Toddler finger painting
Laurie
using washable markers and crayons for a while now, so last week I went out and
bought some fingerpaint and one of those extra large pads of paper. Since the
weather is so crappy, yesterday was the perfect day to try it.
What a disaster!!!!!!!!! :)
How on earth do you set it up so that paint doesn't get everywhere? Do you use
little plastic dishes for the paint, or paper cups, or just pour a tiny bit on
the paper itself?
What I did was to throw a sheet on the floor under her "Little Tikes" picnic
table, and that worked well. Of course she had her art smock on, too, but the
problem was getting the paint to the paper without getting it ALL over the
table and up to her elbows. I mean, I'm expecting a mess, but this was really
too much. I got covered just by trying to clean her up! We do have a
masterpiece to show for it, but I'm not willing to do it again, say, this YEAR
if I don't get a better system down. ;) I'm wondering if buying some brushes
would be a better idea but then, well, it wouldn't be finger painting!!!
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!!!
laurie
mommy to Jessica, 19 months &
boy peanut, due 4/10/02
fi
I also make it up myself, so make it easy to clean.
I use cornflour and food colouring.
I do it outside, and when finished...hose the area, and its all cleaned up,
hose table and all.
All the best
Fiona
"Laurie" <mugsy...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20021117140530...@mb-fl.aol.com...
Nan
Try flour paints.
Mix flour with some water and kool aid (for color).
Still a bit messy, but not too horrible to clean up.
You might try letting her sit in a highchair and fingerpaint with pudding,
also.
Nan
JennP
picnic
> table, and that worked well. Of course she had her art smock on, too, but
the
> problem was getting the paint to the paper without getting it ALL over the
> table and up to her elbows. I mean, I'm expecting a mess, but this was
really
> too much. I got covered just by trying to clean her up! We do have a
> masterpiece to show for it, but I'm not willing to do it again, say, this
YEAR
> if I don't get a better system down. ;) I'm wondering if buying some
brushes
> would be a better idea but then, well, it wouldn't be finger painting!!!
I would do the sheet under the picnic table thing, but let her wear just a
diaper and prepare for bath time afterward. Let her paint herself if she
wants to. What I usually do is paint in the kitchen on the floor with
dropcloths, let him wear just a diaper and spray him off in the kitchen sink
before going up to the bath. Now that he's two, he's getting a little big
for the sink of course, so I just have him sit on the edge and we do a
little sponge bath. Just prepare yourself for the fact that it will get
messy, but if you can contain it to one area and don't have to traipse
through the house wearing paint then don't worry.
As far as the paint, I just put it on blobs on the paper. He smears it
around from there.
JennP.
Kavvy
> How on earth do you set it up so that paint doesn't get everywhere?
> Do you use little plastic dishes for the paint, or paper cups, or
> just pour a tiny bit on the paper itself?
I use brushes but it is still messy. Not as bad as finger paints though I
bet. Luke has just recently stopped trying to eat the paint but he wants to
pour it back and forth between jars or hold it, which he always dumps then.
They make no-spill paint jars with big fat brushes. You might try a couple
of those. She can always smear it around on the paper with her fingers
after she gets it there with a brush if she wants. Hunter has zero interest
in fingerpainting but has loved using a brush since forever. We do it
outside in the summer and in the kitchen in the winter. The kitchen has a
washable floor and right by the sink for clean up. They make bath tub
paints to although I've never tried them. I also vote for naked baby
painting when indoors :-)
--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (3) and Luke (1)
Sue
hobby stores have little containers that would seem good for toddlers and
finger painting.
--
Sue
mom to three girls
"Laurie" <mugsy...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20021117140530...@mb-fl.aol.com...
fi
Let her squeeze it on and then use her fingers
Just a thought
Fiona
"Laurie" <mugsy...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20021117140530...@mb-fl.aol.com...
Laurie
>I also make it up myself, so make it easy to clean.
>I use cornflour and food colouring.
>I do it outside, and when finished...hose the area, and its all cleaned up,
>hose table and all.
>
>
>All the best
>Fiona
Now that would be dandy to do it outside, but it's in the 30's to 40's (F) and
would be a bit chilly. ;) Thanks Fiona!
Laurie
>Mix flour with some water and kool aid (for color).
>Still a bit messy, but not too horrible to clean up.
>You might try letting her sit in a highchair and fingerpaint with pudding,
>also.
>Nan
The fingerpaint that I bought did wash easily, but is the flour and Kool Aid
thing even easier?
