Your child will practice fine motor skills through a mess-free version of fingerpainting, using paint in a plastic bag.
Learning Area(s): Physical Development; Sensory and Art
MATERIALS
- Large sized (gallon) freezer Ziploc-type bags
- Several colors of paints
- Masking tape
LET'S PLAY
Put several spoonfuls of paint into a heavy duty, gallon-size ziploc bag. Close the bag while gently pressing out the air. Next tape over the zipper with masking tape. Then lay the bag flat on the table or floor and tape it in place.
Model drawing in the paint as your child watches. Encourage your child to use his fingers to draw in the paint and to mix the colors. He can try drawing squiggly lines, circles, and other shapes in the paint. As your child grows older, he can try drawing a picture, writing his name, or writing letters and numbers in the paint.
TIPS
- A lesson in color mixing can be done with older children—creating new colors from primary colors (e.g., red and yellow make orange, blue and yellow make green). Talk about how the colors mix together and form a new color. Say, “Oh, wow! Look, red and yellow make orange.” Continue mixing colors as long as your child is interested.
- Add shaving cream to the baggie for a slightly different sensory experience.