I’m not sure that I’m in majority, but I love love love messy art projects.  Yes, they are a pain to clean up, but they are such a fun experience for the children because they never get to do stuff like this at home, and it’s always a new way to experience the materials that you’re using.  As for the cleaning part, the children are usually just as excited to help me clean up as they are to actually do the activity. Toothbrush painting can be done in a variety of ways – the most simple being to brush the bristles along the paper like you would with a traditional…

I’m not sure that I’m in majority, but I love love love messy art projects.  Yes, they are a pain to clean up, but they are such a fun experience for the children because they never get to do stuff like this at home, and it’s always a new way to experience the materials that you’re using.  As for the cleaning part, the children are usually just as excited to help me clean up as they are to actually do the activity. Today’s messy project is an awesome idea from Babble Dabble Do, click here to read more about Oil and Watercolors!

If you’re looking for a way to spark your students’ interest in painting, consider giving them something a little unusual to paint on.  This is a great way to learn about new materials; children can explore absorption, experiment with using different amounts of water, and see how different brushes work on different backgrounds.  Painting on a specific kind of material can also encourage children to explore the texture and detail of the material because the paint will intensify these details. Here is a great big list of things that you can paint on: Aluminum foil Waxed paper Saran wrap Press and Seal wrap Bubble wrap Canvas Velvet Leather Flannel Denim…