Bathtime Painting

I've been really gung-ho with the activities for E lately. Maybe it's because we have such ample time together and don't want it to go to waste. Or maybe I fear he'll get into mischief if he's not occupied with something that allows him to explore. Or I'll go crazy without something to do. Maybe it's all of the above. :)

Here's yet another one we tried out during a mid-day bath. It was a 'post-rainy day excursion' wash down so it was the perfect time to try out the bathtub painting idea I found here {via my awesome mom who keeps her eyes out for fun activities! Thanks, Mom!}.

Supplies

muffin tin

large paint brush

shaving cream {I used the classic barbasol}

food coloring

What you do:

Spray some shaving cream into each of the six holes. 

Add food coloring. 

Mix {I used a fork}. 

Let the painting begin.

Verdict?

Another amazingly simple activity that he LOVES. Minimal prep work and clean up. My cup of tea.

Some of the comments on the post where I got the idea said they had problems with the dye and tile grout. We don't have tile in the boys' bathroom so it wasn't a problem. In fact, it all washed off super easy with water. It also shared that they didn't put water in the tub so the child could stand up and paint. I needed to clean E and it's a bit chilly so I added some water into the tub. He sat and painted the tub walls, the water, and himself. Painting himself was a HUGE hit since he's got to keep the paint on the paper when he's painting at the table.

T was left to wonder why he wasn't able to paint too.

And from the first time we did this activity to the publication of this post, E has already painted twice and requested it often.

Painting 101

We brought out the tempera paints recently. E's painted twice before: once with friends and another time with watercolors and our sliding glass door. It's a fun easel, you should try it! But it's been awhile and he was a bit young then.

I put three globs of three different colors on a large piece of construction paper. I showed him how the dip the brush in the water. Then off he went to paint and explore.

He touched the paper. He touched the water. He touched the bristles on the brush. He touched the paint. {and maybe even tasted it a little}

Love his insatiable curiosity.

And that he's okay with me taking pictures of his serious bed-head. Just keepin' it real.

Homemade Play Dough

I bought a toddler art book for E several months ago and we've been slowly making our way through the activities. They are all very hands on, simple, and fun. And they are perfect as 'art experiences' for little ones who love exploring without much prep work.

One activity that we gave a shot on a recent hot afternoon was one of the many play dough recipes. It was super simple and super quick to make. The dough is oily and felt a lot like soft bread dough. 

Here's what you need:

- 4 cups of flour

-1 cup of oil

- 1 t of food coloring

-1 c of water

-Mixing bowl and spoon

What you do:

-In mixing bowl, mix water, oil, and food coloring

-Slowly, add flour while mixing

It made a big mound for pounding, squeezing, rolling, and poking.

Then you get to PLAY!

I started E out with the paci in the hopes that he wouldn't eat the dough and it worked {he has yet to grow out of the put-everything-in-my-mouth-to-discover stage}. He was a bit nervous about the feeling in the beginning but in the end, loved it. I pulled out a few random bits from the kitchen from him to play with.

Definitely an activity we'll do again when it's just too uncomfortable to be outside!