Sensory Painting
Updated: Jun 25, 2021
Let your child get creative with this simple but unique craft project! Children of all ages will enjoy this activity with minimal supervision and maximal fun. Meant to improve sensory and motor skills, this task also requires very few materials and simple clean-up. Show us your creations when you do this project!
Materials
- Shaving cream
- Bubble-wrap
- Scissors
- Food dye
- Paint brushes
- Masking/painters tape
- White paper
- Paper with outline of your painting (hand-drawn or printed)
Let’s get started!
Step 1: Gather up your materials and be sure to work on a flat surface that you can get messy.
Step 2: First, grab your bubble-wrap. We need to cut it in order to properly fit over our piece of paper. Feel free to cut as many as you would like if you want to do multiple pictures!
Helpful tip: Make your bubble wrap larger than your paper by all sides so that it is easy to take on and off!
Step 3: Let’s choose our picture! For this step you can create an outline of your painting. It is your choice whether you want to hand-draw or print out an outline. For our example, we have an ice cream cone!
Helpful tip: Try to keep your picture simple so it will be easier to paint!
Step 4: Now, with your new outline, lay it face down on the table in front of you. Place a piece of bubble-wrap on top, bubbles face up, being sure that the paper is entirely covered. Tape the bubble-wrap down on all four sides so that it won't slide!
Step 5: Time to make our paint! Using extra space on your bubble wrap, or a new sheet, place 3 piles of shaving cream spread slightly apart (about the size of your fist).
Step 6: In order to color our paints, choose one of your food dye colors for each pile. Then, place 2-3 drops of food coloring on each shaving cream spot.
Helpful tip: Start with only a few drops of food coloring, you can always add more to make it darker later!
Step 7: Let’s mix! Using one paintbrush for each color, mix the food dye into the shaving cream until you can’t see any white spots. Feel free to add more dye if you think you need it!
Step 8: Now for what you have been waiting for...let’s paint! Using your shaving cream and brushes, paint on top of your bubble wrap, filling in the lines of the picture underneath. You can also use your fingers instead of a brush if you want to get messy!
Step 9: Time to make our fun into a lasting masterpiece! Using a blank piece of paper, lay it gently on top of your shaving cream art. Gently press the paper down with your fingers, being sure to press everywhere on the painting.
Step 10: Peel the paper off and...ta-da! You have a print of your art! Let your picture dry and then display your work!
Step 11: We may have already finished our artwork but now is a great chance to get sensory! Using the “paint” already on your bubble-wrap as well as any new shaving cream you want to add, feel free to get messy! Use your hands to feel the shaving cream or pop the bubble wrap!
Fun tip: If you are working outside, you can also try stepping on your shaving cream with your feet. Get ready to feel some shaving cream and hear some bubble-wrap popping!