Paint

AREA SETUP

(Open thematic poster-Paint) Print, laminate, and decorate the walls of your daycare with all kinds of posters. (Open educa-decorate-Paint) (Open educa-decorate-Colors) Print, cut out, and laminate. Use the illustrations to decorate the walls of your daycare and set the mood for the theme.

Garland-Paint
(Open garland-Paint) Print. Let children decorate the garland. Cut it out and hang it within the daycare or near your daycare entrance.

The artists' wall
Reserve a wall for displaying children's artwork. Name the wall your artists' wall. It should be located where children and parents can see it each day. You may also choose to hang their artwork on a clothesline. Take pictures of your group when they are painting or drawing and display them along with their masterpieces. Hang colourful garlands from the ceiling. You can also choose to loop pieces of construction paper together to create a chain. Set a different color plastic tablecloth on your table each day. They can be purchased at a very low cost in dollar stores or department stores.

SPECIAL TOOL

The following special tool was created in response to a special request received. (Open labels-Painting area) Print and use the labels to identify items in your painting area.

CIRCLE TIME

To greet children, dress up like an artist. Wear a smock on which paint stains can be seen and a beret. Hold a paint palette in your hands. Questions to spark a conversation with your group:

• What is your favorite color?
• What color are the walls in your room?
• Name a color.
• Which colors must we mix together to make green? Purple? Orange?
• Can you name something which is green? Red? Pink? etc.

Educ-chat-Paint
Educ-chat is a game which includes several illustrations representing subjects, verbs, and predicates. Use it to help children make complete sentences and add to their vocabulary. (Open educ-chat-Paint) Print, cut out, and laminate the cards. Make three piles (subjects, verbs, and predicates). Have children pick three cards, one from each pile, and "read" the sentence. The sentences will sometimes be quite silly, that is what makes the activity fun! You can also choose to place the cards yourself and have a child "read" the sentence.

Color wheel

(Open color wheel) Print and cut out the pieces. Glue the color wheel in a paper plate. Make a small hole in the centre of the plate and insert a fastener which will hold the two arrows in place in the middle of the color wheel. Use the two small arrows to point to two primary colors. Use the large arrow to point to the corresponding secondary color. Then, experiment with your group by combining the two colors of paint. Transform your circle time area to make it look like an art gallery. Hang artwork or pictures of various famous artists. (Open picture game-Artists) (Open word flashcards-Artists) Print and glue the pictures and flashcards on the floor. Variation: If you prefer, use pictures found in magazines. Each morning, invite children to choose a spot which corresponds to the type of art they prefer. Fill a box with objects and pictures which represent artists you will be presenting to your group. Open the box and invite each child to pick an item. Children can take turns presenting their object. Of course, you may help them if necessary.

PICTURE GAME

The pictures may be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with your group. Use them to decorate your daycare or a specific thematic corner. (Open picture game-Paint) Print, laminate, and store the pictures in a Ziploc bag or in your thematic bin.

ACTIVITY SHEETS

(Open activity sheets-Paint) Activity sheets are suggested for each theme. Print and follow instructions.

WRITING ACTIVITIES

(Open writing activities-P like paint) (Open writing activities-C like colors) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

Stationery-Paint
(Open stationery-Paint) Print. The stationery can be used to communicate with parents, in your writing area, or to identify your thematic bins.

Educa-nuudles-Paint

(Open educa-nuudles-Paint) Print for each child. Have children color the sheet and use Magic Nuudles to give it a three-dimensional look. Variation: You don't have Magic Nuudles? Have children fill the spaces designed for Magic Nuudles with bingo markers or stickers. To order Magic Nuudles:

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

Word flashcards

Use the cards to spark a conversation with your group or in your reading and writing area. They may also be used to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards-Paint) (Open giant word flashcards-Paint) Print. Paint palette, paint tube, wide paintbrush, narrow paintbrush, painting, easel, paint roller, gallon of paint, wall, sponge, graffiti, water paint

Word association
(Open giant word flashcards-Colors) Print the flashcards and cut them in two so that you have the color on one side and the word on the other. If you wish, you can add magnets behind the flashcards to make a magnetic association game.

