Paint Walking in Preschool

Give your preschoolers a new sensory experience with this fun exercise from Teacher Tom! Not only will it give your students a chance to get messy, it will give them the opportunity to get outside, soak up the fresh air, practice important gross motor movements, and 'play' off some of the excess energies!

Supplies You'll Need
- Three large tubs
- Craft paint
- Bulletin board paper roll
- Tape

To prepare the activity area, cut four long strips of paper and tape them together to form a square. Then tape the paper to a secure part of the parking lot or playground and line the inside with chairs (backs facing out) for balance support. At one corner, place a large tub filled with paint and chairs with a clean-up station (e.g. a tub of warm soapy water with paper towels for washing and a tub of warm water for rinsing with paper towel for drying). Have your students take turns dipping their feet into the paint and taking a 'walk' around the paper. It will work best to divide your students into groups and time them as they play. Give each group 5 minutes of play, then rotate them into another activity. It also works better if you have parent or older student volunteers to help during this and the other activities that will be going on at the same time!

While this activity was done in a preschool classroom, older students will also enjoy this exercise!

Teacher Tom: Paint Walking