Name of Activity:.Magic Painting by Jen Haik

Category:. Art Smart

Props: large white paper, finger paints, paintbrushes (fingers can be substituted), smocks, newspaper.

Your Role: Coach and model (optional)

Directions: Lay out newspaper on the table and then put out the supplies. If you would like, you can model the activity for the child. Display for them that you are going to paint something on the paper, using either a paintbrush or your fingers. Then when you are finished painting, you are going to fold the paper in half, creating a whole new picture. Show your picture to the child and allow them to tell you what they believe the picture to be. After you finish, encourage the child to create a picture of their own. When they are finished painting, tell them that you are going to fold the paper in half, but first ask them what they think their painting will look like when it is folded. After they tell you, fold the paper, have them help with this, and then open it. Encourage them to describe what they see, with as many details as possible and, if they would like, ask them to tell you a story about what they see..

Goals for You: Your focus is on getting the child excited about painting a picture in a new way. They will create one picture and in the end, end up with something totally different..

Goals for Children: To enjoy painting in different ways and to be able to describe what they see after and what they think they will see before the paper is folded. This will make them use their imagination in two different ways.

Possible Strategy:

What to say "Today we are going to paint in a brand new way, we are going to do magic painting. First we are going to paint a picture with these paints, you can use a paintbrush or your fingers, whichever you prefer. Then when you are all finished, we are going to fold over the paper and you will have a totally different picture. Instead of just making one picture, you will have two, just from one painting. Would you like to make one?"

What to do Encourage the child to paint whatever he or she wants in their picture and be sure to let them know that you are going to fold over the paper. Make sure that this is not going to upset them in any way. Tell them that this will not ruin their painting, it will just make it more exciting. Encourage them to describe what they think their painting will look like after it is folded, before they see what it looks like. This will make them use their imagination predict what they think is going to happen. Then when it is folded, ask them to describe again what they see..

Possible Shaping:

What to say What to say: "Can you tell me how you think your painting is going to look after we fold it? Try to see it in your head, imagine that we are folding your painting and then it is opened, what do you see? Great! Now we are going to do it. Can you tell me what you see now?

What to do: : Encourage the child to keep trying even if they can't see the picture folded in their head. Let them know that there is no wrong answer, that they should just tell you anything that can see in their mind

Possible Ending:

What to say: "Great job. See how much fun painting in a new way can be, how one picture can become a totally different one just by folding your paper in half."

What to do: Ask them if they would like to give their painting a name and if they do, write it one the painting for them, along with any story that they may have told you..

Material on this site created by Helane S. Rosenberg, Ph.D. and Yakov M. Epstein, Ph.D. in conjunction with their forthcoming book titled Play for Success. All material on this site is copyrighted and may not be reproduced or cited without written permission of Helane S. Rosenberg, Ph.D.. Dr. Rosenberg is Associate Professor of Education at the Graduate School of Education of Rutgers-The State University, New Brunswick, NJ. Dr. Epstein is Professor of Psychology in the Faculty of Arts and Science of Rutgers-The State University, New Brunswick, NJ. He is also Director of the Center for Mathematics, Science, and Computer Education of Rutgers University.

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