cotton tips

As we are still unpacking after moving houses, I couldn't put my hands on any paint brushes, but then remembered how much children enjoy using cotton-tips to paint with. They are easy for them to handle and they create fine, delicate lines.

We used coloured dye for this activity, putting small amounts of dye (that I had mixed up from eticol dye powder) in glass jars. Food colouring drops mixed with a small amount of water would be just as effective.

For something different, Finn decided he wanted to use a sponge roller to dip in the dyes. It was much more difficult to handle, and the lines a lot chunkier- but it created an enjoyable painting experience for him.

mixed media collage

I offered a selection of different materials for the children to experiment with today, including Felt, buttons, and coloured paper to tear and cut. I also gave them some watered down PVA glue, and some large envelopes to paste onto.

When assisting children with their art- parents and carers should try to let them do as much as possible- this includes letting them glue for themselves. Children love to use glue, and will love experiencing it- even if there is nothing to stick on to it!

I make sure there are always textas, pens or pencils close by, so the children can add any detail to their artwork that they may not be able to create with the collage materials. Just remind them to wait until the glue is dry before working into it.