The activity we did for art today was based on a watercolor painting post that I read on another blog, but I changed the story to a Halloween theme.
To begin, don't tell the child(ren) what they are going to paint, let it be a surprise. Prepare blue, red, and strong yellow watercolor paints and wet a piece of water color paper with a wet sponge.
Begin the story:
The October sun was shining in the sky like a big golden ball.
(Have the child paint a big yellow circle in the middle of their paper and fill it in).
The sun shined through the red autumn leaves and took on a reddish hue.
( Paint over the yellow ball with a watery red, which will turn the ball orange)
The sky was a cloudless blue, but the sun shown so brightly that the blue could not touch it.
( paint the rest of the paper a light watery blue, but try not to touch the orange ball).
The sun said to the leaves, "You are beautiful, but I must shine through. If my light doesn't reach the plants, the pumpkins will not ripen and the children won't have any jack-o-lanterns for Halloween. Some of you must fall, so that I may peek through."
"We will fall," Said some of the leaves, "So the children can play with us."
(Show the child how color can be removed from the painting using a clean brush. Take off color to form the eyes, nose, and mouth on the ball.)
" Now, I can shine through!" Said the sun.
(Paint over those places where the paint was removed, using yellow paint.)
So all the children were able to have jack-o-lanterns for Halloween.
( add a little yellow line to the top to be the stem. It should mix with the blue to make green.