Babies (Ages 1-2)
Children as young as one can begin to paint. Place them in their high chair, and tape a piece of paper to a tray. You can use finger paints (or pudding if you think it will go to their mouth!). After this, you can give them a sponge or wide paint brush, and show them how to apply it to the paper. They will be thrilled by the marks they produce! For babies, starting with 1 color is plenty.
Young Children
Before starting, have all supplies ready. Go over a few ground rules - paint stays on the paper, no paint in the mouth, and rinse the brush in between colors. Children at this age will be able to change colors and attempt to paint recognizable images. Show them different brush strokes, and provide a variety of applicators to paint with (sponges, small pieces of rags, stamps, etc.). Keep comments non-critical and non-suggestive to let children develop their own styles. |