I absolutely love painting with Possum but, lets face it, the thought of cleaning it all up can be a little off putting at times. So here is a great activity that is mess free painting with kids, which is easy for you to set up and your children will absolutely love!
Materials You’ll Need –
- Large clear plastic sealable bag
- Paints (whatever you’ve got)
- Sticky or masking tape
How to paint without the mess!
Simply add a few squirts of paint into a large sealable plastic bag. Ensure it’s sealed well and stick the bag to the window with basic sticky tape or masking tape. Your little one will be able to use their fingers to move the paint around but without getting messy.
Cue that sigh of relief! 😉
Quite quickly you’ll find that the blobs of paint inside the bag begin to spread and merge. It’s wonderful to watch the children as they do this and make a conscious effort to spread the paint within the bag.
MATHEMATICS
As you can see, children can be as creative as they like. Here is an example of how they can explore numbers using this clever painting technique. This approach can really help reluctant learners to take on mathematical challenges but in a fun and positive way.
Some ideas you might like to try with your school aged child –
- Can you write a number with your eyes closed? Sensory learning experience
- What is your phone number? How many times do you need to life your finger to write that phone number? Number formations
- Can you write the numbers backwards from 10? Counting down
- {write a number} Write the number that comes before/after that given number?
- {write a number problem} Can you solve this addition/subtraction/division/multiplication problem in your head? developing mathematical concepts
LITERACY
Of course children can also use this painting method to learn more literacy skills. The paint really allows the child to see where they have been and they can also reflect on their own progress.
Some ideas you might like to try with your child at home –
- Can you write your name? Surname? Letter formations
- What letter of the alphabet comes before/after the letter ___? Alphabet knowledge
- How many times do you need to lift your finger to write that letter?
- {Write a word with missing letters} Can you fill in the blanks? Spelling
As you can see this creative approach opens up many, many doors for children to learn, engage and have fun all at the same time. Whilst your child plays you can help develop important language skills and ask them to describe what they see or feel. Otherwise you can simply tell them what you are doing eg. “Look at the lovely swirly line I’m drawing”.
I also like the simplicity of this activity and encourage you to add only two colours. By doing this you are allowing your child to really focus on how colours merge and change when mixed together. It’s a great idea to have them predict what colour they may see before it actually happens.
Now I’m adding this picture (above) simply because I love it. Since having these mess-free painting bags available for Possum to play with this has been a very common sight. I adore it and encourage you to provide this opportunity to your little ones.
Would your child love this type of mess free activity?
Some other ideas you’ll love –
Popular ebooks featuring Laughing Kids Learn
Great idea! I think I might do this tonight….
Thanks Danya! I hope it went well. I appreciate the comment. 🙂
We did this the other day and it worked! Except that JJ figured out how to take the tape off and open the bags. And then it turned into a messy painting session, which was totally fun too. 🙂
My thoughts excatly when I saw this pretty cool, what if they become clever and try to open the bag.
I love this activity! We haven’t done this for over a year and in smaller bags. These would look great on our big sliding door.
Oh Amie it would be perfect on a big sliding door. I hope I’ve inspired you to revisit this activity.
Thanks for the comment. 🙂
Great pictures! I’ve tried that with my little one, and she didn’t like it. She does love to finger paint. Kids are so different
They absolutely are lovely Laura. In time she will begin to understand your expectations but until then enjoy the wonderful fun of finger painting. 🙂
Thanks for your comment.
I’ve done this activity before but I had it taped to the floor. I am going to try taping it to the window. Thank you for posting this!
Oh the floor is a great idea too. I would love you to try it on a window or similar. Great for muscle strength too! Have fun with it. Much appreciate your comment. 🙂
That’s great to know. I was just wondering if I could sick this to the floor or table for my non mobile LO.
I don’t see why not Caroline. I’d just be careful with the type of sticky you use and make sure you test it first. 🙂
I’m so excited to come across this post! Little E has been sick and so it will be indoors play today and I’ve been trying to think of something fun (and not messy) to do and this is it! Mummy is excited!
Thanks for linking up for Mummy Mondays!
Eva x
The Multitasking Mummy
My pleasure. This is the perfect (mess free) indoor activity for kids.
Thank you for your comment.
I’m super excited by this idea! My little one has been sick and so it’s indoors play today although I didn’t know what to do…but now I do!
Thanks for linking up to Mummy Mondays!
Eva x
The Multitasking Mummy
ooh, good idea putting it on the window! Must try this with N 🙂
Little N would love this I’m sure! It’s great that it can be an activity they can revisit many times.
