EASY KIDS' ART PROJECT

It's early Monday morning and I can hear the arctic winds blasting through the trees and rattling the windows. It's such a change from yesterday, a day when we finally got to enjoy being outside in the sunshine without having to dress like the Michelin tire man just to ward off hypothermia. It was fabulous. Fabulous! Another exciting tidbit: it's no longer pitch black at 5 o'clock. Even on a cloudy day, it's still fairly light until 5:30. Now if we could just get those temperatures to cooperate, we may actually be able to be outside and enjoy it a bit...

This weekend, I was looking through ancient photos (and not bawling my eyes out over how fast my babies have grown, no, of course not!) and happened upon a fun art project that I never ended up sharing. The kids really liked this one, so if you're stuck indoors too, maybe you'll enjoy this as well. One word of caution: this is a two-step project, which requires painting and drying time, so you do have to plan accordingly. We did the first part in the morning, and by afternoon the paint was dry and we were able to finish. You could also complete part one in an evening and save part two for the next day.

MATERIALS

cardboard/stock paper (the inserts in calendars and photo frames work great!)

crayons

acrylic paint + semi-wide brush

paper clip

paper towels/ table mat

First, let your kids draw all over the cardboard in whatever designs, colors, shapes, etc they want. You want to have every space colored in.

Second, place a small amount of paint on a paper plate or other surface; paint the entire surface, covering over all the crayon. Painting in solid lines/strokes from top to bottom worked best for these little fingers. Black paint covers the bet, but we used other colors, too- they may just need a second coat of paint to completely cover the crayon drawings.

Set aside to let paint dry completely.
And just sit back and stare at this sweet little teeny-tiny hand. Or maybe that's just me?

Once the paint is dry, you are ready to create complete your masterpiece.

Bend out one end of a paperclip- we like the coated ones- or you can use a bobby pin or other similar item, and let your little artists etch out a scene or design on the painted surface, revealing the hidden colors underneath. It's like magic.  ;)

Voila!

I helped Isabelle paint her cardboard, but the boys wanted to do it all by themselves. They did a great job, and they were truly proud of their work, without any interference from Mom (who has a hard time relinquishing control, ahem...).

I hope you have fun if you and your artists decide to make some of these fun little projects! They are such a great way to use up those cardboard insert odds and ends from calendars and such, so you're being environmentally conscious as well. Woo-hoo!