Painting With Flowers: Spring Process Art Fun For Toddlers
What are some of the craziest things you have given your child to use as a paintbrush? Have you ever tried painting with flowers? As the snow is melting and we’re getting ready for spring, this is such a fun activity and a way to try something new!
The results from painting with flowers are actually quite lovely.
Process Art, What’s The Big Deal
Process art is highly beneficial for young toddlers, all kids really. There really is no end product. Process art focuses on exploration and creativity, problem solving and critical thinking. Even someone as young as one can start developing these skills.
Watch as they decide how they are going to do their painting. Will they use their fingers, will they dab or brush or splatter? What color do they start with first? To us it may seem like a free for all of art supplies, to them it’s sensory exploration.
The skills learned during process art will also aid in their fine motor skills as they grasp a painting utensil or tear paper.
Be sure to ask your little (if they are talkers) about their picture. Have them explain the process or ask what they created. One of my favorite pieces of art is from when one of my boys was about 2, he told me the scribbles on the paper were an airplane.
That picture has hung proudly in my dining room ever since.
We love all kinds of process art around here. Be sure to check out these ideas for some more process art fun!
Painting With Flowers Prep:
I am huge on setting up your space! Put yourself and your child/children in a position for success by making this simple yet effective. Cover your workspace and have something to cover your child like an apron or a large t-shirt.
Have quick cleaning supplies ready like wet wipes or wet washcloths.
Now for the fun stuff!
- Paint
- Paper plates
- Flowers of some kind
- we had these pretty daisy like flowers though something sturdier like carnations may work better as we were losing petals fairly quickly
- Thick paper
That’s all you need! It’s funny how sometimes the simplest things can be the most engaging.
Now you will want to decide what colors you would like to use and how you want to set them out. Will your children be sharing all the plates of color or will each child have their own?
Since I work with pre pre k kiddos…the 1–3-year-olds…I gave each child their own plate with a few color choices and their own flower.
You could also set out one plate and one flower per color across your workspace and let the children share.
Trim your flower so you have a small stem remaining for a handle.
Painting Time!
You may need to demonstrate how to use this new tool but remember with process art we want to let them do most of the thinking. Painting with flowers should be fun! Give them a chance to explore, touch the flower, experiment.
Will they stamp?
Will the brush?
What color choices will they use?
This is the fun part; you get to observe. Watch the creativity unfold. Consider what you might try next time. I would like to give each child two plates with one color on each plate and see what they do.
It is important to cater to the ages of the children in your care but also push their limits a little. Can they handle that extra step.
A final tip before you go
Make sure you write on the back of your child’s creation.
- Their name
- The year
- What they were doing-tools they were using
I have some amazing families in my care that like to keep all their littles work. I want them to know what their child was working with so they can see more what they came up with.
