Sponge Paint

Sponge Painting is a surefire hit any way you do it. I like to start out with shaped sponges, because it makes the children want to see the actual shape of it on their paper rather than just smudging and slopping the paint on. This helps them learn the correct way to press and lift, instead of dragging the sponge.

I use the shape sponges to also introduce or reinforce the concept of a pattern. Each child gets two sponges and they have to try and make one themselves. The more times they do the Sponge Patterns, the better they get. When they master a really great two-sponged pattern, I give them a third.

After the shapes, I try and get them sponging with regular sponges first freestyle, to remind them the right way to use the sponges (down, press, and up!). Then when they've had enough of that, I move them on into sponging in a designated space (fill in the bubble letter "T" for example, or a shape). After they've been doing this for quite some time, another day I try to encourage them to freestyle shapes and letters and see how well they do on their own.