This week we are trying making life size paintings by drawing round bodies on to paper. Children usually enjoy the attention they get as you draw round them and it’s also a fun game not to wriggle as it tickles. It’s also nice for children to get to step back and look at themselves and it’s a fun way to learn the names of all the body parts with little ones. Then they get to decorate, maybe with colours chosen for how they are feeling? Or you could try using the right body part to print on, using a hand print on the hands and a footprint on the feet? Babies could just be allowed to spread paint over the top of the drawing and then you could cut it out or bigger kids could design the clothes?
It’s even more fun if you let the little ones get a shot of drawing round the big people! We didn’t have quite enough big paper to manage to do one for each of our family so we decided to draw them one on top of the other on the same piece and turn it into a pattern. This makes a nice end painting of a whole family unit that is a very visual way to show togetherness but it could also be very funny to have a picture for each family member. There are lot of variations so give it a go.
You need:
- Big paper – this is flexible to what you have though, you could use newspaper or the back of old wallpaper like we did or you could stick together lots of smaller pieces.
- Pencils, crayons or pens for drawing round people
- Paint or other decorations – this one works well with the home made flour paint from our previous instructions
- Some floor space – roll up those rugs!
Have wee ones lie down on a big sheet of paper and draw round them gently. It’s tickly so make this part a fun game. They will then enjoy getting a chance to draw round the older people in their family, with some help if it’s tricky.
It’s a good idea to do this step in pencil so they don’t get pen on your clothes and then you can draw round in pen afterwards.
If you draw round one body on top of the other from smallest to biggest on the same page you will be left with a crazy pattern of lines. It is then a game for the painting of trying to fill in every shape that the lines have made without letting the same colours touch. This is a definite team effort so get everyone involved!
Now you just need a really big wall to hang your family portrait on!