DIY Summer Camp Idea: Fun with Paint

The second Mommysavers summer camp session you can do at home to entertain the kids is Painting.

Items around the house the kids can paint with:
paintbrushes
sponges
cotton balls
cotton swabs
toothbrushes
bubble wrap
cookie cutters
comb

Marble painting
-In a container place a piece of paper, a blob of paint and a marble. Have your child move the container from side to side to roll the marble through the paint.

Blow painting
-Do this one outside with an old sheet or dropcloth. Put some paint on a piece of paper. Have your child blow through a straw to move the paint.

Splatter painting
-Do this one outside as well on an old sheet or dropcloth. Lay down a piece of paper and let your kids splatter paint onto it.

Hairdryer painting
-Put some paint on a piece of paper and have your child blow the paint around using a hairdryer.

Rain painting
-Put a few drops of food coloring on a paper plate. Put it outside on a a rainy day for about one minutes. Look at the design.

Pinecone painting
-Roll a pinecone in paint then roll on paper.

Sit outside and have your child paint a sunrise or sunset

Have your child paint a paint-by-number picture. You can find them at Michaels and use the coupon from the Sunday paper.

Paint to music
-Turn on music and let your kids paint. See if they come up with different paintings while listening to classical vs rock music.

Paint a tile
-Have your child paint a tile (they are cheap at Menards). When done spray with clear acrylic paint.


Please add any ideas you have that would go along with a painting theme for kids.

Starburst painting
-Use a sponge brush to paint a layer of corn syrup on paper. Use an eye dropper to drop food coloring into syrup and it makes a starburst design.

Fingerprint painting
-Have your child make artwork using just their fingertips dipped in paint. They can make catepillars, bees, butterflies, etc.
-Paint a tree trunk on a piece of paper. Use yellow, orange, and green fingerprints to make leaves on the tree.

Scratch paintings
-Cover a piece of construction paper (not black) with random stripes and swirls of different colors of watercolor paint. Cover entire piece of paper with paint. Let it dry. Take a black crayon and cover the whole paper. When totally black use a coin to lightly scratch lines and swirls on the paper.

-Or scribble with crayons on whtie construction paper. Cover the whole page. Use a small paint roller to spread black paint over paper. While still wet use a craft stick to draw in the paint. let it dry.


Face paint
-Combine 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp water and 1 tsp cold cream. Add 3 drops food coloring. Mix wiwth fork till consistency of thick pudding. Store in airtight container.
or
-Combine 4 T shortening, 2 tsp cornstarch, 2-4 tsp liquid tempera paint. Makes enough for one color. Keep out of eyes and mouth.

Paint rocks
-Go on a rock hunt. Wash and dry them. Paint with tempera paint and let dry.

Paint a rainbow
-Dip cotton balls in different colored paint and make a rainbow.

Handprint butterfly
-Draw and oblong black body and head on a piece of paper. Cover child's hand with paint and place it on paper to make a wing. Do this a total of 4 times.

Sidewalk paint
-Mix 1/4 c cornstarch, 1/4 c cold water and 6-8 drops of food coloring. Repeat with different colors. Paint the sidewalk.

Paint the house or driveway
-Give your kids a pan of water and a brush and let them paint the house of sidewalk.

Puffy paint
-Mix equal parts white shaving cream and white glue. Add koolaid mix for color. When done painting glitter can be sprinkled on top. Dry flat 1-2 days.

Tape painting
-Make a picture using masking tape. Paint over the tape picture. Let it dry and peel off the tape.

Fingerpaint
-Mix 2 T corn syrup and 1 tsp liquid tempera paint

Milk paint
-Mix 1/2 c condensed milk and 6=8 drops of food coloring. Repeat for different colors.

Glitter paint
-Mix 1/2 c white school glue, 3 tsp liquid tempera paint and 3 tsp glitter.

Tempera paint
-Mix 2 c powdered tempera paint and 1 c liquid dish soap. Add 1 c liquid starch. Add more soap if too thick.

Paint for bread
-Mix 1 T milk and 1 drop of food coloring. Paint on bread iwth cotton swab and it's ok to eat.