Kids just love painting! Lets face it, it's messy business, but it's one of those activities that make the setting up & cleaning up worth while when you see the proud look on your mini Picasso's face as his masterpiece takes pride of place on the fridge for all to admire. You might find some new ways to make your painting sessions fun & interesting here......

Some tips before you start

• If you don’t have a tap close by put a bucket of warm soapy water & wash cloth next to the painting area for a quick clean-up 
• Always use an art smock as even water based paints are hard to get out of clothes
• It helps to have reasonably thick paper as butchers paper (newspaper thickness) gets wet and tears easily
• I usually lay down layers of large paper with a spot of blutac or tape in between each layer to hold the paper in place. When that masterpiece is finished you can lift it to reveal a clean slate to start another
• Get all your equipment out and ready to go before you let little ones loose near any paint, this way you are ready to supervise 100% and can avoid any 'accidents' before you even start

Finger Painting

Obvious right! Lay out a large piece of paper on a kids table and spoon or squeeze 2-3 different colours onto the paper – let them go for it! Enjoying the sensation of the paint on their hands and making all sorts of patterns in the paint. 

Paint Scraping

Once the paint has been spread over the paper kids will love making lines, Swirls and squiggles with different things you can find around the house or shed like combs, grout scrapers 

Mirror Images

Once the work of art is finished, place another plain piece of paper over the top and rub lightly to transfer the patterns 

Spray Painting

Stick some large pieces of paper on an easel, fence or brick wall. Use 2-3 different colours of thin water paint in a spray bottle (around $1 at the supermarket or junk shop). Spray the paint onto the paper, adjusting the nozzle to change the stream. The colours will run down the paper, mixing and making fun patterns

Dropper Paint

Using an eye dropper (from old medicine bottle is handy) and water paints the kids can experiment by sqeezing the paint out with fast squirts or slow drops to make different patterns - make sure they are aimed at the paper though!! 

Brushes Galore

Use pastry brushes, toothbrushes, scrubbing brushes, shaving brushes, small house painting brushes or any other kind of brush you can think of in different sizes and textures. Try to keep the brushes in their original colours to keep them true and see which brushes are making which pattern and colour. Also try painting with rollers.  

Sponge Shapes

Although you can buy many different types of sponge brushes at craft or junk stores you can make your own from household sponges by cutting out different shapes (you could even get the kids to draw the shapes on for you to cut). Holding onto the sponge pieces with a peg & dab them into the colours. If you have different textured sponges watch the different patterns that form 

Candle Painting

For an extra special affect draw patterns & shapes on a piece of paper using candles. Paint over it with thin water paint and watch the patterns appear as the wax resists the paint

Paint Stamping

You can buy rubber or spongy precut stamps or make them yourself from sponges or potatoes

Paint Splatting or Flicking

Best attempted with older children (maybe 4+) and would have to be the most fun - scoop a small amount of paint onto a long brush or flexible plastic spoon and throw or flick the paint onto your desired surface. This one is definitely best outside!

You might even have a dull outdoor surface like this one that needs some brightening up!