One of the wonderful aspects of art is there are so many ways to explore it. You can incorporate all the senses into your child's learning when you venture into the world of arts and crafts. Sponge art is a great way, especially for young children like preschoolers, to get a hands-on feel for art. Sponge painting can be used to create many types of paintings but here you are using it to create an autumn tree.
Sponge It! Autumn Tree Painting
You will need:
- butcher paper
- scissors
- various size sponges
- paint brushes
- tempera paint (fall colors - brown, red, green, yellow, orange)
- paper plates or small disposable bowls to hold the paint
- card stock - white
- tape for hanging the finished works of art
What you do:
- Before the kids start painting, you will want to cut an oval shape sponge for each child. Think a leaf shape. You might want to make some in different sizes for variety. Next put a small amount of color paint onto each paper plate.
- Now pass out the supplies. Each child will need an oval shaped sponge, a piece of white card stock and a paint brush. The plates with the paint can be shared.
- The first step will be for the child to draw a tree trunk and some branches on the card stock. Have him draw the tree trunk in pencil and then fill in the drawing with brown paint.
- Next comes the fun part -- adding the autumn leaves to the bare branches. Show the child how to lightly dip the flat side of the sponge in the paint. Now press the sponge several times onto the paper in different places. Repeat with a different color until the tree is covered in beautiful fall leaves. It's okay if the colors blend. It just adds to the fall look.
- When all the autumn pictures are dry hang them on the wall.
One of the many things you can do with art ideas, like the sponge painting activity above, is to incorporate them into your curriculum or learning activity. They can be used in a classroom, daycare or as part of a home school. Activities such as sponge painting a fall tree with colorful leaves can extend the learning experience for children.
There are several books for kids that you could read to your class or child and then use this fun activity as an extension of the book. One such title is -- Once There Was a Tree, by Natalia Romanova (Dial, 1985). It is a lovely book full of colorful trees the children can use as examples for their paintings. By doing simple things, like sponge painting, you can instill in your children a love of learning and creativity.
