or cookie sheet helps contain the paint).


• Let your children scoop out small amounts of paint onto the paper, and begin painting. Encourage your children to cover the entire paper while they create their works of art.


• When your child is finished with one painting, place it on an old newspaper to dry, and give them another sheet of fresh paper! Let your child create as many paintings as they would like.


• When the paintings are dry, have your child sign and date their artwork. This gives your children a sense of ownership and pride in their work.


• Hang the finished paintings on a bulletin board or on your refrigerator for the entire family to enjoy!

Variations:

• Use the finished paintings to create greeting cards or postcards to share with friends and family.


• Play music softly in the background as your child works. We highly recommend The Mozart Effect, Music for Children!


• While your child is painting, encourage them to talk about what they are feeling and thinking as they work. This can be a very relaxing time for children, and a great way to get to know them even better than you already do!


• For something really fun, let your kids use their toes to paint! The ooey-gooey feeling on their toes is just too fun to miss! Make sure to have your camera ready!


• Create a background with the finger paints and allow to dry. When the painting is completely dry, use a black permanent marker to draw pictures on top of the painted background. Be creative!


• Make a unique puzzle out of the finished paintings! Simply cut the painting into a variety of shapes. Mix up the pieces, then put them back together. This activity works best when the painting is created on an art board.


• Preserve your child’s paintings by taking digital photos! Set your camera for macro photographs and snap away. Digital pictures are easy to store and are fun to look back on when your kids are older. Make sure to take pictures of your children creating their artwork, too!

You Might Also Like:

Blank Art Boards – This set of art boards comes complete with easy-to-use hangers! Perfect for any work of art!

Water Wizard Buddha Board – Paint with water with this amazing buddha board!

Share Your Art Works! Activities!
If you have an Art Works! project that you would like to share, email us a digital picture (or scan) of your project , and we will post it in our Kids Gallery. If you would like, include the artists first name, age, and your state. It’s fun for kids to see how other children interpreted the project!

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As always, encourage your children to come up with their own new ideas for art – and make sure to check back next week for another Art Works! activity in this series!

Copyright © 2007-2009 Escapade Direct LLC. All rights reserved. All content on this site is property of Escapade Direct LLC and may not be used without our written permission.

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