Finger Painting Question

I received an unexpected call from Bree’s mum on Sunday afternoon. She needed confirmation on the precise technique of finger-painting. She said she couldn’t resist any longer. They bought Bree a set of paints for finger-painting and a roll of butcher’s paper. They wanted Bree to create another print because they would like to have it properly framed to give to Grandma’ Ettie. It was while she was on the phone that she realised that she had forgotten to buy Bree a smock. I told her to use one of Bree’s long sleeved bibs, like I did. I also took the opportunity to ask if I can make a smock for Bree. She thanked me and quickly offered to pay. I refused the payment and gave her the excuse that it will just be a plain smock. (I am going to use calico. How ugly huh?)

Bree’s mum called because she wanted to know if I really place the paint on her little table. Another friend of mine also asked about this earlier this year. The answer to this question is yes. I do place a dollop of paint on the table for the child to work on. I do this because I find the results less disappointing. If the paint is placed straight onto the paper, it is likely to tear if the child works on the same spot over and over. This can be a little frustrating for the child who has just discovered finger-painting. When the child is ready, I will place a clean piece of paper over the design and run my hand firmly to smooth it out before peeling it carefully off the table. Older children learn to perform this step independently. The print can be dried by pegging it to the indoor clothes rack but I prefer to dry it flat on the dining table or kitchen bench. I suggested the kitchen bench because some dining tables are just not suitable for this type of ‘abuse’.

When I did the finger-painting with Bree, I offered only red paint. It was only her first introduction. I will introduce the other two primary colours later. If I am offering different colours, I will make sure that there is space in between the dollops of paints on the table. The children can discover for themselves the mixing of the colours to create new colours. It is through this type of physical experimentation that they may become aware of the different gradations of colour tones.

Bree’s mum didn’t bring up the issue of the mess created by placing the paint straight on top of the table but my friend did. I explained that children can be taught to clean up the table afterwards. That itself is another activity that children love. I am looking to introduce this to Bree later this year. Bree can be given a piece of sponge to pick up the paint from the table top. She can be taught to rinse the sponge and then go over the table top again until there is no longer any paint left. Stella (2 years older than Bree) is very capable of doing this and she even uses soap occasionally to give her little table a proper clean after picking up the paint. Initially, the young child’s effort may be somewhat clumsy but just like anything, with practice and encouragement, she can become quite a little expert in cleaning her own table. I believe that it is never too early to expect children to manage their own activities independently or at least as independently as developmentally possible.

NOTE: Until the child is fully capable of cleaning up after themselves, we adults are still responsible for the bulk of the cleaning to keep things tidy, neat and hygienically clean. Mess should not be an excuse to inhibit a child from discovering his/her world.