If summer is starting to drag right now for your children, have them do a finger painting project of an animal using only their hands and fingers.
These paintings were done with a set of nontoxic water color paints and white drawing paper.
You can also use poster paint for this project, but I like the look of water color paints better plus it is easier to clean up.
Form the peacock’s body by painting a large blue oval on on the side of your hand. Using your index finger, make the head.
The peacocks tail feathers were made by dabbing my index finger in yellow, green, purple, and blue colored paints to simulate the many colors of the tail feathers.
To make the head feathers dip your small finger slightly in blue paint and dab your finger several times above the peacock’s head.
The white swan was made by tracing my hand. The head was made with a dot of watered down black paint on my index finger. Make the beak by using the top section of your smallest finger and orange water color paint.
Make the pond water and swan feathers by using the side of your hand and blue paint.
White Swan on Lake
Red Lobster
The lobster’s body was made by painting a red circle on the side of my hand and pressing on to the paper.
The tail, legs and fantail was formed by using my pointer finger to make side-by-side finger prints. The fantail was made by using my pointer finger and making small prints.
The sand is dots of multicolored paints pressed with my finger tips.
When the water colored drawing is completely dry, take a black pen and fill in the details.
It might help to have a photograph of the child’s animal near by to look at when they are painting and drawing in the details.
The above finger painting/hand projects are easy and fun to do. You need only a watercolor set of paints, white paper and your child’s imagination.