Since it's been raining in California, kids have been feeling a little restless indoors. Their endless energy can be overwhelming, but we found a fun indoor activity for them to explore! Learning is always great when it is relevant to the present! Follow these simple steps below to help them create an amazing rainy day work of art!
Materials for this project:
- Oil pastels - Similar to crayons, but much more fun. They are softer, blend beautifully and are much more brilliant. Try Pentel, a great brand for beginners and available at most art supply stores.
- Pencil and eraser
- Paper - Hint: for longer focus, use large paper around 11"x14" or 12"x18"
Rainy Day Art
- First, get your pencils out and show your child how to draw an umbrella. Before they start drawing in pencil, ask them to draw the umbrella big, as big as their hand. Show them how they can also make it look 3-D by adding curved lines that follow the shape.
- Once they draw one umbrella, prompt them to think of a story or scene. What kind of details can be added? Who will be in your picture? Where does the picture take place? Before they color, encourage them to use different shades of each color. For example, the raindrops don't have to be the same shade of blue. They can be light blue, dark blue, gray, and the umbrella can be multicolored. Show them how they can blend the colors. Here's a link to a great tutorial on using oil pastels.
- Once your child says they are done, take a look at their art and see if you can prompt them to add more detail or color areas so that "no white paper is showing". They will often take time to add more details if you get them to step back and take a look at their art.
Don't forget the rainy day music!
The Beatles - Rain
B.J. Thomas - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
Brook Benton - Rainy Night in Georgia
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Who'll Stop the Rain?
The Temptations - I Wish It Would Rain
