For your next art activity, give your child a feather instead of a paintbrush and watch his creativity take flight! Using a feather for a brush strengthens his fine motor muscles and hand eye coordination, both of which are important for writing later on. And let's face it, feathers are way more fun to use than a boring old paintbrush!
What You Need:
- Craft feathers
- Tempera paint
- Paper plates
- White paper
What You Do:
- Start by getting the materials ready. Have your child pick which colors he wants to use, and pour a small amount of each color onto individual paper plates.
- Now, get your piece of paper and let your child select a feather to use. Show him how to slide the feather through the paint, then use the feather like a paintbrush on his paper.
- Encourage him to use as many colors as he likes and make whatever designs he wants. Ask him how painting with a feather is different than painting with a regular paintbrush. Is it easier or harder? Do the designs made with the feather look different than they would with a paintbrush?
- When he's all done, set the painting aside to dry.
Let him pick good spot to display his art, and have everyone guess what he used to create his unique painting.
By Sarah Lipoff
Sarah Lipoff has a K-12 Art Education degree and enjoys working with kids of all ages.
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