MAMA Activity: ‘Snow Much Fun’ Part 2

Whilst experimenting with the white paint after completing our handprint snowmen we created some lovely pictures, a little bit by accident! So here’s how we created our winters pictures;

Equipment:

For the painting bit;

– Plastic activity mat for floor or table.

– White paint (water based, non toxic).

– Paint pots / paper plates.

– Coloured card.

– Paint brushes / sponges.

– Old clothes / aprons for you and your child.

For the decoration bit;

– Permanent marker pens / glitter pens / felt tips.

– Sheets of craft foam to cut into shapes you want / pre-made christmassy craft foam shapes.

– Extra coloured card to cut into shapes.

– Pom poms.

– Scissors.

– PVA glue.

Step 1: Preparation.

Set up all of your painting equipment either on the floor or table. As for ‘Snow Much Fun’ Part 1, put out white paint first and have clean brushes/sponges so you get crisp white pictures. Ensure you have wipes and an old towel handy and you and your child are in old clothes/have aprons on. This MAMA activity can get very messy so be prepared!!

Step 2: Experimentation.

Allow your child to mess around with the paint and brushes/sponges. Put the white paint in a variety of pots and let your child dip their hands/painting implements in them and see what marks they make on the card. Often if we do this activity on the floor feet get involved too!

Step 3: Folding Surprise Pictures!

Fold a piece of card in half then open it back out again so there is a crease down the centre. Encourage your child to squeeze the white paint straight from the tube into the centre crease (my son did not really need much encouragement as he loves to squeeze the paint out)! Once enough is on the card fold the card back over and pat it down. This was extremely hilarious to my son especially as some paint squeezed out of the edges! Open the card back up and find what surprise patterns you have created!

Step 4: More experimenting!

When you have put aside your folding surprise pictures now add in some other colours and have some more fun getting messy!

Step 5: Tidy tidy tidy up!

I’m sure you’re getting to know the MAMA routine now, wipe the excess paint off and then it’s bath time if needed! Put your painting equipment in to soak and then properly clean later.

Step 6: Decorating your pictures.

Our folded surprise pictures came out looking like snowmen so I used coloured card, pens, pom poms and snowflake cut outs to create wintery snowmen scenes. Depending on how yours come out use your imaginations and create, create, create!

On my sons experimenting handprint page I also let him choose things to stick on it such as Christmas themed craft foam shapes and Pom poms! He really enjoyed putting the shapes on with the PVA glue (under supervision) to create his own Christmas collage!