Home Art Projects Art projects for preschoolers and toddlers : Cotton Rounds Art

Art projects for preschoolers and toddlers : Cotton Rounds Art

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Art projects for preschoolers and toddlers : Cotton Rounds Art
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Today’s post is a part of the various fun and easy art projects for preschoolers we have been sharing so far. However, most of art projects we have been sharing are Valentine’s day themed. This time we share an all-season one – we used cotton rounds to experiment with color and make art with it. I hope you have all seen our cotton rounds craft. After seeing the kids enjoy the our “just add water bleeding art” activity, we decided to do a combine both activities.

The idea is to color mix and experiment with different colors on cotton rounds.

[box title=”Things we used” color=”#333333″]

  • Liquid water colors/ markers soaked in water
  • Watered down tempera paint
  • Colored water using food color/li>
  • Cotton rounds
  • Medicine dropper, spoons, paint brushes

[/box]

materials for cotton rounds art

We used medicine dropper, brushes, spoons to pour, drop, splash water colors on the cotton rounds using 3 kinds of colored liquids

1. Liquid Water Colors

I made liquid watercolors using the old “marker soaked in water” trick to make them and I must tell you that it worked pretty good. Using the dropper, the kids droped/squirted/poured water colors on cotton rounds and watched the patterns emerge.

watercolors on cotton rounds

The colors travel through the fibers in the cotton rounds so beautifully that it is a treat to watch them soak up the cotton round. Big A was in awe! “Colors are moving, moving, wow!” But please take note to actually see the absorption, the squirts of color or dabs of colors should be done really gently and slowly which the pre schooler caught on.

art  projects kids

This activity is a fantastic, open ended art activity even for toddlers because let’s just face it- toddlers just love to splash colors all over. My toddler had a great time squirting, painting water colors all over the cotton rounds.Although she had a hard time being gentle with the medicine dropper but it doesn’t matter she just loved being there with big sis “ playing with colors”

art projects with color mixing

2.  Watered down tempera paint also works relatively good.

Although the color travel through fibers were virtually absent. My younger was eager to use brushes on this one.

art with cotton rounds

We noted the difference between painted cotton rounds and ones where we used a medicine dropper. The difference was dramatic.

By engaging in these kind of art projects for preschoolers, I can personally see the way the older one is learning  any new concepts – planning, observing, predicting, recognizing patterns and differences etc. Giving the child freedom to engage in open ended art activity turns a  simple color squirting exercise into a fun and learning activity.

3. Water with food colors

These did not have enough “color” in them to travel through the fibers and just plain soaked the cotton rounds. Yet, the colors were fantastic.

cotton rounds art for kids

Big A took the time to do numerous multi colored cotton rounds, working in layers, really! Check this out.

art projects with cotton rounds

It started off as a simple squirt water colors on cotton rounds but it transformed into much more. It is great to see a child’s mind at work when given just a couple of art supplies. Here she has created a face and also experimented with the other side of the cotton rounds to see the difference.

easy art projects for kids creative use of cotton rounds to make art

I used a cleansing pad from a drugstore. You can see that the surface is ribbed and different from the cotton round. The patterns the colors make on this round is very different from the ones made on a regular cotton round. Observing these minor details are a great exercise for a pre schooler.

open ended art projects with kids

Thanks for reading

Do you have toddlers or babies in your life and feel coming up with baby activities are so challenging? We, in collaboration with other bloggers have put together a book with GREAT activities for babies and toddlers.

Click here to read the review. Click on the image to buy the book!

baby book

Some highlights

    • There are 25 unique baby/toddler play ideas
    • The activities for babies and toddlers are explained very thoroughly with bright pictures and clear step-by-step instructions.
    • The ideas are very simple and perfect for busy new moms of babies and toddlers.
    • You will get exposed to 25 new blogs where the women behind the blogs share so many ideas for baby play, toddler play, preschooler play and up.
    • There are additional 50 links to whole new ideas for play.
    • There is a wide range of activities with classic baby play, sensory play, homemade toys and many learning activities.

Stop by our “All things Paint” pinterest board for more fabulous open ended art ideas.