Sometimes I feel like a total failure. I look at my little guys and realize I haven’t painted with them in absolutely ages. With my older three we seemed to always paint, do play-doh, and make crafts. The little boys play so well together that sometimes I forget to plan structured activities for them to go along with their daily play and school.
Last week I was reading my favorite kids activity book, Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun.
Anyway, I decided to set up the kitchen table so the little boys could paint. They had such a great time. And the best part? It was totally easy. It took two minutes to get out all the supplies, another two minutes to get them ready and covered up, and two minutes for them to be done! Just kidding – they really enjoyed painting and I enjoyed watching them explore their world further.
Supplies you need:
- Children – helpful but not totally necessary I suppose!
- Paper
- Paint
- Water
- Brushes
- Individual plates so they don’t have to share, because sharing is terrible. Awful and terrible!
- Patience and some fun spirit!
Who out there paints with their kids? Were you at all like I was, and feeling like it took too much time? I hope you do it more often than I did – I know I will!! Diane
Thank you for sharing your family with us! I only have two children, but they are only 11 months apart. (My sons are now 33 & 34.) Your pics made me remember those days. I’d like to do it over again–but better. It sounds like you, however, are doing a great job the first time! Deb
I have always enjoyed painting with my 2 kids when they were younger! My daughter always ended up mixing all of her colors together and ending up with brown lol. My son was born with CP, so his paintings were usually done by me painting his hands and putting hand prints all over the paper. I grew up with a neighbor who always did so many crafts (she is the one who taught me how to crotchet), so I have always wanted to instill crafts in my childrens lifes too. (play dough was something we made weekly for the longest time) and for fathers day, the kids and I would go for a nature walk and collect leafs/twigs to paint and make small books for him.
Your children look like they are having a ball! It will be a memory they will remember when they are older and have kids of there own I am sure!
On Tuesday, I asked my 6th graders to somehow represent the reason that we have seasons. I left it rather open ended because I love to see what they come up with on their own without my “guidelines.” So..today I come in and several groups decided that painting boxes was the first step in their processes. It was messy, a bit disorganized, and WONDERFUL. I feel like my class is alive when the kids get to do activities like this…I just wish I could keep the paint a bit more contained like it looks like your children have done!