Using new tools can always make painting more fun and exciting. Potato mashers are a great one for making prints, especially if you have one with a nice sturdy handle like the OXO good grips masher. I set this out as a creative activity for the boys in the garden.
All you need for potato masher painting is
- Paper or card (we used coloured paper)
- Paint (I would recommend using washable paint)
- Potato masher such as Oxo Good Grips potato masher
The potato masher makes great patterned prints on paper and is a great process art activity. Whatever the finished result, it will have a pretty cool effect so the children can concentrate more on the experience and process or exploring the paint with this tool rather than worrying about making their work look like something specific. We normally tend to lean more towards process art than doing very specific crafts. (You can read about why process art is important for kids in this great article from Mum in the Madhouse)
The boys noticed that when they mashed the masher into the paint that it creates bubbles in the paint tray which is quite a cool effect, and sometimes bubbles come through onto the pictures too.
Bubbly paint mashing is lots of fun! Look at Mr R’s concentration!
By the end of the activity most of the colours were all mixed together and we ended up with a lot of green!
This is a really simple and quick activity with very minimal set up. The results look pretty effective by using the potato masher as kids can easily create their own patterns.
We cut down one of the pictures for size and framed it for Fathers Day. It will make a very sweet hand made gift, because lots of love and lots of fun has gone into it!
*Paints and masher provided by OXO. Frame provided by Asda
More Painting Activities
- Outdoor Painting with Toy Cars
- Shiny Starry Night Mirror Painting
- Tape Resist Painting
- Bubble Painting Process Art
- Paint Absorption Process Art
- Glittery Valentines Day Process Art
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
That is fun. Won’t think I would let my kids ruin the potatoes masher. Lol.
Looks like fun, will have to get our paints out in the garden and have some fun next week.
That looks lovely. It reminds me of string and marble painting – and painting with washing up liquid bubbly paint 😀
What a great idea! I would never have thought of using a potato masher for painting! Looks like your boys had great fun!
I love this. Open-ended activities are always popular in our household!
This looks like lots of fun, thank you for sharing I will be trying this out! 🙂
Great idea, the picture looks fab in the PhotoFrame #letkidsbekids
We did something similar too, with more kitchen tools. Love how you made it into a gift!
Great idea. Looks like a lot of fun and learning/exploring there.
Thanks for linking #LetKidsBeKids
This looks SUPER DOOPER fun! Definitely want to have a go… 😀
#Pintorials
I love the texture the potato masher makes, pinning! 🙂
This is a great activity, love it! I’ll definitely be trying this with my lot 🙂 #Pintorials
OOohhhh looks like messy fun! #LetKidsBeKids
Love this – would never have thought of using a potato masher for painting. Will have to try this. Great pictures
Nice idea – we might try that. I guess you could use different tools too.
What fun! We love to paint with unconventional tools we will have to give the potato masher a try!
Oh I’m so glad this worked out well! I bought a potato masher in the shape of a boot a little while ago and have been planning something similar to this. What a great affect 🙂
x
Looks lots of fun and a nice masher too! #minicreations
Thanks a great idea, we have used potatoes before but not the masher!! #minicreations