And when it comes to messy art, splat painting is fun and takes almost no prep.   This spring try puddle painting for another low prep idea that’s perfect for a rainy day.

Cotton Ball Splat Painting

Materials Needed:

• Cotton Balls
• Acrylic Paint
• White Craft Paper
• Craft Stick Catapult (optional)

Splat painting is a process art activity for kids.  It’s all about exploring while having fun and being creative.

With that in mind, we came up with two different ways to do splat painting with cotton balls.  The first idea involves using craft stick catapults to paint.

Want to make your own catapults?  Follow these directions.  We opted to hot glue a plastic lid to our top craft stick instead of using the plastic spoon for these catapults, but a spoon would work too.

Catapult Splat Painting

To minimize paint spills and make things easier for the kids, pour a small amount of each color paint into the cups of an empty egg carton.

Dip one half of your cotton ball in paint and set it on the catapult, paint side up.

Then comes the fun part.  Pull the catapult back and let that cotton ball fly!

Painting with a catapult involves some experimenting.   If it isn’t very windy you can try placing the paper on the ground in front of the catapult.   A few small rocks can help hold the paper in place if needed.

Your child may need to move the catapult back and forth to find the optimal position for hitting the paper with the paint balls.

You can also try taping your art paper up on a surface that you aren’t worried about getting paint on or using a small paint easel.    Be ready for a bit of messy experimenting as those painted cotton balls fly!

Cotton Ball Toss Painting

Want to skip the catapults?

Another fun variation for this messy art activity is to just toss the paint covered cotton balls.

This is perfect for younger children.  They will love seeing the colorful results as they toss the cotton balls.

If you have larger sheets of paper you can challenge your child to try tossing the cotton balls from varying distances.   How far away can they get and still hit the paper?

Be warned, this is one activity the kids may ask to do over and over.

Splat painting is a fun and messy outside art activity that is perfect for a variety of ages.  

More Splat Painting Ideas

• Try dropping the cotton balls onto paper while standing on a chair.
• Use a water balloon slingshot to shoot the cotton balls at the paper.
• Use a small wood mallet or toy hammer to help splat the paint.  (The Artful Parent)
• Try splat painting with tea bags. (Messy Little Monster)

You may also enjoy these posts:

• Painting with Toy Trucks — Process Art
• Painting with Squirt Guns
• Colorful and Unique Weaving Activities for Kids 
  

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The post Cotton Ball Splat Painting first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

My daughter loves painting.  My son loves squirt guns.  Put the two together and you have a fun outdoor summer activity: Squirt Gun Painting!

Materials needed for Squirt Gun Painting:

• Squirt Guns
• Water Color Paper
• Liquid Water Colors or Food Coloring

To prep for our colorful squirt gun fun, I filled each squirt gun half way with some of our liquid water colors.  Then I added regular water to completely fill them.

I used clothes pins to hang our paper up on the fence in the backyard.

Then it was time for fun!

I hadn’t told either of them what we were doing, so they were really surprised when they first shot at the paper.

They had a blast switching guns, mixing colors, and creating beautiful works of art.

Squirt Gun Painting Tips:

• Since so much water is involved, regular white paper (like printer paper) doesn’t work well.  It tends to tear easily.  That’s why a thicker paper, such as water color paper, works best.
• Filling several squirt guns with a variety of different colors makes for lots more fun.
• Don’t have liquid water colors?  Find out how we made our own liquid water colors here!
• Swimsuits make clean up a breeze!  (They can run through the sprinkler when finished or you can just hose them down.)

Your kids will also like:

• Painting with Trucks
• 15 Outdoor Water Play Ideas
• DIY Tin Can Stilts 
• Awesome Camp Crafts

The post Squirt Gun Painting first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Are you ready to get messy?

This week our Nature Study Series had us exploring natural clay!

To find our clay, we headed for the local creek.

The kids soon found the hard, grey rock-like lumps we were seeking.

While they were interested in the fact that they could break the “rocks,” they really were looking forward to building with the clay.

Once we brought our clay home, we got out trays and containers of water to help soften it up.

I let each of my scientists decided how they would work the clay.

After getting its surface wet, and finding how slippery the clay became, my son decided to wash off his hands and head to the sandbox.

My daughter on the other hand, really got into it!

She left her clay in the water, breaking it up and squishing it as it softened until it was pudding consistency.

She loved it!

She spent a good hour squishing the clay between her fingers, drawing pictures in it on the tray, and pouring it into different containers.

And, since we were outside, cleanup was a breeze!

Want to take it a step further?

We talked about the fact that clay is made of super fine particles, much smaller than potting soil or regular “dirt.”

Before getting the clay wet, have your scientists predict what will happen when water is added.  Observe how the clay changes once it is wet.  (Does it change color?  Texture?)

Discuss how natural clay has been used in the past.  Then use your clay to build something!  We plan on letting ours dry out a bit and making a small pinch pot.

***

Like this post?

Check out the rest of our posts in this summer’s Nature Study Series!

Having trouble finding natural creek clay?

This one is similar:

The post Nature Study: Exploring Natural Clay first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Sometimes simple is best.  This is especially true when it comes to outdoor play.

We had so much fun with the classic  Paper Cup Phone that I decided to try another classic and make tin can stilts for the kids.  They have been a huge hit!

Affiliate ads may be used below. 

Make Tin Can Stilts

Materials Needed:

• 2 large coffee cans
• 2 pieces of rope the same length
• electric drill

In each coffee can drill two holes approximately one inch from the bottom, opposite of each other.  If you are worried about sharp edges on the insides of the cans, you can use a file to smooth them out.

Next, thread a piece of rope in one hole of the coffee can, through the can, and out the hole on the opposite side.  Tie the loose ends of rope in a knot.  (I had my daughter stand on the cans and made the knot so it was a little above her waist.)

That’s it!

You could get out paint and decorate your cans, but we’ve been having too much fun with ours to stop and decorate!

To use the stilts, simply stand on the cans, holding the ropes in each hand.  While pulling on one can’s rope, lift your foot and take a step.

The coffee can stilts are a fun way to work on balance, coordination, and motor skills.  Plus, my daughter loves seeing the world from a new perspective!

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More simple outdoor play ideas:

• Make a Water Wall 
• Spider Web Maze 
• Drive to the Sight Word

More Recycled Tin Can Crafts:

• DIY Tin Can Stove
• Tin Can Lantern Craft

The post Tin Can Stilts — Simple Outdoor Play first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.