Your Child Will Learn
Colors can represent how we feel
Here’s What to Do
- Ask your child to think about how colors represent different feelings; follow their lead even if their thoughts about colors and feelings are unusual
- Display 3-4 small bottles of paint and ask your child to choose one to represent a feeling
- Give your child the paint of the color they choose, along with black and white
- Have your child create a monochromatic painting about the feeling they chose; show them how to mix the selected color with different amounts of black and white
Put PEER Into Action
PAUSE
- Smile and say to your child, “let’s use paint to express how we feel”
ENGAGE
- Say to your child, “how do you feel today and what color best represents this feeling”?
- Demonstrate adding different amounts of black and white paint to the selected color to make light and dark variations
ENCOURAGE
- Ask your child, “What parts of the picture will you paint with light colors”?
- Ask your child, “what parts of the picture will you paint with dark colors”?
REFLECT
- When your child has finished the painting, ask them to explain how it represents their feeling
Not Quite Ready
Talk about your own feelings and what colors you choose to represent them
Ready for More
Ask your child to create a series of monochromatic paintings to represent different feelings
As Your Child Masters This Skill
They will learn that art can represent different feelings and how to make colors lighter or darker
Time to Complete
20-30 minutes
Materials Needed
Paper, non-toxic paints, paintbrush