Fourth of July Sensory Activity: How to Make Paint Pops

Gina
May 30
3 min read

In this BLOG post I will teach you how to make these frozen paint pops and share the benefits of this kind of play.

These are such a delight. They’re colorful.

They’re cold. They’re slippery and they slide and they glide and they are so fun for painting!

They are perfect for a warm sunny outdoor day.

They are also perfect for a “stay inside and play” day.

We love to make them festive for the Fourth of July but you can make them any color(s) that you’d like!

We first saw Kristian from @friendsartlab share these with rainbow colors and we were hooked!

They are more fun the more they melt! It’s a sensory experience all around- the colors, the feel of the cold, the change in texture and sound of it moving across the paper.

It is a win every single time!

These are perfect for process art. Process art is creating with no end result in mind.

It’s about the process. It’s about the creating. It’s about the problem solving and patience and focus and fun that goes into art.

Process art can be extremely calming for kids (and adults!). It can also be a safe way to release big emotions.

Process art is beautiful for kids of all ages. It’s a low-stress, high reward activity.

What kind of paint should I use?

Any kind of kids washable paint works best!

How can I contain the mess?

Messy play is so beneficial for kids and there are ways to make it more manageable.

Bring these outdoors, if possible. Use the hose to rinse everything down when you’re done.
Put an old beach towel or sheet underneath to catch the spills.
Put a large piece of butcher paper down and paint on that!
Keep wipes or paper towels nearby to clean hands quickly before they walk away.
Wear “play” clothes.
Plan out for a time when you’re heading to the tub afterwards.

Can I reuse these?

Yes! I whatever is left over, pop back in the freezer to use for another day. I recommend putting them on a paper plate or sensory tray to avoid paint dripping inside the freezer.

Are these edible?

No! If you have a child still exploring with their mouths, save these for later!

As an alternative, you could freeze yogurt with a few squirts of food coloring and paint with those! Just be mindful of tossing the art projects when you’re done, since it is food-based.

Materials:

Washable paint (red, white and blue)
Paper cups
Craft sticks
Aluminum foil (optional)
Construction paper or
Butcher paper

Step 1: Layer your paint in the cups. Slowly squeeze the paint into the cups, one at a time. You want each layer to sit on top of the previous one, so it’s easiest if you slowly circle the paint around the cup.

Step 2: Continue with each color you want and then insert a craft stick. You can add a small piece of aluminum foil over the cup and then insert the craft stick to keep it from falling over.

Step 3: Freeze overnight until solid.

Step 4: Remove the foil and then slowly peel away the cup to reveal the layered paint pop.

Step 5: Roll out the paper and PAINT!