Paint Exploration

Different colored paint swatches

This activity promotes development and learning by encouraging children to investigate motion. Children will learn about cause and effect and learn that in order to spread the color, they must add force to their tool to move the paint around.

Materials Needed:

  • Paint
  • Various tools, e.g. brushes, toy cars, toy balls, rolling toys, etc.
  • Paper

Participants: This activity is intended for adult/child interaction.

Directions:

  1. Set out blobs of various paint colors in front of the child.
  2. Tell the child to “push” or “pull” the paint around the paper using the available tools. Label all the colors.
  3. Ask: How is the paint getting all over the paper? Can you move the paint fast and slow?
Bright Horizons
About the Author
Bright Horizons
Bright Horizons
In 1986, our founders saw that child care was an enormous obstacle for working parents. On-site centers became one way we responded to help employees – and organizations -- work better. Today we offer child care, elder care, and help for education and careers -- tools used by more than 1,000 of the world’s top employers and that power many of the world's best brands
Different colored paint swatches