Little Hands Art: Bubble Wrap Painting

This summer, I started a bi-monthly art program for toddlers. It alternated with a weekly drop-in open play program. Little Hands Art was advertised for toddlers ages 2-4 with an adult caregiver. Registration was required and our progamming blurb requested that toddlers come wearing clothes they could get messy in.

Our first week was bubble wrap painting! I googled around for a paint idea involving bubble wrap since a co-worker first told me that she does a bubble wrap stomp during one of her baby programs. I was immediately drawn to the idea of combining the sensory experience of popping bubbles while painting.

I started with the kids at tables with their caregivers. They painted the bubble wrap first with a foam brush:

Then, it came time to put the bubble wrap on the floor and layer it with a piece of paper. Some kids did the paper over the bubble wrap. Halfway through, I called out a suggestion for parents to switch it up and have the bubble wrap over the paper so the kids could see the colors.

Ta-da! Bubble wrap painting!

Take-aways from this session:

1. Our tables are too high for some of the toddlers. This is a bummer because our chairs are folding chairs and make me nervous about feet getting caught in the open back space.

2. Tarps are wonderful, wonderful things.

3. We need more smocks.

(All of these things were corrected throughout the summer!)

Here’s a fabulous Pinterest ready collage to you to pin if you are so inclined:

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Kelsey from Library Bonanza, Heather from Little Literacy Librarian, and I are presenting a program at Illinois Library Association Conference THIS THURSDAY all about art with small people! You’ll be seeing a lot of art posts this week — enjoy!