Salt Painting!! It’s so much fun. For real. Kids seriously love salt painting. It’s one of those process art activities that never fails and you can do it so many different ways. Check it out in the vid and keep reading for the easy 3 step process. Once you have the materials you can do this over and over and you’re kids will love it. Plus, it’s a great mix of science and art. Bonus points.
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Materials
liquid watercolors
liquid droppers aka pipettes
any kind of strong paper, cardboard (we used a few surfaces including paper plates)
salt (the cheaper the better)
white glue
Step 1
On your paper surface make a design with white glue. It can be as thick or thin as you want. Make sure you have some crisscrossing lines. It will be more fun once you get to the painting part.
Step 2
Sprinkle salt all over your glue painting. Knock the excess salt back into a bowl so you can reuse it.
Step 3
Dip the droppers into liquid watercolors and make drops all over your salt painting. You can mix colors right on your painting. Watch as the colors travel and blend into each other to make a gorgeous painting.
A note about liquid watercolors
This has been an absolute favorite art activity with the kids I work with. We’ve done salt painting in all kinds of ways, including salt painting collages, salt words like in the video and flower paintings. (posts coming soon) It’s something I will repeat over and over again throughout the summer. I hope you’re excited to give it a tray. Oh, and it works great on transparency paper
After it dries does the salt fall off? I am trying to determine if this art activity would hold up to traveling home if done in school.
A little might fall off but usually not much. I think it would be ok to send home from school. Even if a little comes off, it still looks cool.
Do you need to wait for the glue to dry before applying the colors?
Nope! Just go ahead, add salt, and drop the colors. Instant gratification : )
Where do you find pipettes?
Hi Tami. There is a link in the post where it says materials. It will take you there. I just learned you can also find them at drugstores. Thanks!
Does it work with sugar too?
Great question. Give it a try and let me know : )
Hello! Thank you so much for this beautiful idea! We just tried that and had the most exciting though relaxing afternoon by getting absolutely enchanted 🙂
http://travel-nature-art.blogspot.de/2015/05/childrens-art-salt-and-watercolor.html
Amazing! Thanks so much for letting me know. Therapeutic art sessions are the best!
Does it work well on a canvas or have you tried? And kosher salt or just regular table salt?
It works well on pretty much everything. Some of the salt will come off once it dries, but the process itself works on everything I know of. Just table salt is great. Have fun!! Thanks for reading along.
Thanks for posting this great idea!!
Thank you Meredith! That’s my full name too : )
sounds fun!!! Gonna try it on paper first and if the kids love it gonna do on small canvases and the shilac them!!!
awesome! just a reminder that the salt comes off a bit after it dries but it’s still really cool. have fun!
I would try it on your own project, on cardboard or something cheap, before you shalack your kid’s masterpieces. I’m not sure, but I’m thinking that re-wetting it with the shalack might make the colors run more. It might turn out nice, or might discolor it.
Thank for sharing details. Color of the Creative.
Hi! I love this project. Question: how do you keep a 22-month old from dumping the jar of water color out? I will try the cupcake tin idea – maybe with some extra adhesive? Even my preschooler can’t resist the temptation to pour. Thanks!
Hi! I would wait a little bit, a few months before doing it : ) Don’t worry. The time goes by fast! For now, it’s all about dumping : ) Have fun.
would this work with water and food coloring instead of the water color paint?
yes, absolutely : )
I love this project! I did it with my one and two year old preschoolers and they turned out beautifully. I referenced this post to direct my readers to your recipe. Thanks for posting such great ideas! 🙂
So glad to hear it. Thanks Kayla!
In the first step, do you get the child to do this and how best to apply the glue with? A brush? My daughter is 2 nearly 3. Thank you
I’m curious about all the salt painting sites calling for liquid water colours. I just tried it with the water colour ‘cakes’ and a paintbrush and it worked just fine.
Also, does anyone know a way to prevent the salt from falling off afterward? Seems a let-down after making a beautiful project. Even if the water colour image stays, the texture is a big part of it!