Color Mixing Toddler Painting Activity

Inside: Simple is best when putting together a toddler painting activity. We covered a small table with paper, poured paint into containers, and added brushes we found at the dollar store. A fun way to learn about color mixing while enjoying the process!

I’m one of those teachers who looks at an item in the store and wonders how it could be applied in the classroom.

Even something like a facial brush, which is what I found in our local dollar store.

I bought 4 of them, knowing they could be used with a small group for some toddler painting.

It didn’t take much thought as to how they’d be used, as I had been observing how our toddlers have reacted to painting activities since the first day of school.

I knew they’d love scooping the paint out of the container, scrubbing the paint onto the paper, and watching what happened when different colors mixed.

A super fun process toddler painting  activity!

Color Mixing Toddler Painting Activity

What we used:

Paint containers (these are our favorites)

Washable tempera paint in different colors

Facial brushes (but you can use any type of small brush with a handle)

Large sheets of paper

Setting up this activity:

Pour tempera paint into the containers.

Add brushes.

Cover a flat surface with paper.

The invitation for toddler painting:

What I love about process art is that there really aren’t any instructions.

Our toddlers walked up to the table, fiddled with the brushes in the containers, and then started scooping the paint out of the containers using the brushes.

At first they tapped the brushes on the paper.

And then they started pushing and pulling the brushes.

And then, true toddler style, the paint started getting mixed.

After exploring the colors for awhile, they dropped their brushes, washed their hands, and moved on.

Just like toddlers do.