art

Recycled Cardboard Process Art

June 22, 2025 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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If you are looking for an easy-to-set-up, inexpensive, intriguing art activity, this recycled cardboard process art invitation fits the bill. It is an effortless art invitation that yields beautiful results. The activity is a good choice for Earth Day or anytime of the year.

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Supplies to Collect

Cardboard pieces with interesting shapes are perfect for this unexpected process art painting activity. Gather the following:

cardboard protective packaging
egg filler flats
thinned tempera paint
paint pots and brushes
large sensory tray

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Preparing the Recycled Cardboard Art Activity

A large active world tray is my go-to for this art activity. Place it indoors or outdoors on a stand or table. Or use an art table with a protective table cover.

Next, set recycled cardboard pieces in the sensory tray. Protective packaging and egg filler flats are good choices.

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Then pour paint into paint pots and mix in a little water to make it thinner. Add brushes, and set the pots around the cardboard molds. That’s it!!!

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The Recycled Cardboard Process Art Activity

A group of children can participate in this open-ended art activity with recyclables. Invite them to pick a spot to paint the three-dimensional shapes in the tray.

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When two children work on one cardboard shape the art activity is collaborative. While working on different sections of a piece, one child creates a frigid northern landscape, while the other chooses contrasting paint colors.

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A square egg filler flat inspires creating mini volcanoes with bright orange paint.

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The thinned tempera paints use fewer resources, cover the textured cardboard easily, and allow for spatter painting.

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Children may use the recycled cardboard pieces in other art projects when the paint dries.

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Benefits of the Recycled Cardboard Art Activity

In this cost-effective recycled cardboard art activity, children

participate in a relaxing, calming process art activity.
paint on novel, textured three-dimensional objects.
recognize patterns and design them with paint.
mix colors to create new ones (making brown is always a favorite.)
build hand strength and coordination while using paint and brushes.
have the freedom to paint without feeling pressure to produce a completed art project.
experience a collaborative art environment.
learn the value of recycling and reusing materials creatively.

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More Process Art Activities

Salt Painting Planet Art

Pump Bottle Watercolor Art

Watercolor Apples With Markers

Painting With Corn

Eye Dropper Pumpkin Art

Fall Leaf Salad Spinner Art

Squeegee Painting Heart Art

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[Read more…]

Salt Painting Sensory Bin

June 15, 2025 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This gigantic salt painting sensory tray is inspired by the many eye-catching salt trays I’ve seen online over the years. In this activity, children are invited to color salt in a huge sensory tray and draw, design, and sculpt with the wet salt.

Salt is inexpensive and has a sand-like texture. It is taste-safe, non-perishable, and easy to color in many beautiful hues.

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Supplies to Collect

Gather the following supplies for this silky salt-based sensory bin:

4 boxes of salt
food coloring
paint pots
eye droppers or pipettes
small bowls
clear storage containers
tablespoons
toothed scraping tools

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Setting Up the Salt Painting Sensory Tray

This low-cost sensory activity is effortless to set up and works splendidly indoors or outdoors.

If doing the activity indoors, set a large, low-edged sensory tray on a table or stand made for the tray. This light, transportable active world tray, also called a tuff tray, is up to the task. Outside, if a table isn’t available, it rests on four stackable stools or patio end tables. So easy!

Tip: Outside, I recommend placing the sensory tray away from plants and grass since salt harms them.

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Next, add food coloring in a few hues to paint pots filled with water. Thinned tempera paints also work fine. Add eye droppers to the pots.

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Then add bowls and tablespoons for scooping and mixing, and toothed scrapers for creating designs.

Lastly, pour three boxes of salt into the tray. Reserve one box to sprinkle in more doses of salt periodically to add interest to the sensory invitation as children are playing.

The salt tray is ready to explore.

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Exploring the Salt Painting Sensory Tray

This salt painting sensory tray is suitable for a group of children to explore. Invite participants to drip paint onto the salt and mix it in. They will love the coloring process and delight in mixing colors in the bowls and clear containers.

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They’ll naturally pick up the tools to make designs in the salt.

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Periodically add more salt to the bin so they can continue mixing and changing the colors.

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As the salt gets wetter, children may mold cakes and other items from the salt. When this happens, the scrapers make excellent slicers!

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When children are finished investigating the salty tray, have a water source nearby so they can wash up easily.

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Benefits of the Salt Painting Sensory Tray

Exploring a salt tray and mixing colors is a relaxing and satisfying science and sensory activity. Salt trays are also popular as prewriting invitations. Children experience a novel way to practice tracing and writing lines, letters, numbers, and shapes, using at least two of their senses. They develop eye-hand coordination and refine fine motor skills.

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More Sensory Activities

Salt and Glue Moon Art

Salt and Ice Science Experiment

Salt Painting Planet Art

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[Read more…]

Salt Painting Planet Art

May 3, 2025 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This salt painting planet art is super satisfying and oh so simple to do. The salt drip painting technique works well to create Earth or one of the other eight planets.

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Supplies to Collect

Gather the following supplies, which you probably have around your home, for this stunning planet art activity:

8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock paper
table salt
white glue
glue paddle
food coloring
paint pots
eye droppers
paintbrush
teaspoon
disposable plate
scissors and pencil
glue stick or glue gun
washable table cover

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Salt Painting Earth Art

The first planet to create is our Earth as seen from outer space. Complete this salty art activity over two days.

