This process based art play is a great way for your 2-6 year old to play with printmaking and color and experiment with painting using something other than a paintbrush.

Materials
- 3-5 different washable tempera colors on a sponge in a bowl with a bit of water
- Dino figurines
- Big paper taped to wall or table

Instructions
- Set up the art play invitation.
- Model the possibilities of how to use the materials.
- Let your child explore.

Process Over Product
Art play for children is about the process, not the product. When your child is “done”, the paper could look different than you envisioned it would. Celebrate their process as it is.

I leave a project like this set up for an entire day. Mr. 3.5 leaves and comes back to it several times.

Don’t stop with dinos! Many objects are great for paint play with children. Use what you have and/or what the little artist is interested in. Cars, loose parts from nature, animal figurines and even blocks all make good paintbrushes. Have fun!
4 thoughts on “Painting with Dinosaurs”