Toddler Art Class: Puffy Paint

Shaving cream "ghosts" can get a bit messy....

Art Project: 
Supplies:
foaming shaving cream
white glue (washable school glue recommended)
dark construction paper
craft sticks (optional)
large shallow pans or bowls

Book:  we actually read this one
   
Who said boo? / Miranda, Anne 

but I wish we'd read this one (I didn't think of it in time):

Ghosts in the house! / Kohara, Kazuno 

Set-up:
pour equal amounts of glue and shaving cream (or at least 1 part glue to 2 parts shaving cream) into a shallow pan for each table and mix together.


What Kids Do: 

wow.  i'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.

tiny notes--some kids didn't want to get their fingers messy and requested craft sticks so those were a last-minute addition for my class, but the did end up making interesting pattern possibilities, so I'd recommend having them available for experimenting.  If the glue mixture was left thick enough on the paper and allowed to dry, it does take on a wonderful, puffy texture that is fun to poke with your finger!


Hindsight Tip:
--adults should wear smocks for this one too!
--if you want kids to actually "draw" with this mixture, try putting into squeeze bottles.
--Clean up is most efficient with a wet washcloth and a tub of water, not paper towels or wet-wipes.

 Variations to try: 

This can also be snowmen, or add food coloring or liquid watercolors and it can be puffy any-season paint!

Adult Challenge:

Don't tell your child their artwork is pretty.  Instead, ask them what they liked best about making it, or what their favorite part of the finished product (if any) is.  Or talk to them about it like you would talk about art in a museum ("I notice you've chosen a monochromatic color scheme" or "Wow!  Look at the motion in these zig-zag lines here in the corner!").  This is the most challenging of all the parent challenges!