What does your preschooler love so much about paint? Is it the color? The fun mess it creates? Or is it being able to express their own creativity and design in their work? We asked a preschool class – and the verdict was a collection of all three of those amazing qualities!
Color is just one component of painting that your child finds so appealing! The ability to use and see vibrant colors usually found in the prettiest flowers, sunsets, and landscapes. Paint can bring the most beautiful and colorful aspects of a child’s world to life on their page.
But what are their favourite paints to make use of all three of these important aspects of painting? We have experimented with plenty and created a list of our favorites – so you can give your child what’s best! Here is a list of our top four:
- Tempera Paint: An inexpensive paint option that is easy to find at any local craft store.
- Watercolor Paint: Available in watercolor cakes or liquid watercolors. These paints are a great way for children to experiment with a different painting application entirely!
- BioColor Paint: This paint is extra adhesive to whatever canvas your child is using, plus super shiny and vibrant when dry! More costly than tempera paint, but worth the extra buck if you are creating a special craft you want to last a long time.
- Finger Paints: You know this one! A classic preschooler favourite (and one of ours as well)!
Some fun techniques you can use with these paints include:
Splatter painting: This is a super messy (and super fun) action-oriented painting technique that includes throwing, tossing, or firing a splatter of paint onto their canvas! This technique is better suited for outdoors. Don’t forget to get a Brat Mat and Sassy Bib for this messy adventure! Help protect your furniture and little one’s clothing.
Wheel/roller painting: This is a fun technique to use if you’re looking for something other than a paint brush. Use a small painting roller or drive a little toy car’s car wheels over your paint and paper and create cool loops, smears, and designs! Brat mats are extra handy here as you can drive all over them and simply wipe away the mess or throw them in the washing machine!
Watercolor reaction painting: This is a fun technique that uses watercolor, salt, and alcohol to change your paints and patterns on your canvas! Children love to see how things react, watch how these different materials can react in your artwork! Parental assistance will be required.
Shaving cream painting: This is a fun temporary technique that uses shaving cream and food coloring. A great way to make bath time fun, or arts and craft time! Sassy Bibs will be helpful in keeping this off your favorite shirts.
Marble rolling: Paint with marbles! Fun and messy, try dipping a marble in a paint color and rolling it around on your canvas for fun long lines and designs! You already know that Brat mats are your best friend for this project.
Try experimenting by adding different medians to your child’s artwork for extra creativity points! Looking for some cool new things to try? How about using a halved apple as a painting stamp? Or sprinkling some glitter over some still wet paint? Fuzzy wire piping designs can make cool creatures to glue onto your landscape! Why not add some googly-eyes for some extra movement and fun!
There is always so much to do in an arts and craft room, the possibilities are endless!