Thanks for your comment Debs. 🙂
We haven’t done this in ages too. They are so fun aren’t they? And up on the window adds a whole other sensory experience; watching the light interact with the colours. So beautiful. The last ones we did were with food colouring, hair gel and glitter. Nice and sparkly and lots of fun 🙂
Owww I love the idea of using hair gel and glitter. I’m always on the look out for anything that uses glitter. LOL I’ll be sure to give your idea a go too!
Thanks for you comment Kate. 🙂
Love the gel idea. How clever!
We’ve done this on the glass table before but doing it on a window with the sun shining through & vertical is so clever. It looks wonderful & would use different muscles/abilities to ‘paint’ on a vertical surface.
Another on our to do list
Thank you for reminding me of this important fact about a child’s use of muscles during this activity. You’re absolutely right and thanks for highlighting this for me. I very much appreciate your comment. 🙂
I love this. I set up a similar activity for Cam after seeing it on Octavia and Vicky. The plastic bag was attached to the table top. But, I think she’d love it even more set up on the window- especially with the sun shining in.
It’s beautiful with the paint shining through the window. I didn’t know about Kylie’s post. I’ll be sure to go and have a look at it now. Thanks for commenting Jackie.
I love this, newest follower on gfc, I’m always looking for fun stuff to do with my toddlers
Thanks for joining in on the fun here at Laughing Kids Learn. I love toddler activities so I’m sure you’ll find lots here.
Much appreciate your comments.
I love the idea of trying these bags on the windows. Fun 🙂
I’ve seen this done on tables etc but not on the window. What a brilliant idea. Even R who is much older than Possum would really love this. I might try it tomorrow. I love that it can be left there all day and the kids can come back to it time and again.
What a great idea! I like the idea of putting it on a window! Doing this tomorrow!
YAY! I’m glad you like it. I hope it all went well. I’d love to hear if you have a moment to reply.
Thank you so kindly for your comments.
This looks like so much fun, will add to my arts and craft day with the kids
This would be the perfect activity for an arts and crafts day Nathalie! I hope it goes well.
Thanks for your comment.
Great idea putting it up to the window. Never thought of that!
I’m lucky to have windows that are a great height for Possum. It’s great if this activity can be done on a glass door too. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Thank you for sharing with us at Share it Saturday, we will be featuring this post tomorrow!
Thanks you so kindly for featuring this. I appreciate that.
Wonderful! I’ll be featuring it on The Crafty Crow!
Thank you so kindly for featuring this activity. It is lots of fun and something that most families can see themselves being able to do easily enough. Huge fan of your site and all that you share. I hope to send through some more ideas in the future. 🙂
Kate
I love this idea!! I have two very active little boys,3 and 2, and the thought of giving them paint makes me cringe a little!
Great idea — took my 26 month old some warming up, but we also talked about what happens when we mix colors! Very fun.
Thanks for sharing this fun post with Tuesday Tots. I’m featuring it this week 🙂
I see what you are headed for with this idea- but think of the age-appropriateness of the activity in terms of painting also. Remember that half of the sensory experience of painting is feeling the brush, learning how the dribbles work, etc. Let me propose that painting is actually as much about the mess, movement and physicality of art as anything else. That said, I don’t think children under 3 are ready for that. Block-style crayons give a great experience for the under 3s. Over 3s I suggest starting with water colours on wet paper – it is less mess than poster-paint style and much much cheaper and easier. do it outside, or in the kitchen- but if mess is your problem, the child might be too young.
Thank you for your comment Erika, it was interesting to read your view.
I completely agree that children need to feel the texture and sensation of sensory related activities and so I would recommend you checking out some of the other posts on my blog. You’ll see that I encourage this and have absolutely no problem at all with mess, however, I can respect that some people do, hence this idea.
I think I’d also have to disagree on some of your other points. I don’t feel that I should be restricting my child by holding her back from opportunities to engage in such activities just because she isn’t 3 years old. If she can be safe and under active supervision then why wait? Research tells us time and time again that children’s engagement in activities and experiences before the age of 4 will set the path for their future learning and develop greater connections within the brain. I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on that one. I appreciate you commenting though.
The paints on the inside of bag this is a great idea mess free for real
Absolutely Kayla! The mess is all inside the bag and it keeps hands clean too. 🙂
brilliant idea, will surely do it for my just turned 1yro anytime soon 🙂 … thanks!
Great Kartika! Thanks for letting me know. My little girl absolutely LOVES this activity and did from such a young age. Enjoy and thanks for sharing a comment with me. 🙂
Wow! Thank you so much! I am a preschool teacher and have never thought of doing this activity, I will surely do it today. Thank you so much!
You are more than welcome Joanne. It’s fabulous fun and can be made to suit whatever theme or colour your focusing on. Thank you kindly for the comment. Best wishes. 🙂