It has been a while since we have done a painting project and I felt it was time again. This is a great sensory art project and most likely you already have everything you need at home! The result after is a cool, textured piece of art. I usually use Riley’s art to make cards, but this time I hung it up on the fridge. I love looking at it!
Materials
- Paper (I used construction paper this time, but I also like to use cardstock)
- Shaving cream
- Food coloring (The food color may initially stain the skin, but it all comes out after a couple hand washings)
- Mat for the floor to make clean up a breeze!
Directions:
- Get the art area ready: This time Riley created the art in her high chair because I didn’t have a mat for the floor this time (I really need to order that reusable one). Otherwise I would have preferred to let her paint on the ground so she could really explore freely if she wanted. I don’t mind if she wants to sit in it or walk through it because it’s all a part of the experience. I’d just pop her in the bath or give a quick sponge bath after.
- Add shaving cream on top of or on the side of the paper : I did both because I wasn’t sure how Riley was going to explore. Maybe she would grab some and put it on the paper or mix right on top of the paper.
- Add a few drops of food coloring to the shaving cream: I did not mix the food coloring and shaving cream ahead of time. I allowed Riley to do that. Riley picked out hot pink food coloring.
- Explore: Let your little one explore! If they are feeling hesitant, explore with them or use hand over hand modeling to help them explore!
- Let it dry: I gave Riley’s picture about 24 hours to dry.
- Display it: Display the picture loud and proud! Be sure it is somewhere that your little one can see it. They should be proud of their work!
Note: This activity should be closely supervised especially if your child still enjoys tasting everything. Have those hand wipes ready to quickly wipe off their hands before they make it to the mouth!
Benefits
- Language development: As your child is exploring, be sure to talk about their experience. This is beneficial for their receptive language and building their vocabulary. This also encourages their expressive language to try those new words out too!
- Fine motor skills: Your child is exercising their hand and finger muscles as they swirl, grab, throw, and smear the shaving cream all over.
- Cognitive development: Sensory experiences are great for cognitive development as they involve multiple senses into an experience at one time. This forms stronger neural connections.
