Finger Painting

I busted out our vinyl mat and smocks this morning and set the kids up to finger paint. I taped the corners of their paper down and also taped the small paper plates to the mat.  Paint covered fingers get quite slick and everything has a tendency to move around if not properly anchored.

This is messy. So, of course, Gabe loves it.

Ana daintily uses just her fingertips.

Addie smears the paint everywhere then makes designs with her fingernails.

Washing up in the bathroom made as much of a mess as the actual painting.  Lots of little hands splashing and rubbing sent dirty water all over the mirror, walls and floor.  It's just water though, and after wiping it all up the bathroom was cleaner than when we went in.  I'd say that's a plus!

Clean up time meant I wasn't snapping any more pictures, though.  Otherwise you would have seen the paint on the chairs, the chair rail, the door frame, the sink, the bathroom walls, and their clothes. But this is why we use washable paint.  It wipes off with a damp cloth in just a few seconds. I'm all for an activity that causes the house to be cleaner at the end.  It's a good practice of patience and letting things go.