Outdoor Art activity with paint and lots of movement

We played with our big box yet again and this time the activity included paint! 2 weeks ago we came in possession of a huge box and we have already turned it into an art studio for the kids for all their art activities. The kids have played pet shop in there, used it as a workshop, enjoyed the box as reading nook and many more. Today’s post is about how they enjoyed painting inside the box. When the weather is nice and sunny ( which is most of the time here) we love doing a ton of outdoor art activities.

To see our earlier preschool art activity ideas which involved lots of movement visit our tin can roll painting

The balls we used were regular ones we had around the house and we had one sensory puffer ball/ squishy creature we had left over after a birthday party I suppose. However after I saw this outdoor art activity unfold I see that the sensory puffer ball is perfect for babies and younger toddlers. It has such a great texture for painting and exploring – I have included links to sensory balls and sensory puffy balls.

Materials { affiliate link below for your reference}

• Butcher Paper
• Painters Tape
• Washable Kids Paint
• Textured Sensory Balls
• Sensory Puffer Balls

I taped the insides of the box with butcher paper. You could leave it as it. The reason I taped paper was to simply have a removable piece of process art after the art activity and so that the box can become something else the next day. Kids’ interests are fleeting and we all are well aware of that. We have used this same box as an art studio and then a giant rainforest and also as a glow in the dark box

I set out a few plastic balls and those sensory squishy creatures available at the dollar store or even at the dollar spot at Target.

With some vibrant colored  paint set out in flat trays the kids dipped their balls to their hearts’ content and then splash! time.

They threw the balls inside the box and it splattered paint all over. This art activity was pure fun! I had watered down paint so the splatter was even more dramatic.

My 4 year old could not get enough of the ball splattering paint all inside the box

For my toddler, apart from throwing the paint dipped ball, it was all about feeling the paint. All art activities turn into sensory activities with her.

She put her hands and feet inside the paint tray and did a few hand stamps on the box. She even used the squishy creature to paint the insides.

My pre-schooler was all about getting the ball all over the paper. This was one of those multi-age open ended fun art activity – all inside a box.

After all the fun, here is our box. We would have played longer but the fun had to be cut short for an evening errand.

Your kid is now an artist who throws paint! You can save to display or frame it.  I have so many of these I’m completely overwhelmed. Ha!

Thanks for reading and let’s have a fun summer. Don’t forget to pin.

First published on May 20, 2013

Thanks for reading!

Want more art projects?

Try our archery painting activity too

Have a child with lots of energy? Here are 50 art projects (many of them outdoors) for your active child

Stick around and take a look at all the books we have co authored. Many different kids activities idea all neatly packaged in one spot with a handy supply list.