Sequential story-Paint
(Open sequential story-Paint) Print, laminate, and cut the illustrations. Children must place the illustrations in the correct order to recreate the story.

VARIOUS WORKSHOPS-Paint

Construction/building blocks:

• Instead of sorting your building blocks by type (wooden, LEGO, etc.), sort them by color.
• Square pieces of brightly-coloured felt can be added to children's constructions.
• You may also sort small toy cars, figurines, and other items by color.

Arts & crafts:

• This is the perfect theme for introducing children to color combinations using paint.
  o Yellow + Red = Orange
  o Blue + Red = Purple
  o Yellow + Blue = Green
  o What happens when we add white to primary colors?
  o What happens if we mix all the colors together?

• Brightly-coloured construction paper for cutting, drawing, or creating.
• Finger paint is perfect for mixing colors.
• Markers with various types of tips (wide, fine, etc.) can be used to explore colors.
• Color by number activity sheets.
• Various coloring pages.

Role play:

• Transform your area to make it look like a paint shop. Children become painters.
  o Paint samples, paintbrushes, paint rollers, painter hats, and paint stir sticks.
  o Home decorating magazines.
  o Old shirts with paint stains on them.
• Create an artist section complete with an easel and a paint palette. Add a few sheets of paper and you're ready to go!

Manipulation:

• Memory game involving colors.
• Modeling dough (red, blue, yellow). Let children blend the colors together to see what happens. Making homemade modeling dough can help reduce the cost of this activity.
• Association game involving pictures and colourful pieces of paper. For example, children can associate a picture of an orange with orange paper.
• Various color sorting games (using objects found in your daycare).
• Colourful cellophane paper which can be manipulated and used to look at various objects. Cut pieces and attach them to the end of empty toilet paper rolls to make binoculars.
• A Lite-Brite or mosaic game.

Reading and relaxation:

• Books about shapes and colors.
• Books which include colourful illustrations.

Music and motor skills:

• A Twister game (or homemade version which offers different ways of playing).
• Red light, green light game.

Sensory bins:

• Water table (or container filled with water). Add food coloring to the water.
• Container filled with rocks. Using aquarium rocks makes it possible to create a colourful, low cost bin.
• Container filled with Froot Loops.

Science:

• All experiments involving colors are perfect for this theme.
  o Explosion of color in milk.
  o The flower which changes color when food coloring is added to the water.
  o Color combinations with paint.
  o Icing a cake with a mixture of white icing and food coloring.
  o etc.

ROUTINES AND TRANSITIONS

Game-This is my spot-Paint
(Open game-This is my spot-Paint) Print two copies. Laminate and cut out the cards. Glue one copy of each card on the table using adhesive paper. Drop the other copies in a bag. Children take turns picking a card to determine their spot at the table for the day. You may also use the cards to determine naptime spots or for your task train.

My paint path
(Open my paint path) Print, laminate, and secure the illustrations on the floor to create a path which leads to areas frequently visited by children such as the bathroom or cloakroom. If you prefer, the illustrations may also be used to delimit your various workshops.

ACTIVITIES FOR BABIES

Painting with our feet
Secure a large piece of paper on the floor. Holding one child at a time, paint babies' feet and help them walk on the banner. Variation: Do the same thing with babies' hands and a banner hung on the wall.

In search of Poni
(Colourful Poni) Print and laminate the characters. Using adhesive paper, stick them on the floor of your area. With little ones, search for specific colors.

Rainbow mobile
(Open mobiles-Rainbows) Print and decorate the different shapes with glitter, ribbon, cotton balls, confetti, etc. Glue the shapes back to back on either side of ribbon or string. Hang the mobile from the ceiling within the daycare or over your changing table.

Colourful bottles
Fill clear bottles with different colors of water or tiny colourful objects. Use the bottles to introduce babies to colors.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

Paint lacing
(Open lacing-Paint) Print, laminate, and punch holes around the contour of each shape. Children can thread string, ribbon, or a shoelace through the holes.

Color lacing
(Open lacing-Colors) Print, laminate, and punch holes around the contour of each shape. Children can thread string, ribbon, or a shoelace through the holes.

