My granddaughter has always loved to do art–draw, paint, use play-doh, make things from cardboard, glue “treasures” onto paper (her definition of “treasure” is quite broad).  For her 4th birthday party my daughter planned a mural project.

Materials & Supplies

• A looooooooong piece of butcher paper or painter’s paper (hardware store)
• Tempera paint, it’s WASHABLE or Water-color washable markers, several containers to put along the paper
• Brushes, lots – you can use sponge brushes – buy them in packets at hardware stores (they’re cheaper)
• Plastic palettes for them, to use for mixing colors, available at Aaron Brothers, Michael’s and elsewhere
• Baby wipes, rags, paper towels (a hose) for clean-up

Possible Themes to Paint

You can just let the kids loose (meaning paint anything they choose – which they will probably do anyway . . .) or tell them to paint:

• A Happy Birthday picture to the birthday child
• A birthday present they would like to get and/or give
• Self portrait
• Portrait of the birthday child

Where and When

• Garage floor, patio, driveway
• After they have a a chance to run around a while

The kids all had a blast and my granddaughter had a party souvenir.

I might do the same for my own birthday.  The only hitch is my friends are too old to sit on the driveway.

Peggy