Painting with water

From the house

• A little water in a heavy cup or small bowl
• A paintbrush, pastry brush or sponge
• A chalkboard or a flattened brown cardboard box
• A towel underneath

How to play

1. Put the board on the towel and set the water next to it.
2. They dip the brush and paint: look, the water makes a dark mark.
3. Paint big swooshes, dots and lines side by side.
4. Watch the marks fade as they dry, then paint the board again.

Fit it to your child

• Easier: Let them use a sponge or their fingers, and hold the cup steady for them.
• Harder: Paint a line, a circle or a zigzag and they copy it right next to yours.

Words to use

• dip
• paint
• wet
• dry
• gone

Why it helps

Dipping, wiping and swooshing a brush is the first step toward drawing, and marks that vanish make them want to paint again.