Recipes for Art Experiences Textured Finger Paint 1 cup powdered detergent ¼ cup liquid starch Food colors or tempera paint Directions: mix together and enjoy on kraft paper, construction paper, boxes you name it! Finger Paint 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons cold water 1 cup boiling water Food coloring Directions: mix together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Add boiling water and stir. Add the food coloring, a few drops at a time. (Hint: use muffin tins or baby food jars to mix and store different colors.) Let cool before use. Finger Paint II Liquid starch Pan of water Containers for mixing paint Food coloring or tempera paint Shelf paper Newspapers Directions: Mix food coloring or tempera into liquid starch to make different colors of finger paint. Dip your paper into the water to wet it and lay it on the newspaper. Spread the paint with your fingers. Use your finished finger painting to: wrap a gift, cover a book, fold around important papers, frame a special poem, wallpaper a door, cut into flowers, etc Detergent Poster Paints 1 tablespoon liquid detergent 2 teaspoons powdered paint Directions: Combine liquid detergent and powdered paint in baby food jars or margarine tubs.
Scented Paint Add extracts to paint for a super sensory experience. Puffy Paint Equal parts of flour, salt and water Liquid tempera paint to desired color Cardboard squares or heavy paper Plastic squeeze bottles such as mustard or ketchup containers Directions: Mix equal parts of flour, salt and water in the bowl. Add liquid tempera paint. Pour into plastic squeeze bottles. Squeeze mixture onto cardboard or heavy paper. Mixture will harden into puffy shape. Colors will pool together without mixing. Allow experimentation in design and pattern. Salt Painting 1/8 cup liquid starch ½ cup salt 1 tablespoon tempera paint 1/8 cup water Paper plate, mat board or cardboard Brushes Directions: Mix together the starch, water, tempera and table salt. Apply mixture with a brush. Be sure to keep stirring the mixture. Painting will crystallize as it dries. Sidewalk chalk 2 parts Plaster of Paris 1 part water 3 ounce paper cups Tempera paint or food coloring Directions: Pour 2 parts powder into 1 part water. Let this sit without stirring for 5 minutes, then mix. After the mixture is smooth, add paint or food coloring and blend. Pour into 3 oz. paper cups and let dry overnight. Peel away paper and draw.
Sand Modeling Dough (makes 2 cups) 1 cup sand ½ cup cornstarch 1 teaspoon alum ¾ cup hot water Food Coloring Directions: Mix sand, cornstarch and alum in a bowl. Add hot water, stirring vigorously. Add food coloring if desired. Cook over medium heat until thick in pan. Cool. Model or mold into objects. Dry in sunshine for several days. It will be grainy and stone-like when dry. Does not need shellac or varnish for protection. Store leftover dough in airtight container. Cornstarch Dough ½ cup salt ½ cup hot water ½ cup cold water ½ cup cornstarch Mix salt and hot water. Boil in pan. Stir cold water into cornstarch in a bowl. Add cornstarch mixture to boiling water and stir. Cook over low heat, stirring until consistency is similar to pie dough. Remove and turn onto a board when cool. Knead until smooth. Texture should be slightly grainy and white. It hardens in one to two days. You can speed dry by cooking in 200 degree oven for an hour. Keeps for a long time if stored in an airtight container. Peanut Butter Dough (edible) 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup honey 2 cups powdered milk Directions: Mix all ingredients together. Form into balls and other shapes.
Kool Aid Dough 3 ½ cups flour 1 cup salt 2 packages unsweetened Kool Aid 3 teaspoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon alum (powdered) 2 cups water Directions: In bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. In saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Turn off heat and add oil. Pour oil and water mixture into the dry ingredients. Blend and knead. This dough lasts for months when stored in an airtight plastic container. It lasts even longer when the container is refrigerated. Note: Remind children that this dough is not to be eaten! Cornmeal Dough 1 ½ cups flour 1 ½ cups cornmeal 1 cup salt 1 cup water Directions: Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Add more water to form smooth dough. Forms smooth dough. Will keep up to six weeks in an airtight container. Sunshine Dough 3 cups salt 1 1/3 cups cornstarch 1 ¾ cup water, divided Directions: Combine salt and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until water evaporates about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Combine cornstarch and remaining water in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to salt mixture. Stir over low heat until thoroughly combined. Remove from heat. When dough is cool enough to handle, transfer to sealed plastic bag or other airtight container.