Color hunt
Hide pieces of colourful paper throughout your daycare. Show children an example of what they must search for. Ask them to collect the pieces of paper, one color at a time.

Crazy race
Deposit pieces of colourful construction paper on the floor. They will represent reference points for the children in your group. When you give the signal, children will have 2 minutes to collect as many objects of a specific color as possible and deposit them on the paper of the corresponding color.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Our painted wall
Hang a large white banner (as big as possible) on a fence. Invite children to dip sponges in paint, stand at a certain distance from the banner, and throw the sponges on the paper. What a fun activity!

Creative recipe-Sidewalk paint
(Open creative recipe-Sidewalk paint)

Ingredients:
½ cup water
¼ cup cornstarch
Food coloring or powdered paint

Steps:

1. Mix water and cornstarch together.
   
2. Divide mixture according to the number of colors you wish to create. Use small containers (muffin tins make having several colors on hand at the same time possible).
   
3. Add food coloring. The quantity depends on the intensity of the color you want.
   
4. Let children paint with paintbrushes or brushes on a sidewalk or driveway (parking lot).
   
5. Upon drying, drawings will look like they were made using chalk. They will disappear when it rains or they can be washed away with water from a hose.

Painters in training
Provide children with small buckets filled with water and paintbrushes (real brushes used to paint walls). Let children "paint" items in the yard such as fences, tables, slides, swings, etc.

Colourful bubbles
Add food coloring to your bubble solution and encourage children to make bubbles.

Colourful snow
Purchase small spray bottles. Fill them with powdered paint and water. Spray the mixture on snow.

MUSICAL AND RHYTHMIC ACTIVITIES

Musical painting
Provide easels, paintbrushes, paper, and three different colors of paint (red, yellow, and green). Play music which offers a variety of rhythms (fast, medium, slow). Children must paint with the color which corresponds to the music's rhythm (green for fast, yellow for medium, and red for slow).

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

Color by number-Paint
(Open color by number-Paint) Print for each child. Children must color the picture according to the color code.

Educ-trace-Paint
(Open educ-trace-Paint) Print for each child. Children must trace the lines using the correct color and then color the corresponding object using the same color.

Educ-same and different-Paint
(Open educ-same and different-Paint) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must circle the illustration which is different in each row.

Educa-duo-Paint
(Open educa-duo-Paint) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must draw a line between items forming a duo or color them using the same color.

Educ-differences-Paint
(Open educ-differences-Paint) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must identify the differences between the two pictures and circle them with a dry-erase marker.

Educ-association-Colors
(Open educ-association-Colors) Print the pages and assemble them in a file folder. Children must associate the illustrations. Once they have found the correct association, they must deposit it in the correct square using Velcro or adhesive putty.

Educ-math-Colors
(Open educ-math-Colors) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must count the objects in each rectangle and circle the correct number.

Bingo-Colors
(Open bingo-Colors) Print, laminate, and store in a small box or Ziploc bag. Play bingo with your group.

Color memory game
(Open picture game-Colors) Print two copies, laminate, and cut out the cards. Place the cards face down on the table to form rows. The first player turns two cards. If they are identical, he keeps them and turns two more cards. If they are different, he turns them over again and his turn is over. Make sure that all players are given the chance to see the cards turned by others. The object of the game is to find as many pairs as possible.

Color dominoes
(Open colored dominos) Print, glue the pages on cardboard, laminate, and cut out. This game is for 2 to 4 players. Each child picks 5 cards. Place the remaining cards in a stack. Place the first card in front of the players. The first player tries to associate a matching picture to the initial card. If he has a matching card, he must place it so that the two identical illustrations are touching. The second player does the same thing and so on. If a player does not have a matching card, he must pick an additional card from the stack. If this card cannot be played either, his turn is over. The game ends when a player has successfully played all his cards.

The shaking box
Write the numbers 1, 2, and 3 (three times each) in the sections of an egg carton. Color the remaining sections using different colors. Place a button in the egg carton and close the lid. Encourage children to take turns shaking the egg carton. Open the egg carton and check to see where the button landed. If it fell on a number, children must name the number. If it fell on a color, they must name the color.