Laurie
>
>I would do the sheet under the picnic table thing, but let her wear just a
>diaper and prepare for bath time afterward. Let her paint herself if she
>wants to. What I usually do is paint in the kitchen on the floor with
>dropcloths, let him wear just a
>diaper and spray him off in the kitchen sink
>before going up to the bath. Now that he's two, he's getting a little big
>for the sink of course, so I just have him sit on the edge and we do a
>little sponge bath. Just prepare yourself for the fact that it will get
>messy, but if you can contain it to
>one area and don't have to traipse
>through the house wearing paint then don't worry.
>
>As far as the paint, I just put it on blobs on the paper. He smears it
>around from there.
>JennP.
That's what I ended up doing (blobs on the paper) and that seemed to work.
Looks like I'm just doomed for a mess. :) For the life of me I can't figure
out why it didn't make *nearly* this much mess at playgroup!
Laurie
>paints to although I've never tried them. I also vote for naked baby
>painting when indoors :-)
>
>
>--
>Nikki
I'm going to get Jess some of those for Christmas, it looks like fun!
Nan
>> Try flour paints.
>> Mix flour with some water and kool aid (for color).
>> Still a bit messy, but not too horrible to clean up.
>> You might try letting her sit in a highchair and fingerpaint with
>> pudding, also.
>
>> Nan
>
> The fingerpaint that I bought did wash easily, but is the flour and
> Kool Aid thing even easier?
For us it is, and less expensive, too :-)
Nan
Lisa
> From: mugsy...@aol.com (Laurie)
> Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com
> Newsgroups: misc.kids
> Date: 17 Nov 2002 19:05:30 GMT
> Subject: Toddler finger painting
>
> Jessica has fingerpainted at playgroup before, and she loves it. We've been
> using washable markers and crayons for a while now, so last week I went out
> and
> bought some fingerpaint and one of those extra large pads of paper. Since the
> weather is so crappy, yesterday was the perfect day to try it.
>
> What a disaster!!!!!!!!! :)
>
> How on earth do you set it up so that paint doesn't get everywhere? Do you
> use
> little plastic dishes for the paint, or paper cups, or just pour a tiny bit on
> the paper itself?
I paint a lot and I gave my kids a little thing I use myself. I can't
remember its proper name right now, but I found it in the crafts section at
Wal-Mart. It's about the size of a salad plate and had little indentions in
it (looks like an artist's palette) that aren't very deep. I squirt a little
paint in each indention and turn them loose.
>
> What I did was to throw a sheet on the floor under her "Little Tikes" picnic
> table, and that worked well. Of course she had her art smock on, too, but the
> problem was getting the paint to the paper without getting it ALL over the
> table and up to her elbows. I mean, I'm expecting a mess, but this was really
> too much. I got covered just by trying to clean her up! We do have a
> masterpiece to show for it, but I'm not willing to do it again, say, this YEAR
> if I don't get a better system down. ;) I'm wondering if buying some brushes
> would be a better idea but then, well, it wouldn't be finger painting!!!
Did the paint soak through the sheet? Seems like it would, and that *would*
be a mess :) Maybe you could throw down one of those plastic drops that go
under highchairs (or even a vinyl shower curtain). When she's finished,
pitch it in the washer.
Also, when I clean up my kids' paint, I squirt the mess (we have an old
table they use) with 409 and then wipe up. Just cleaning up with water seems
to smear the paint even more. The two older kids don't make a big mess--it's
my 2-year-old who does. After she's done, she usually gets hauled to the tub
:)
I let the kids use brushes, but it causes more problems for me. The youngest
one likes to shake her brush and paint flies everywhere. I'd much rather she
finger paint!
Lisa
Mom to 3
GI Trekker
one of my memories was my mother setting up a fingerpainting setup for me and I
wanted no part of it. She gave me a couple of paint brushes and I was perfectly
happy. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with fingerpainting, but just
maybe, your child might enjoy painting with brushes a bit more -- and it just
might be neater. ;)
Laurie
>
>I paint a lot and I gave my kids a little thing I use myself. I can't
>remember its proper name right now, but I found it in the crafts section at
>Wal-Mart. It's about the size of a salad plate and had little indentions in
>it (looks like an artist's palette) that aren't very deep. I squirt a little
>paint in each indention and turn them loose.
That's a great idea.
>> What I did was to throw a sheet on the floor under her "Little Tikes"
>picnic
>> table, and that worked well. Of course she had her art smock on, too, but
>the
>> problem was getting the paint to the paper without getting it ALL over the
>> table and up to her elbows. I
>mean, I'm expecting a mess, but this was really
>> too much. I got covered just by trying to clean her up! We do have a
>> masterpiece to show for it, but I'm not willing to do it again, say, this
>YEAR
>> if I don't get a better system down. ;) I'm wondering if buying some
>brushes
>> would be a better idea but then, well, it wouldn't be finger painting!!!