Sunny Day Sculptures Make Sunshine Dough ahead of time. Cover a table with a vinyl tablecloth; set out the Sunshine Dough and let children make sculptures. They may wish to press small pebbles, blades of grass, twigs, flowers or other bits of nature into their sculptures. Place the finished sculptures in a sunny spot to harden. This will take a day or two depending on the amount of direct sunlight. Hint: A spray bottle filled with water is handy for keeping the dough soft and pliable while children are working with it. Silly Putty 2 cups Elmer's Glue 1 ½ cups liquid starch Directions: Mix in a bowl using your hands until the starch dries the glue to the texture of Silly Putty. If mixture is too runny, add more starch. If mixture is too hard, add more glue. Store at room temperature in an airtight container. String Art Pour glue into a shallow container and dilute with water. Let the children dip short pieces of colorful yarn into the diluted glue. Have them arrange their stings on squares of waxed paper to create designs. Once the glues dries completely, carefully remove the waxed paper to reveal the child's String Art. Sawdust Modeling 4 cups sawdust 1 cup wheat paste 2 ½ cups water, with food coloring if desired Directions: Mix the sawdust, wheat paste and water. Mix, play and explore. Mixture will harden and dry. Children may paint the sculpture when it dries. You can spray the sculpture with clear enamel if you want to give it a shiny finish.
Wood Scrap Sculpture Assortment of wood scraps Construction paper pieces White glue Framing scraps Shop class scraps Paint and crayons Directions: Begin with a base piece of wood and glue each piece on as you go. When the children are satisfied with their sculpture, pieces may be painted or colored. Car Tracks Thick tempera paint Cookie sheet Small toy cars Paper Directions: Pour thick tempera paint onto a cookie sheet. Roll small cars through the paint. Drive the cars on a piece of paper, creating designs. You can also use an inkpad instead of paint. Blottos Thick tempera paint Spoon or brush Pre-folded paper Directions: Use a brush to drop thick globs of tempera paint on the fold or on one side of the paper. Fold over and press gently. Unfold. Have the children tell you about their shape. Crayons Wax Resist Crayons Paper Paint wash (watered down thin paint) Directions: Draw with crayon on paper using heavy pressure. Wash over the crayon design with a wash of tempera, watercolor or ink. Dark colors such as black, blue or purple are effective. For variety, draw with paraffin or a candle. Scrape through crayon drawing with scissors before putting on the wash for an etched effect.
Collage Art Collage art involves arranging and gluing a variety of things on a background. A collage usually involves a variety of textures. This is a design children can enjoy with their hands as well as their eyes. Background ideas: Shirt cardboards, poster board, construction paper, cardboard boxes, burlap, canvas, vinyl, wood, driftwood, plastic lids from coffee cans or Cool Whip containers. Torn Collages Provide a variety of papers for children to choose from, but remove all scissors. Encourage children to use tearing to create the shapes they want. Papers to include: foil, scraps of wrapping paper, tissue paper, magazine pages, newspaper, wall paper, old greeting cards, doilies, candy and gum wrappers. Nature Collages Take a nature walk and encourage children to collect interesting items they find along the way shells, twigs, seed pods, pieces of bark, pebbles, feathers, cones and leaves. String Collages Provide a variety of strings, yarns and ropes. Cut them into pieces and have children arrange them on a glue-covered surface. Colorful Bags Zip closure sandwich bags Shaving cream Red, yellow and blue food coloring Masking tape Directions: Help the children squirt about ½ the shaving cream into their bag. Add 5 or 6 drops of each color to the shaving cream. Seal the bag and add an extra seal with the masking tape. Let the children gently squish the bag in their hands to mix the shaving cream and food coloring. Have them identify the new colors they make.
Scrap Painting Invite the children to try painting on corrugated cardboard, sand paper, boxes, cardboard tubes, newspaper pages, brown paper grocery sacks, rocks, shells and small pieces of wood. These surfaces offer a unique painting experience for young children. Rubbing Art Gather a collection of flat items of various textures like sand paper, corrugated cardboard, leaves, etc. Using tape or poster putty, secure items to a tray or table top. Assist children in placing a sheet of drawing or butcher paper over the items and tape it in places. Use the sides of unwrapped crayons or homemade crayons to rub over the objects. You can also take a walk with crayons and paper and do the rubbings on a tree trunk, picnic table, shells, leaves, feathers, or seedpods. Travel Kits Gather markers, colored pencils, pencil sharpener, large index cards and a pad of drawing paper. Tuck everything into a small tote bag or back pack that can travel anywhere your child goes in the summer. Taking a Trip? Encourage your child to create a picture journal of the places you visit and things you see along the way.