Ok so this isn’t one for the faint hearted but provided it’s well planned and you can pen the kids into a set area this is an absolutley brilliant, fun and a bit of a wild messy play activity for babies, toddlers and young children alike.
What you will need:
- A large roll of white paper.
- I get mine from Wilkos for a couple of quid
- Some bubble wrap.
- we used some that was left over from a delivery but you can buy it cheaply enough from somewhere like Wilkos or Poundland
- Masking tape or sellotape.
- Scissors.
- A selection of paints.
- We love the wide range of colours on offer at Hobby Craft and you can usually get a pack of five different colours for around £2. They also offer metallic paint colours and seasonal sets like Halloween and Christmas.
- Stampers, rolling pins and paint brushes.
- We got our’s from ELC but I know places like B&M Bargains have now started selling very similar stamps and brushes for little hands.
- Wet Wipes & A bath ready and waiting!
What to do:
1. Stick a couple of stretches of the paper to the floor and if you have it a couple of stretches of bubble wrap. This will give the kids the experience of different textures underneath their hands and feet and they will over hearing the bubble wrap pop.
2. Squirt a small amount of each paint onto the surface. Be careful not to put too much paint out straight away as I did this once and the kids just slipped everywhere and it turned into a falling over, crying nightmare. I now start small and build up the amount of paint as and when its needed.
3. Let the kids get creative. My boys love using the different stampers and rollers to make marks but it always ends with them getting really stuck in with their hans, feet and in my eldest’s case tummy, legs, bum and face!
4. Don’t be surprised if the paper starts to rip a little, the amount of paint and all of the stomping around makes it quite wet, provided you haven’t added to much paint to quickly you shouldn’t have any issues with it being slippy though. Once dry I like to try and save a bit of the kids masterpiece and either frame it or pin it up.
A bit of a disclaimer.
I do this activity in our conservatory where I can shut the door to stop the twins running a muck in the rest of the house and I always have a bubble bath ready and waiting for when they are finished so I can scoop them up and get them in to it before they can get paint everywhere.
I have done this activity a couple of times on my own but it is undoubtedly easier with two adults more because of the logistics of getting them to the bath without smearing paint up the landing wall. I have never had an issue with not being able to get the paint off the floor with my steam mop or a wet cloth.
Be brave and go for it, the kids absolutley LOVE it. This is my absolute favourite activity!
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