Crafty Blogger: Beach Ball Craft for Preschoolers

by Amanda from Crafts-N-Things for Children for GummyLump.com
for Ages 1 year and up with Adult Participation and Supervision

This is a great craft for preschoolers to practice staying inbetween the lines and making decisions. It is also a fun craft for toddlers to practice color recognition. ~ Amanda

Going to the beach is a favorite childhood pastime of mine. With summer quickly approaching, I decided to do a beach ball craft with my kids to get them excited about swimming at the beach.

Supplies:

• Paper plate or white construction paper
• Kid-friendly paint or stamp pad
• Black marker
• Paint containers
• Baby wipe or wet napkin

Time Needed:

About 20 minutes + drying time

Prep:
Cover your work surface with newspaper or old tablecloth. Have paint and a wet napkin or baby wipe ready.

Instructions:

• Have child draw lines to resemble the lines on a beach ball or have a template made beforehand.
• Let the child choose which color they would like to use first and which section they would like to place it in.
• Have them make fingerprints with the paint or use a stamp pad. Wipe finger clean with a slightly wet napkin or wipe.
• Repeat again until all the colors have been used and all the sections are filled.
• Set aside to dry.
• Display! We have ours proudly displayed on the refrigerator!

Beach Ball Craft for Preschool

Practice numbers instead of colors by choosing the number of fingerprints to be added in each section based on child's age. Younger children or those with special needs can fingerpaint or practice their fine motor skills by using a paintbrush. Have the template ready for them beforehand or draw over it after the paint has dried.

Alternatively, the kids could decorate each section with stamps, stickers, sequins, and so on. Make it a fun sensory activity by adding different colored items with textures. An example would be to glue sandpaper to one section and ribbed fabric to another.

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Amanda, also known as @artsy_momma, is a mommy blogger who loves doing all things creative. She enjoys doing crafts with her children as well as mommy made DIY projects. You can follow them on their creative learning journey by heading over to their Crafts-N-Things for Children blog. Amanda's motto is to inspire & encourage imagination in others. She also has a passion for creating handprint and footprint art and you can find her blogging everything from keepsakes and home decor ideas to just for fun crafts.