Sponge Art

Try this different style of painting with your child. I'm sure they will have fun with it, and you just might get into it yourself!

Supplies:

• sponges
• scissors
• disposable plastic container lids or shallow dish
• empty bottles with lids on them
• strong glue
• food coloring or dye
• hole punch (optional)
• rubber band (optional)
• paper

Instructions:

1. Cut shapes from sponges and use strong glue to attach to the top of an empty plastic bottle with a lid. I used empty Crystal Light containers, but there are countless options here. For one sponge you could use a hole punch to make holes. For another you could wrap with a rubber band to make a spiral. Use your imagination!
2. Place a sponge for each color in an empty disposable plastic container lid or shallow dish. Saturate with food coloring or liquid dye.
3. Once the glue on the "stamps" has dried, press into the colored sponge and then press onto the craft paper.

There are so many things you could make using this technique. After playing around just on craft paper, you may want to venture into card making or personalized gift wrap. Why not even use the same technique with paint for a wall border?

By Jayme from Harrisonburg, VA