We started finger painting with Nai’a when she was 5 months old and she seemed to embrace it from the first slimy start.
We were thrilled to see her so focused on her sensory experience because as a family we all love art. We provided a non-toxic water based finger paint which was diluted with a few drops of soap (makes easy to wash off paint), water and card stock paper….. let’s not forget a clean surface and a towel on the floor beneath her.
We pointed to the paper as she eagerly reached for the shocking pink paint on a plate and immediately smeared it all over the paper and of course upper body. At that moment we were at her level and waited encouragingly as she moved the paint around with each serious hand stroke.
It seemed as though only she and her art were in the room for a blissful 2 minutes. She painted 3 sheets before she decided she was done and but the experience is a treasured memory.
A warm fuzzy feeling comes over me each time I catch a glimse of Nai’a and Kaila’s (age 7) paintings. I never want to take for granted their sense of wonder and exploration….. to realize such a simple activity can bring so much life to their being and our home.