>
>Did the paint soak through the sheet? Seems like it would, and that *would*
>be a mess :)
I didn't let it get that far, but it could have. :) She really didn't drop the
paint at all, it was just there for splatters.
>I let the kids use brushes, but it causes more problems for me. The youngest
>one likes to shake her brush and paint flies everywhere. I'd much rather she
>finger paint!
>
>Lisa
>Mom to 3
Thanks Lisa!
Matt - Co-owner
Ever try tire painting? Giving her a toy truck to roll around in the paint
then roll the truck onto the paper...
>How on earth do you set it up so that paint doesn't get everywhere? Do you
>use
>little plastic dishes for the paint, or paper cups, or just pour a tiny bit
>on
>the paper itself?
You:
--Get paint that is easy to clean up.
--Get dirty, old clothes for the child
--Protect whatever you need to protect on your floor with towels or something
similar
--Present the materials with some structure so it limits that "free for all"
mentality.
Remember that toddlers crave structure and doing things a certain way. Even if
they don't master it the first time, they generally love to have a set way to
do it.
>I'm wondering if buying some brushes
>would be a better idea but then, well, it wouldn't be finger painting!!!
But it would be painting, which is a different activity that might be enjoyed.
You can also do a lot of fun activities that children this age LOVE and are
easier to clean up.
Shaving cream with food coloring is one of my favorite activities with this age
group.
I have seen children play with shaving cream for an hour or more at a
time...and all it takes to clean them up is a wet wash cloth (and maybe washing
the clothes if it has food coloring)
Check out www.123child.com and click on the Activity Place link. There are
some great art ideas in there as well if the finger painting gets too messy.
Matt
Bronsil Web Design
BronzeDesign.web.com
Kavvy
> Shaving cream with food coloring is one of my favorite activities
> with this age group.
>
> I have seen children play with shaving cream for an hour or more at a
> time...and all it takes to clean them up is a wet wash cloth (and
> maybe washing the clothes if it has food coloring)
Don't ask me any questions ;-) but I know from personal experience that it
is super super difficult to get shaving cream out of your hair. They do
make foam soap for kids which is basically the same thing. Smells like
berries too :-)
Shelley W.
> out why it didn't make *nearly* this much mess at playgroup!
>
> laurie
> mommy to Jessica, 19 months &
> boy peanut, due 4/10/02
Maybe you can ask whoever ran the playgroup what their secret is and
then share it with us if they had any great ideas.
Shelley W.
Mom to Jacob (Jan 16/02)
Laurie
>some great art ideas in there as well if the finger painting gets too messy.
>
>Matt
>Bronsil Web Design
>BronzeDesign.web.com
>
Thanks for the great ideas, Matt!
Laurie
That's my plan for tomorrow! Thanks, Shelley!
Laurie
>is super super difficult to get shaving cream out of your hair. They do
>make foam soap for kids which is basically the same thing. Smells like
>berries too :-)
>
>Nikki
>Mama to Hunter (3) and Luke (1)
>
>
He He He <snicker> <snort> <laugh>
:)
Sarah
Nan wrote:
>
> Try flour paints.
> Mix flour with some water and kool aid (for color).
> Still a bit messy, but not too horrible to clean up.
> You might try letting her sit in a highchair and fingerpaint with pudding,
> also.
>
> Nan
And if you add a little washing up liquid (detergent) if any does get on to
clothes accidently its supposed to wash off more easily. I do that with shop
bought paints.
Sarah
Sarah
Laurie wrote:
>
> That's what I ended up doing (blobs on the paper) and that seemed to work.
> Looks like I'm just doomed for a mess. :) For the life of me I can't figure
> out why it didn't make *nearly* this much mess at playgroup!
>
> laurie
> mommy to Jessica, 19 months &
> boy peanut, due 4/10/02
What I used to do with dd at Jessicas age was to put some blobs of paint
directly onto her high chair tray. Then she could squidge them around as much as
she liked. To preserve the painting we would then carefully lay a piece of paper
over the top of the paint swirls and lift it off, so it transferred on to the
paper (hope that makes sense)
That way only dd and the tray got messy.
Sarah H
Laurie
>directly onto her high chair tray. Then she could squidge them around as much
>as
>she liked. To preserve the painting we would then carefully lay a p
>iece of paper
>over the top of the paint swirls and lift it off, so it transferred on to the
>paper (hope that makes sense)
>That way only dd and the tray got messy.
>Sarah H
That's a great idea. Thanks!
Sarah
Laurie wrote:
:)
Cool
Sarah H