Salt Painting For Kids: A Fun New Art Project

The sky has provided inspiration for many artist from Van Gogh to Dali. Whether it is a pale sunrise, a cloudy midday, a rosy sunset or a blue starry night, the sky makes a beautiful painting.   Your child will have fun painting what he or she sees in nature.  I love helping children express their creative side so I am so happy to share this salt painting for kids art project today from KinderCare Learning Centers.

This art project for kids is about free-form expression. Using the salt paint, encourage your child to create the sky as he sees it or the sun that lives inside his heart!  Kids are so creative. You may be surprised to see what they imagine as the sky.  The watercolor salt painting will have a shiny finish when it dries. That will add another fun element to this art project.

Easy Salt Paint Art Project For Kids Tutorial:

What You Will Need To Make Salt Paint:

• Table Salt or Sea Salt
• Paint Brushes
• Food Coloring or Liquid Watercolors
• School Glue (white glue)
• Tag Board or Watercolor Paper
• Jar of Water
• Cookie Sheet Or Large Plastic Bag

How To Make A Shiny Watercolor Salt Painting Art Masterpiece:

1. Place tag board or watercolor paper onto a cookie sheet or large plastic bag to  prevent a mess as the salt paint may bleed through the paper.
2. Allow the child to use the school glue to cover paper in a fun pattern for the sky (think stars or clouds or swirls).
3. Have your child liberally cover the glue with salt and then shake off any excess salt.
4. Let your child drip a few drops of food coloring or liquid water color onto the tag board, making sure to focus on the glued areas so that the salt will absorb the color. If using food coloring, your child can dip a paint brush in a cup of water and add drips of water to the food color spots for a to see the swirls of lighter color it forms.
5. Tilt the tray so the color rolls around the canvas, creating a beautiful, vibrant sky.
6. Add some more salt to the food coloring or water color to enhance the sparkle effect of the salt paint art project.

Salt paint is like a mix between a science experiment and an art project. It is so much fun for kids of all ages to sprinkle salt, mix different colors, and see what happens. Another fun idea for this salt art project is to use the same steps to make a spider web pattern or ocean theme.

Conclusion

Simply experimenting with a new artistic medium, like salt paint, is exciting for kids. Encourage your child’s art endeavors as a way to build self esteem and remember that art is the eye of the beholder. The shiny salt paint art project will make a great addition to your refrigerator gallery.

To make this a really special, fun activity for you and your child- remember to talk with your child throughout the activity. Tell your child about the most beautiful skies you’ve ever seen, or reminisce about rainstorms you watched on the porch when you were little. What kind of weather does your child like best? When does the sun look prettiest to your child?

When you are done with this salt paint activity, don’t forget to display the finished artwork. Watercolor painting is a great way to explore color mixing. I hope you enjoyed this easy salt paint art project. Art is such a fun way for children to learn. For more fun art project ideas to do with kids, see ideas below.

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