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES

Color Day
(Open perpetual calendar-Color Day) Print.

Greeting: Each child brings an object from home which corresponds to his favorite color. You may also decide to organize a Red Day, a Blue Day, etc.

Circle time: Talk about colors with your group. Encourage children to name their favorite color.

Lunch and snacks: Serve colourful meals complete with different colors of fruits or vegetables. Add food coloring to children's milk, etc.

Special activity: Offer modeling dough, experiment with food coloring or paint, mix colors together, etc.

Black and white Day
(Open perpetual calendar-Black and white Day) Print.

Greeting: Invite children to wear black and/or white clothing for the day. Wear a white (Santa Claus) or black (witch) wig to greet children.

Circle time: Paint each child's face using black and white makeup (panda).

Lunch and snacks: Play a guessing game. Deposit salt and pepper shakers on the table and encourage children to guess which one is which. Identify black and white food items.

Special activity: Have fun finding black and white items within the daycare. Mix black and white paint together. Use white chalk to draw on black construction paper.

RELAXATION ACTIVITIES

Follow the guide
You will need a double-sided easel for this activity. Two children stand on either side of the easel. One child is the guide while the other child plays the role of the follower. The child who is the guide explains everything he does (I am using yellow paint to draw a sun, green paint to make a tree, etc.). The other child must try to follow his instructions. At the end of the activity, compare their masterpieces. The guide then becomes the follower.

I am painting your face
Purchase small paintbrushes and let children pretend they are applying makeup to a friend's face. Little girls will take this activity very seriously.

Painter thematic bin
Fill a bin with paint rollers, paintbrushes, empty paint containers, paint trays, painter hats, paint stir sticks, and paint samples (cards).

Artist thematic bin
Fill a bin with paintbrushes, sponges, paint palettes, berets, smocks, empty poster paint containers, pictures of famous paintings, etc. Set up an easel nearby.

Dress-up dolls
(Open dress-up dolls-Paint) Print and laminate. Set the pieces on a table. Children will enjoy dressing the doll different ways.

EARLY SCIENCE/MANIPULATION/EXPLORATION

Color combinations
(Open color combinations) Print and laminate. Display at children's eye level. Let children experiment by adding drops of food coloring to glasses of water. Provide small spoons they can use to stir the mixtures. Encourage them to try to make specific colors. Note: Food coloring can stain clothing and hands.

The colors of the rainbow
Have children color with waxed crayons representing the colors of the rainbow on tactile paper. When they are done, ask them to completely cover their drawing with black paint and let dry. Once the paint is dry, have them scratch the black paint. They will love discovering the rainbow colors which will reappear. Variation: You may also offer small containers filled with poster paint and invite children to mix colors together.

Painting bubbles
Add a few drops of food coloring to your bubble solution. Have children blow bubbles onto white paper. A pretty pastel-coloured image will appear.

CULINARY ACTIVITIES

Creative recipe-Economical finger paint (requires cooking)
(Open creative recipe-Economical finger paint) Print.

Ingredients:
2 cups of flour
4 cups of cold water
A pinch of salt
A few drops of dishwashing liquid
A few drops of food coloring

Steps:

1. Mix flour and water together.
2. Cook over low heat in a non-stick pan until mixture thickens.
3. Allow to cool.
4. Add a pinch of salt, a few drops of dishwashing liquid, and a few drops of food coloring. Mix well.
5. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
6. Use like traditional finger paint.
7. You can replace the food coloring with a few spoonfuls of poster paint.
8. Protect the table with a tablecloth since certain colors can stain.

Creative recipe-Fruity paint
(Open creative recipe-Fruity paint)

Ingredients:
2 cups of flour
2 envelopes of unsweetened juice (Kool-Aid)
½ cup of salt
3 cups of hot water
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Tactile paper or waxed paper

Steps:

1. Mix flour, powdered juice, and salt together in a large bowl.
2. Add water and oil, stirring constantly.
3. Use the mixture to paint on waxed paper and enjoy the fruity scent.
4. You can use the mixture to paint with your fingers or paintbrushes.

