Roll up your sleeves and bust out the old newspapers! Sponge painting is easy, fun, and a great way to tap into the creativity of children of all ages – even the grown-up ones.

by Ruth A. Wilson, Ph.D.

With a little encouragement and some easy-to-use materials, painting can be an enjoyable activity for any child. The secret is to match the materials to your child’s age. Finger paints work well with very young children, and oil paints are fine for older children.

And there's one kind of painting that works with all ages: sponge painting.

Supplies

The materials you’ll need for painting are simple: paper, paint, and sponges. Whether online or in a store, look for “kids’ crafts” rather than in the adult section. You can also find quality arts and crafts materials in educational supply catalogues. For suggestions, see the end of this article.

While any plain paper will work, a fairly sturdy paper is best. Choose a sponge that isn’t too thick; a half-inch works well. Cut the sponge into smaller sizes. It’s best to have a separate sponge for each color—otherwise you’ll end up with several bowls of paint in various shades of brown.

For paint, definitely choose something washable! Tempera paint is good. Other good paints for sponge painting with children include poster paints, Crayola paints, and aptly-named children’s paints.

For a cherry blossom painting (below), you’ll need red, white, and green, and possibly a few other colors. You’ll also need a few paper plates or small bowls to hold and mix the paints. A water source nearby is also a good idea.

To sponge paint, simply dip one end of the sponge in paint and then apply it to your painting. The thicker the paint and the longer you hold the sponge in the tray, the heavier the print that the sponge will leave on the painting. To get that light, airy quality, try blotting the sponge on a spare sheet of paper first. Experiment with different textures and color combinations, and have fun!

Sponge painting can be used to create many types of paintings, but here are two favorites to get you started.

Make a collage

A great idea for sponge painting is to make a collage of shapes. Start by cutting sponges into a variety of shapes. Shapes may be simple, like triangles, squares, and circles. Fish, birds, and leaves are just a few of the many other possibilities. Your child is now ready to make a collage of different shapes and colors. He can create a border or a geometric pattern, or simply scatter the shapes and colors at random to see what emerges. 

Make a cherry blossom painting

What could be more beautiful than cherry trees in bloom? Their beauty attracts thousands of people to our nation’s capital each spring to see the cherry trees in bloom around the Tidal Basin. While you may not be able to get to Washington, D.C. for this annual event in March and April, pictures of the trees are available everywhere.

An excellent place to start in making a cherry blossom painting is to encourage your child to take a close look at a live cherry tree in bloom at your local botanical garden in the spring, or a very fine picture of one. The focus may be on one single tree, an entire orchard, or a park. Look closely at the colors and shapes of the blossoms and leaves, as well as the size and shape of the trees themselves.

Before your child starts to paint, use a pen or marker to draw a simple tree trunk and a few branches. Then start experimenting with colors. It works well to have a test sheet of paper nearby to check colors before painting the blossoms on the tree. A few green leaves might be added among the white and pink blossoms.

Other ideas for sponge painting

Sponge painting can be used for painting Easter eggs, decorating boxes, and even on the walls in your child’s rooms. Sponge painting activities are fun when done one-on-one with a parent or grandparent, but they can also be fun with a small group of your child’s friends.

Add this easy and inexpensive activity to your child rearing style. Sponge painting—like other types of artwork—can foster your child’s creativity and appreciation of beauty in art and nature. It can also be great fun!

For supplies and resources:

• Target
• Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores
• Play with a Purpose
• Lakeshore Learning

 

Dr. Ruth Wilson is an educational consultant and curriculum writer. Her primary areas of expertise are early childhood environmental education and peace education.

Photos by Ruth Wilson