rain painting
July 14th, 2010
A while back when it was raining nonstop we made these very sweet rain paintings, but now that it’s extra hot I was thinking I’d turn on the sprinkler and make sprinkler paintings instead. I found the project at the crafty crow— where you can find every kid’s art project ever thought up–and you can find the original post about it here. To make rain paintings you crush up watercolor paints (we put them in plastic bags and banged on them with a rolling pin), sprinkle them on some paper and put it out in the rain.
It’s such a simple and quick project, but every part of it was exciting for the kids (and me): whacking the paints with the rolling pin, using the paints we “made” and standing out in the rain waiting to see what would happen.
After you decide the picture is done and pick it up, all the paint will run (and your sidewalk will turn bright blue). I was kind of disappointed when this happened, but my kids squealed with joy. We hung them up in the window to dry and they were so beautiful with the sun shining through them. The whole porch was bright and glowing even though it was still raining outside.
The pictures do fade when they dry, but then you can take a pen and turn your rain painting into a beautiful rain garden.
I had grand plans to do project after project with my kids this summer, but there has been more lazing around than anything else. This project, though, is right up my alley: simple, quick, bright, and all about the process. Anyone got any good preschool age art projects to recommend that have been a success? I’m thinking marble painting is next.
Maybe you already know about this one:Drop some globs of paint on the paper (the paint needs to be a bit watery) and then give everyone a straw to blow the paint around. It’s a lot of fun, though there will undoubtedly be some “drooling” involved!
This activity does not involve painting, but it is such fun:Mix a lot of cornstarch with some water in bowls and then just dig in with your hands and watch it run through your fingers. Squeeze it up, roll it around in your palms..watch it separate. It’s a delight!
Have fun! Ellen.
this looks like so much fun!! :)
So cool! I love it! We did a stint of coffee painting. It made for cool, sepia colored pictures. Super easy.
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Ha! I LOVE it… and it makes me miss the Midwest rain even more. We have “monsoon” season here in Arizona, but every year turns out to be a Nonsoon. I swear this is the only state that can give you seasonal depression from too much sun.
That looks like fun
Hmm, we’ve done weaving before (I just banged a bunch of nails into an old picture frame to make an lap loom). My son did well at some simple embroidery on monk’s cloth, but I haven’t tried it with my daughter yet.
Well on the same vein as your other projects, put some food colouring in some bubble mixture and blow the bubbles onto paper, it makes the prettiest pictures, and actually if you have some large bits of paper, it makes awesome wrapping paper!
Have you tried ice cube painting???
http://fuseinteriors.com/blog/2010/07/ice-cube-painting/
You’re the coolest mom, ever.
Soooooo coool! Thanks for sharing. ooh, I’ll have to try these other painting methods, too.
this looks like great fun–I think we’ll try it. There’s always painting on themselves, with poster paint or washable marker or whatever, then washing off in the hose/sprinkler. I guess paint in the grass is not the most environmentally friendly, now that I think of it, but if you were feeling very crunchy I guess you could do it with some kind of natural dye….
What a fun idea! I loved making sunprints when I was a kid. I can’t wait to do these kinds of fun projects with my girl. She’s only 2 so a little young.
I love rain painting!!
Oh, what a brilliant idea! We used to splatter paint with brushes and straws but something about getting out in nature is very appealing! Thanks~
Yes, the process looks so much fun, but I also like the idea of reworking the rain picture into another picture once it’s dry. I’ve linked here today:
http://www.playingbythebook.net/2010/08/05/waterfall-water-wall/
[…] Rain painting. Surely something we’ll have to try here soon. […]