Create your own wonderful and wacky monsters at home. We show you how to create these beautiful blow painted monsters and have fun in the process!
With thanks to Kym, from New Zealand, for sending in this great blow painted monsters idea. Let’s take a look at it…
What did you do?
We made blow painted monsters! This is a wonderful activity for preschoolers stuck inside on a rainy day!
It ticks many boxes developmentally – blowing, colour mixing, hand-eye co-ordination, fine motor skills, spatial and body awareness.
It is also completely open to interpretation, your little one’s imagination can go wild!
Equipment:
Card or watercolour paper
Non-toxic paints
Water
Cups
Straw
Toothpick (optional)
White paint or chalk pen and black pen
Instructions:
1. Choose 2-3 colours to create your monster with.
2. Pour a little paint and water into a cup and mix completely. The runnier the paint the easier it will spread.
3. Carefully pour paint onto the card.
4. Begin blowing through the straw to move, mix and swirl the paint into a monster shape. Tip: have your child swallow the saliva in their mouth and take a big breath in before they start blowing!
5. Use the toothpick or the end of the straw to add fingers, hair or more detailed mixing.
6. Once dry (overnight) use the white paint or pen and black pen to create eyes/teeth etc.
7. Cut around the monsters to display on a backing sheet or hang!
I loved how child-led this activity was. Miss 3 was able to be involved throughout the entire process. I believe in trusting our little people to be successful!
Do you have any other projects planned?
We are preparing for our youngest daughter’s 1st birthday at the end of November, quickly followed by our eco-friendly Christmas crafts and advent.
Tell the Housebound With Kids community a bit about yourself…
My name is Kym. I live at the bottom of the South Island, New Zealand with my husband and our two daughters (3 & 12 months). I am a registered primary school teacher and am currently working part-time in an Additional Needs (Special Education) classroom which is so amazing!
@_kym_oconnor_
Do you have any tips for other parents?
We loosely follow the Waldorf philosophy in our home, which regulates our days through rhythms. Alternating ‘breathing in’ activities (calm, quiet, inside) and ‘breathing out’ activities (high energy, gross motor, messy play) activities is amazing. Making sure you get outside every single day regardless of the weather is great for mental and physical health (for everybody) too!
What are your family’s favourite board game(s)/card game(s)?
We are big fans of Orchard Toys Games, they are perfectly suited to our three year olds level. A good round of snap or memory is never passed up either!
What are your children’s favourite books?
We love our homegrown New Zealand authors – Lynley Dodd, Joy Cowley, Donovan Bixley and Margaret Mahy. We also enjoy anything by Pamela Allen and Eric Carle. I can’t wait for my girls to be old enough to delve into the magical world of Harry Potter!
What toys would you recommend to other parents?
We love open ended toys in our home – anything that encourages imagination, problem solving and extended, engaged play. As much as possible we purchase fair trade or environmentally friendly toys (avoiding plastic unless it’s thrifted). Our favourite brands are Grimms, Grapat Q Toys and Ostheimer/Holztiger.
Has this website and community helped you?
Love that it is an easy to use resource for like-minded parents and caregivers looking for simple activities with limited supplies.