Day One:

Protect an art table with a washable or disposable table cover.

Cut out a circle measuring 18 cm/7 inches from 8 ½ x 11-inch or 9 x 12-inch cardstock paper.

Pour white glue into a small container or paint pot.

Set the sturdy paper circle, pot with white glue, glue paddle, and disposable plate on the prepared art table.

Dip the glue paddle into the white adhesive and spread it on the circle in shapes of land forms.

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Using a teaspoon, generously sprinkle salt over areas of the circle that contain glue.

Tip the circle sideways over a disposable plate and shake off excess salt. (The leftover spice can be used for more salt painting planet art projects.)

Let the gluey circle dry overnight.

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Day Two:

Cover an art table with a washable table cover.

Prepare the watercolor paints: Mix a few drops of blue food coloring into a paint pot containing water and a few drops of green food coloring into a second water-filled pot. Or mix a lighter and darker hue in each color for more variety.

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Set the raised salt circle on the art table with two hues of green food coloring. Add an eye dropper or pipette to each pot.

Using the droppers, carefully drip paint onto the salt-covered areas of the circle.

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Then, with a paintbrush, carefully brush blue watercolor paint around the raised salt land forms to represent water.

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Set the painted art project aside to dry.

The earth art looks stunning adhered with a glue stick or glue gun to a black or dark blue 8 ½ x 11-inch or 9 x 12-inch cardstock or construction paper background. Displayed in a group, this salt painting planet art project looks stunning.

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Salt Painting Jupiter Art

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Jupiter also looks amazing in a salt painting planet art activity. To create planet Jupiter with this art technique, spread the glue in a stripy design to show Jupiter’s banded, cloud-covered look. Sprinkle on salt and shake it off next. After the spice-covered glue dries, drip red and yellow food coloring paint onto the raised salt areas. Then, carefully brush orange food coloring paint (or orange liquid watercolor paint diluted with water) between the raised salt areas for contrast.

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As with the salt painting planet Earth project, a group of arty Jupiter planets looks stunning when displayed on dark cardstock paper backgrounds.

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The salt painting art with an Earth theme is a great activity for Earth Day. Both art projects are welcome additions for a space theme.

Is this post helpful? Which planet would you create with this technique?

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[Read more…]

Tin Foil Egg Printing

April 17, 2025 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This tin foil egg printing art project is easy to set up and oh-so-much fun. Just a few basic supplies are needed for this creative spring activity.

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Tin Foil Egg Printing Supplies

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Gather the following supplies for this egg-themed art project:

tin foil roll (also called aluminum foil)
water-based marker
spray bottle
8 ½ x 11-inch paper
scissors
tray

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Tin Foil Egg Printing Instructions

For this printing art project, first cut eggs from tin foil (commonly called aluminum foil). Select strong tin foil if you have it available. Feel free to download this printable to use as a pattern.

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Egg PrintableDownload

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Next, color a foil egg (a unique, unexpected canvas) with water-based markers. Set out a few decorated eggs to offer inspiration.

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Then place the egg in a low-edged, flat tray and spray it with a small bottle filled with water. Give each area of the egg a little squirt. (Young children will love this step.)

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Afterward, lay an 8 ½ x 11-inch sheet of paper over the wet foil egg and firmly rub over the egg. The marker colors will transfer over to the paper.

Tips: Sturdy paper works best for this activity. Watercolor paper or cardstock is a good choice. In addition, the foil eggs are reusable as a printmaking base if dried with a cloth or paper towel after each use.

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Lastly, cut the printed egg out with scissors after the paper has dried.

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A group of printed eggs would look lovely in a garland or mounted on complementary hues of cardstock.

Some decorated foil eggs could be left as is. The marker colors will dry, and the eggs will look lovely this way, too.

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What do you think of this activity?

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More Easter Art Activities

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[Read more…]

Origami Heart Wreath

February 28, 2025 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This origami heart wreath features skin-toned paper-folded hearts with a 3D effect. Make this exquisite wreath craft during Black History Month or save it for a Celebrate Diversity theme. Changing the color scheme makes it a standout Valentine’s Day craft.

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Origami Heart Wreath Supplies

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Gather the following supplies for this meaningful easy-to-make paper craft:

6-inch x 6-inch origami paper in skin tones
9-inch thin paper plate
1 ½ inch wide wired craft ribbon
scissors
glue gun

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Making the Origami Heart Wreath

To create this heart wreath craft cut the middle out of a thin cardboard paper plate. This leaves a rim of about 1 ¾ inch wide.

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Next, gather 8 sheets of 6-inch x 6-inch origami paper in various skin-toned hues and fold the paper into origami hearts. An easy-to-follow YouTube video by EZOrigami shows how to make paper hearts.

Origami Heart (Folding Instructions)

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Afterward, adhere the hearts on the paper plate rim with a glue gun, leaving a little room on the bottom for a bow.

Finally, fold the wired craft ribbon into a bow and hot glue it on the wreath. 1 ½ inch wide craft ribbon with an animal print is showy and works nicely with the skin-toned hearts.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning activities.

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Related: Origami Heart Valentines

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