Core Skills Analysis
Visual Arts
- Identified and applied primary colours (red, blue, yellow) with a brush.
- Experimented with mixing two colours to discover secondary colours.
- Varied brush strokes (dab, swipe, dot) to create different textures.
- Composed a simple picture that expressed a personal idea or feeling.
Mathematics
- Sorted paint containers by colour and size.
- Counted the number of brush strokes used in each shape.
- Compared and matched painted shapes that were the same or different size.
- Created a repeating colour pattern (red‑blue‑red‑blue) across the page.
Science
- Observed how two liquids combine to form a new colour, noting the material change.
- Noted the effect of adding water to paint (thinner consistency).
- Made predictions about the colour outcome before mixing, then tested the hypothesis.
- Watched the paint dry, recognizing the transition from wet to solid.
English
- Used colour adjectives (bright, dark, shiny) to describe the artwork.
- Followed simple oral instructions such as “paint a circle”.
- Shared personal feelings about the painting ("I love the blue sky!").
- Retold a short story about what they painted, using a beginning‑middle‑end sequence.
Tips
Extend the painting experience by turning it into a multi‑sensory investigation: first, set up a colour‑mixing lab where the child predicts the result, then mixes and records the outcome on a chart. Next, introduce shape stencils so the child can paint circles, squares, and triangles, reinforcing geometry concepts. Follow the art session with a storytime where the child narrates what happened in the picture, encouraging language development. Finally, take the artwork outside to observe how sunlight changes the colours, linking science and art.
Book Recommendations
- Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh: A playful tale of mice discovering how colours mix, perfect for introducing primary and secondary colours.
- Mix It Up! by Hervé Tullet: Bright, interactive pages invite toddlers to shake, turn and mix colours, turning painting into a kinetic adventure.
- The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt: A humorous story about crayons with personalities that sparks conversation about colour choices and feelings.
Learning Standards
- Visual Arts – ACAVAM103: explore colour, shape and texture through painting.
- Mathematics – ACMMG043: identify, describe and sort objects by colour and shape.
- Science – ACSSU015: investigate materials and how they change when mixed.
- English – ACELA1431: use everyday vocabulary to discuss personal experiences of painting.
Try This Next
- Create a simple colour‑mixing chart worksheet: child predicts the new colour, then mixes and checks the result.
- Prompt the child to draw a three‑panel story sequence of their painting, labeling each panel with a short sentence.