Paint Splatter Art

Let your child unleash his inner Pollock with this fun paint spatter art project. This activity will teach your child color and shape recognition while allowing him to exercise his creativity. Try it in spring when the wildflowers are in bloom or in autumn when the leaves are falling. Take a walk outside with your child to collect seasonal leaves and flowers and teach him about the beauty of nature and the changing seasons.

What You Need:

• Large cardboard box with one side cut out
• Paper
• Tape
• Pressed leaves, flowers, or other flat items such as grass or construction paper cut-outs
• Wire screen stapled to an old picture frame
• Tempera paint (in a color of your child's choosing)
• Bowl (to hold the paint)
• Nail brush
• Chalk
• Smock or old shirt (one that can get a little dirty)

What You Do:

1. Place a sheet of paper inside the box and tape the edges down so it won't move.
2. Have your child place leaves, flowers, grasses, or paper shapes on the paper.
3. Place the framed wire screen over the paper. The screen should be several inches above the paper.
4. Pour some paint into the bowl and dip the nail brush into the paint.
5. Help your child rub the paint-filled brush many times across the screen. If the brush is heavily loaded with paint, the spatter drops will be big and coarse.
6. Next take a piece of chalk and have your child rub it across the screen. Bits of chalk will fall through the screen and land in the wet paint adding additional color and texture to the spatter design. If the screen gets clogged with paint, rinse it clean and shake it dry before adding the chalk.
7. When your child is finished with his artwork, let it dry, then remove the leaves, flowers, and other items from the paper.
8. Hang the artwork and enjoy!

The box keeps the splattering paint in an enclosed space to help minimize mess. To make clean-up even easier, be sure to have your child wear a smock or old shirt so he doesn't get paint on his clothes.