Earth Day is around the corner and in general we’re talking a lot about conserving and repurposing things. I love when Gigi opens a gift and then points to the box or bag and says “We can make art out of this, mama.” Proud moments. This invitation to paint is a great use of recyclables and really fun process art for young children.
Did you know Ikea is a great resource for art supplies? They are constantly coming out with new supplies, like these squeeze paint bottles I couldn’t resist. The colors are so pretty and the paint squeezes out really easily. The only bummer is we went through the paint pretty quickly. I’d love them twice the size. My favorite art tool from Ikea is their easel for 14.99! You can’t beat the price and they are perfect for indoor and outdoor painting.
I set out five or six different recycled materials on a tray, including an egg carton, a styrofoam ring, a small tube, half of a cut up water bottle and a strawberry container. I tried to pick things that were easy and interesting for little hands to grab. I put out paint in Ikea flat bowls that come in pretty colors and are really durable and easy to clean. At 1.99 for a package of 6, they are pretty fantastic. We use the silverware and bowls too!
The station was all ready to go when the girls woke from their naps. Their faces are priceless when they walk out into the backyard and see something beautiful to play with. Usually Gigi yells out “Oh my goodness!” and I totally melt. They immediately got to painting, trying each object in the paint. D was quick to just smoosh her hands right into the paint bowls and make hand prints. My girls are definitely not afraid to get messy! I keep a bucket on hand filled with water for hand washing.
This was a great, messy process that my girls really enjoyed. Eventually they added big paint brush strokes to their art and then sprayed it down with some water from a nearby bucket. If you like this idea, please check out some other process art ideas here and here. We are HUGE process art fans for young children. Enjoy!