ARTS & CRAFTS

Puppets-Paint
(Open puppets-Paint) Print the models on heavy cardboard. Have children cut them out and decorate them. Glue a Popsicle stick behind each model to create puppets.

Stencils-Paint
(Open stencils-Paint) Print and cut out the stencils. Children can use them to trace or paint elements related to the theme.

Marble painting
Give each child a shoebox. Place a sheet of paper in the bottom of each box. Have children dip 2 or 3 marbles in different colors of paint and deposit them in their box. Show them how to roll the marbles in the box by tipping it from side to side. Let dry. The result is often spectacular.

Future painters
Give each child an old shirt. Hang large pieces of paper on the wall and place a large bed sheet under them to protect the floor. Provide a variety of paintbrushes and paint colors along with bowls children can use for color combinations. You may also give them paint palettes on which they can mix colors together (simple Styrofoam plates will work just fine, just cut a hole in each plate to make it easier for children to hold them).

Bubble prints
Purchase bubble wrap (for packaging). Spread the bubble wrap out on a table, with the bubbles on top. Invite children to paint the bubbles. When they are done (and before the paint dries), have them press white pieces of paper on top of the bubbles to make prints.

Cotton ball painting
You will need:
Cotton balls (cut into 4 pieces)
Clothespins
Small containers for paint
Sheets of paper or cardboard

A basket or garbage can

Children use the clothespins to hold the cotton ball pieces. Let them dip the cotton balls in poster paint and then paint on the paper, using the clothespins/cotton balls as paintbrushes. On top of developing their creativity, this activity will call upon children's fine motor skills. Variation: Experiment with different types of paper such as brown paper bags, file folders, recycled envelopes, etc.

Feather painting
You will need:
Large feathers
Containers for paint (Styrofoam meat trays work well)

A basket or garbage can

Encourage children to paint with feathers. Some children may use only the small tip while others will dip the entire feather in the paint. Let them paint as they wish.

Backwards painting
Hang a large piece of paper on the wall. Invite children to paint with their back facing the wall. They must hold their paintbrush in their hand and avoid looking at their work while they are painting.

Feet painting
Ask children to hold their paintbrush between their toes and try to paint.

Finger paint
Provide tactile paper and finger paint. Let children create freely.

Felt or fabric
Let children paint on a pillowcase, a t-shirt, or a simple piece of felt.

Rocks
Take a walk with your group and help each child find a rock. Set up a large container filled with water so children can wash their rock. Set them out to dry. Let children paint their rock.

Fireworks
Offer several different colors of paint and a huge piece of cardboard. Encourage them to splash paint on the cardboard and mix colors to create fireworks.

Window painting
Let children paint on your windows. Simply add a small quantity of dishwashing liquid to your paint to make cleaning up easier. The paint can be washed off using soapy water and a window scraper.

Icy paint
Freeze paint in Popsicle molds (complete with Popsicle sticks). Let children use the frozen paint popsicles for a painting activity.

Clear paper
Purchase clear document protectors. Separate them (each protector will yield two sheets). Let children paint on this clear paper. Wet the back of each sheet with a damp facecloth and stick them on a window. You can also have children make hand prints and cut them out before sticking them on a window.

Mud paint
Collect soil and sand with your group and add water to make mud. Give children paintbrushes and let them paint on themselves. Use the hose to clean them off at the end of the activity.

Sand paint
Invite children to mix sand with powdered paint. Divide the colors among empty dishwashing liquid bottles. Children can apply glue to a sheet of paper and then sprinkle colourful sand on top.

CREATIVE COLORING

(Open creative coloring-Paint) Print for each child. Have children complete the picture.

COLORING PAGES
(Open coloring pages theme-Paint) Print for each child.

SONGS & RHYMES

Paint
By: Patricia Morrison
Sung to: Apples and bananas

I like to paint, paint, paint with a brush or my fingers
I like to paint, paint, paint with a brush or my fingers

I like to paint, paint, paint with many different colors
I like to paint, paint, paint with many different colors

I like to paint, paint, paint as often as I can
I like to paint, paint, paint as often as I can

Have fun!

The Educatall team