Finger painting
Finger
painting is such an easy and absorbing activity for toddlers and young
children. Yes, it is messy but with a few minutes preparation, your child will
be happily engaged for ages and clearing up will be a cinch! And, while they
are enjoying the freedom of self-expression, it’s good to know that there are
many benefits too, including:-
- Hand-eye co-ordination and fine motor development are reinforced
- Mixing colours is explored
- Little people can access painting without having to deal with brushes
- It’s therapeutic and fun
Preparation
1.
Cover a table with a wipe clean tablecloth
2.
Dress your child in suitable clothing. I put Jacob in an old coverall
that is kept for messy activities. Roll sleeves up – yours and your child’s!
3.
Use a large piece of paper for painting on. I used a double-sided A3
painting book but a roll of lining paper is ideal. Much cheaper as well!
4.
Take the lids off the tubs of finger painting and let them dive in. Early
Learning Centre do a pack of 6 for less than £5; Amazon also sell them. The packs will say that they are suitable for children of 3 years and above - you just need to make sure that younger
children are not eating the paint!
You can
extend the activity by encouraging mark-making with fingertips, a plastic fork
or similar object.
We then moved on to finger painting on a piece of tin foil
wrapped around a baking tin to keep it in position.
All very satisfying!
The finger paint we used came from Aldi and came off hands and arms extremely easily!
Have fun :)!
Love Chamomile Baby x x
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