Paint a wall!

Difficulty: ****
Time to prepare: ****
Clean up: ****
Activity time: 1 to 2 hours

Let your toddler’s imagination and creativity soar by helping her decorate one wall of her room with a mural. Talk to her about what she would like to paint on her wall or show her some ideas to choose from. Keep it simple though as you’ll have to draw it and she’ll be helping to paint.

Your child’s fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination will also get a boost as she plays the little artist. Her self-esteem will also benefit from having her work displayed on a large canvas.

Make sure your tot understands that the wall will not be changed daily - once the wall is painted, it will be left like that, in order to prevent her from going back and “retouching” the mural. She’ll also need to be told that this is a special wall and that she is not allowed to paint on the walls in the rest of the house!

What you need:

• Use stencils, brushes and stamps (all available from craft stores) and waterbased paint for this activity.
• Use a simple design and remember to take your own capabilities as well as those of your child into consideration. Keep things simple and easy to do.
• Pre select the colours your child can use and try to choose shades that will complement the rest of the room.

Tips:

• This activity is messy, so dress your child in old clothing or an apron.
• Sponges shaped in a design, like the heart that we used to make a clover, will make it easier for your child to participate in the fun while creating an attractive mural, rather than letting her go wild with a brush.
• This activity will need constant supervision, so keep an eye on your little one and offer your help. Don’t dominate the activity though.