Earth Mother: Baby’s First Art Project – Fingerpaint Butterflies

by Julia Parker, Newsletter Volunteer, from the May 2007 Newsletter

We are now the proud parents of two baby girls – ages 10 ½ months and 9 ¾ months. Unlike some parents, after years of trying to adopt, we finally were able to after having our second daughter. So, now we have four very busy little hands in our house. I would like to share with you their first art project. We did this about a month ago and I guarantee you it will take you more time to read this article than it took those two babies to start and finish their art project. As a rule, babies should not linger over painting projects (which this is).

So, here’s how to get started – with instructions specifically written for those of you with more than one baby. While they are napping, do the dishes, throw in a load of laundry, plan dinner, then quickly fold a piece of sturdy paper in half – we used the blank side of a grocery sack. Unfold the paper and draw the body of a butterfly in the middle with indelible marker. After they’ve gotten up and been fed in some manner, clear the table, let them down, clean up the kitchen, put 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and a splash of milk in a saucepan, stir over a low flame while they remove all the Tupperware from your drawers and bang pot lids at 8 decibels. When it thickens, take it off the stove; divide into two bowls. Add two different kinds of food coloring. Let it cool while you get down on the floor, play with them and remove any dog hair, crumbs or old currants from the floor that they have put into their mouths.

Now, with one trying to learn to stand by pulling on your pants leg and the other climbing around under the table, tape the folded paper to the table in front of their highchairs (or on the highchair if you use one with a tray) so that you can only see half the butterfly body. Remove their shirts. Put them in their highchairs. Spoon two or so teaspoons of finger paint onto their paper somewhere in the vicinity of where the wings would be. Stand back. One of our daughters daintily touched the finger paint with the tips of her fingers and spread it around. Then (while I wasn’t looking) put a rather large quantity of green finger paint in her mouth. Our other baby daughter used her palm to smack her paint into place, spraying it over me and herself and, in all fairness, nicely across the paper.

Now quickly un-tape the papers fold them in on themselves to duplicate the one wing that your baby has just made. Voila – a baby Rorschach butterfly! If they are still happily engaged in this activity, you can make some more. I’m sure they make good grandma presents. Put the pictures up to dry someplace high where they can’t reach – no, higher. Wipe down the babies, put their shirts on, change your shirt, make sure there is no green fingerpaint in your eyebrows, wipe down the high chairs, do the dishes, move the laundry.

It’s a whole afternoon’s activity!

Julia Parker is looking forward to figuring out how to do more art projects with her ‘twins.’

Copyright: Copyright on articles and recipes are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective authors, except were otherwise noted.

Return to Resource List

For additions or corrections to this page, please contact the Webmaster.