Who says you are too young to paint? This post was inspired by my sister, @mamameimei, who runs a business where moms and babies can come together and socialise with others and have a fun time learning new things at the same time! All the activities are constructed to help the development and growth of the little ones and what’s great is that you can take the ideas home with you, to do with your little ones in your own time!

When I saw what the tiny babes were getting up to recently I thought it was such a brilliant idea! Not only are they introduce to colors but their senses are stimulated and more importantly, they get to build their strength and motor skills.

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Tummy Time Painting

As a parent you will appreciate the fact that this activity is super cheap to put together and it is very likely that you already have all the materials you will need. Not to mention that it is mess free, cleaning up is as simple as tossing a bag into the bin!

Here’s what you will need:

One cute baby
A large zip lock bag
Different colour paints (non-toxic, in case the bag does leak or burst)
Sticky tape
White paper, or cardboard which I feel works best

Instructions:

Squirt or dollop blobs or lines onto your white paper/board
Slide the sheet into the zip lock bag without smudging the paint
Seal the bag tightly
Using your sticky tape, stick the sealed end of the bag to a smooth and flat surface
Place your child onto his or her tummy facing the bag and let their hands do the rest of the work

The little guys will explore the enticing new “toy” in front of them and each time they touch the bag the paint will squelch and spread, keeping them intrigued. For those babies detest tummy time, this is something you can do to keep them entertained so that they don’t even realise they are straining on their tummies!

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Educational gains from this activity:

Development of gross motor skills
Development of fine motor skills
Sensory development
Colour association
Hand-eye coordination

So, if you find yourself sitting at home with your baby, not to sure how to entertain him or yourself for that matter, whip out the plastic and some paints and have some fun! Even older toddler will get a kick out of this, although, if your child is like mine, he’ll figure out how to unzip the bag and we’ll have paint everywhere – but that’s ok too!

Much love - @sweetpea

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