This is a nice activity if you don’t feel like getting too messy but still want to help wee ones be creative and explore colours in a different way.
You need:
- Some thin papers – tissue paper shapes are ideal or thin coloured paper but you can also add in others from home, like kitchen towels, baking parchment, packing from gifts etc. Even tinfoil works quite well
- A window
- Some water in a spray bottle or in a pot with a brush
- Ideally a sunny day outside for maximum bright colours!
If they are not already in shapes, cut your papers into shapes before you start this activity, or older toddlers might be able to help do this. Lay out a range of shapes and colours for them to choose from.
Now you need to wet your window either by brushing on water or spraying with a bottle. This is my ones favourite bit and often ends with a soggy mum!
Now let them choose different papers and press them gently onto the window surface where the water will help them to stick. They can keep going till they build up a pattern that they like. It’s also fun to show bigger ones how the different colours can make new colours when they overlap and how some papers are see through and others like tinfoil are not. 
When they are happy take a photo as these are temporary art works – bits will fall off as it dries out. On a sunny day you will get a stained glass effect but at night, if your light is on, your neighbours will get to see them. This might be a nice way to do a rainbow for your window.