Welcome back to Daily Creativity – a series about little things you can do daily that nurtures the artists with in. From cloud spotting, to cutting, to printing! All activities are open ended to focus on what you are doing and not the outcome. Mainy activities will easily take 5minutes here and there. Others may take a little set up (e.g. anything to do with paint!). But the idea is that you do them over and over again and not just once. A great time filler on a rainy day! Today we have Hands On Momma, Jamie visiting. And she explains how she address that problem of a “blank canvas” (which can be quite daunting)! If you haven’t read Jamie’s blog before Hands On As We Grow, you really should, it is jam packed of easy and fun activities for you and your children:
Asking the kids “Do you want to paint?” has a 50/50 chance of a “Yes!” On those lucky days that I get a yes, creativity is about to explode because the kids get full choice of what they want to paint, what with and even how they want to paint it.ย [Those creative days I look forward to the most, but they don’t always happen, do they?]
However, if I come up with a new way to paint like, “Do you want to paint with sponges and clothespins?”
Sometimes, just by throwing in one of the options for them it takes off the pressure of all the decisions. By giving the kids one of the what they want to paint, what with, or how they want paint, it opens up the creativity for them.ย [You know how you feel when you’re starting a big project and don’t know where to start? Its kind of the same for them at this point!]
By showing them one option, I’ve intrigued them. They jump at the chance to see how we’re going to paint with clothespins and sponges.
I simply set out a tray of washable paintsย [but you could also useย an edible finger paint recipeย for younger kids], cut up sponges and clothespins.
I clipped a couple clothespins onto sponges to show the kids to use them as their handle. But they were free to do as they pleased.
I also had a couple of stencils lying around, so Henry made butterflies by dabbing and smearing sponges of paint across them.
George was more into checking it out. What is this thing we’re painting with?
With and without the clothespin, George explored the paint filled sponged.
Jamie is the baker’s wife and a stay at home mom. Hands on : as we grow is all about the activities that she does at home with the kids [Henry, 4, and George, 22 months]. Lots of practical, easy activities are shared, and learning opportunities are snuck in whenever possible.
JDaniel4's Mom says
I bet he loved the feel of the wet sponge. It has such a wonderful texture!
Cerys @ Rainy Day Mum says
This is brilliant. We haven’t got sponges in our art equipment at the moment but I think it’s something that I have to add to it and clothes pegs as well.
Red Ted Art says
JDaniel4sMom – oooh good point about how painting with sponges FEELS!
Red Ted Art says
Cerys- you can cut up some oldish washing up sponges!
Bethany @ No Twiddle Twaddle says
What a creative idea! I like the point about making things less open ended helping kids too, I need to work on that.
Red Ted Art says
The kids are really enjoying it – though funnily enough, sometimes they need to get used to it? They are so drilled (by me) to be end goal orientated….
Isil says
I love the idea of using pegs to handle the sponges easily!
amber says
Fun idea my guy wants to paint every day so something new to try.
mari says
“nurturing the artist within” is my motto! love it!
Red Ted Art says
Thank you ladies, I think Jamie did a wonderful post!
The fairy and the frog says
Great idea to use a clothes peg
Emma @Mummymummymum says
I am off buy sponges tomorrow ๐
The Monko says
I think i might break out the laminator and make some stencils and try this with Goblin. We haven’t been doing any painting recently because he hasn’t been interested. This might reignite the spark. Thanks
jaime says
We have been slack on crafts lately, Love this and my son would have a lot of fun. Thanks_FSPDT
Debs- Learn with Play says
Using pegs on the sponges is such a good idea. We’ll use that next time! ๐
Allison says
Ooh I love the added clothespins. That’s a new one!
crystal @ Growing A Jeweled Rose says
Oh, I love how you used pegs with the sponges. Adds a whole new element
Ness @ One Perfect Day says
We’ve never tried sponges before, this looks like great fun. I also love the peg idea – great fine motor skills practise.