Do it yourself

Get the kids involved

Painting is a great way to keep the kids occupied for hours! It’s colourful, hands on and requires their concentration. However, it can be a messy and, understandably, isn’t a favourite amongst parents.

So here are some tips to allow your child the fun of painting without their creativity turning your home into a living Jackson Pollock picture.

Firstly, you need to choose an appropriate paint. I would recommend using Haymes Paint Sample Pots. You can have them tinted in any colour you choose, the paint covers well and, being water-based, it washes up easily. Best of all it is suitable for basically all types of surfaces.

Allow your child to choose the colours they will use, Haymes Paint has a fantastic range of lovely bright colours. The kids will become more excited to paint and will want to see their choices become as wonderful as they had imagined.

Ensure the brushes being used are small in size. The smaller the brush, the less paint can go flying and more time is required to finish their project – more quiet time! Artist brushes are great, no bigger than 10mm is my recommendation.

Prepare properly for the mess. If it’s a nice day, set up on the grass outside, no walls out there.

Cover your table or bench with a plastic drop sheet. They are very cheap and can be cut to size, tape it to the surface using masking tape, this will prevent the drop sheet from sliding around and the masking tape wont damage your furniture.

Keep baby wipes or wet cloths close at hand for immediate clean up if necessary. Have a bucket with some water handy to drop in brushes that are no longer wanted.

Show your kids the importance of wiping excess paint off brushes, this will mean a whole lot less dripping.

Most importantly, ensure you put an art smock or apron on your child and roll up their sleeves.

By following these simple tips, older children can be left to their own devices. The little ones will always require some supervision though.

We have been using the above methods and following the Paintright Southbank Kids Craft Club project at the South Melbourne Night Market, with great success.

Canvases are great, they come in a variety of sizes and really open up the imagination. Masks and puppets are fun and can be used once they are finished for more play time.

Cut outs are great if you want to make a theme such as Christmas or Easter. You can also get them to paint up some things you use around the house, small plant pots for example or timber photo frames etc.

In the end it’s all about having fun. Any questions you may have on this or any other project please come see me at Paintright Southbank.