143 Water Painting

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Water Painting
Most young children love expressing themselves with paint, clay, and crayons. Let
your little one be creative while only getting a little bit wet in this activity. Painting
with water is a great activity to share with children outside—it’s inexpensive and
accessible and you don’t need much in the way of materials.
What you need:
• Plastic cup or bowl
• 2 small paint brushes (usually found at dollar stores)
• Water
• Paved surface such as a sidewalk, patio, or garage; at home or in a park
What you do:
Demonstrate for your child how to hold the brush, dip it in the water, and
“paint” on the concrete. Encourage her to pick up her own brush and try it for
herself. Try painting her name, saying each letter as you paint it. Paint simple
pictures, like clouds or flowers and ask your child to guess what it is. Once she
guesses, paint the word below the picture. Ask her if she can paint you a picture.
Encourage her to tell you what she is painting. You may then paint the words for
her, saying the letters as you go. See if your child will copy you by painting a letter—say its name and ask her to try it. Depending on how sunny and dry it is your
pictures may magically disappear, allowing you to paint something new!
You can also explain why her paintings disappear: the pictures evaporate when
the water molecules are exposed to dry air.