How to Create Easy Spider Art Using Golf Balls

Inside: Put together a simple spider art activity that involves rolling golf balls with white paint. A fun process art idea for toddlers and preschoolers!

Even during the holidays, when crafts are ever so popular, I love to find an activity that involves process art.

Using golf balls with paint is a favorite method for toddlers and preschoolers

We’ve used golf balls while making our:

• gingerbread man banner
• pigs on the farm
• frog puppets

With this activity, we are going to use golf balls and white paint to make spider webs. Perfect to go with our fall theme!

How to Create Easy Spider Art Using Golf Balls

Supplies:

• Golf ball
• White tempera paint
• Black construction paper
• Container with sides
• Spoon
• Foam spiders (or make your own spiders using sheets of foam – we prefer to use sticky back sheets)

Setting up your spider art activity:

First, cut the black paper to fit inside the container you will be using.

Then, fill a bowl with a shallow amount of white tempera paint and drop a golf ball into it.

Add a spoon.

Now it’s time to do the activity.

Invite your toddler or preschooler to use the spoon to move the golf ball around in the paint.

Then, transfer the golf ball from the bowl of paint to the container with the paper.

This takes great concentration and builds those fine motor skills!

Show your children how to hold either side of the container, gently rocking it back and forth.

As the golf ball travels, it will leave a trail of white paint, which will be the spider’s web.

Toddlers might just want to pick the ball up using their hands, rather than using the spoon, dropping the ball into the container.

This especially loved by those who enjoy the feeling of paint on their hands and fingers.

Even though the spoon is not being used, there is still fine motor going on as the hands and fingers grasp the golf ball.

If more paint is needed, squeeze some into the bowl.

In this case I invited our children to do the squeezing.

I made sure to be right there because the squeezing process can be too much fun and the entire bottle will be used if not monitored.

(Trust me on this. I’ve had experience!)

This is one more way to add fine motor to the activity.

What’s fun about this part of the activity is that it is process art.

There are no right or wrong ways to do it.

Some children will want to transfer the golf ball to and from the container many times.

Others will enjoy rocking the container quite awhile.

Adding the spider:

After the web is thoroughly dry, it’s time to add the spider.

You can purchase pre-cut foam spiders or make your own out of sheets of foam.

I prefer to use foam with an adhesive backing.

Just peel off the protective plastic and press the spider onto the web.

And there it is!

A spider web made from golf balls and paint with a spider made of foam.

Easy and fun!

Spider books to go with this activity:

 

More spider activities:

Circle Time – Itsy Bitsy Spider Props (Free Printable)

Fine Motor – Spider Cutting Cards (Free Printable)

Sensory Bin – Spider Sensory Bin

Math – Spider Web Counting Cards (Free Printable)

Art – Itsy Bitsy Spider Puppet (Free Printable)

Art – Egg Carton Spiders

Art – Spin Art Spider Craft

Science – Learning About Spiders

Cooking – Spider Counting Snack