Preview draft. Activities have not been tested with caregivers.
Art · The activity desk
Purple paint pairings
Compare the colors made by mixing purple paint with red and with green.
Let's play →
A little plan for play
Open interactive activity →Add to play journal →What you need
Washable child-appropriate purple, red, and green paint, two shallow dishes, a brush, water, and paper.
Age: 3–5 years; choose for the individual child.
Stay with the child throughout. Check the space and supplies, including anything within reach of younger siblings. Skip any activity that is unsuitable. Stop if a child puts non-food material in their mouth or becomes distressed. Use intact books, full sheets of paper, a large child-appropriate crayon and a clean, dry towel. Follow product labels; remove torn paper and keep broken crayons and caps away from children. Adult handles and stores supplies.
Set up: An adult checks paint labels and sensitivities, covers the surface, and places a little purple paint in each dish.
Adult's role: Stay beside the child, handle the water, and help rinse the brush between mixtures.
Let's make it happen
- Add a little red to the purple in one dish and mix. Paint a mark with the resulting shade.
- Rinse the brush, then add green to the purple in the other dish. Paint a second mark.
- Compare the marks and add them to a picture. Different paints and amounts can produce different shades.
Make it simpler: Choose one pair of colors and watch an adult stir.
Clean up: An adult empties the water and washes the dishes and brush. Wipe the surface and wash hands.
Keep paint and rinse water away from mouths and eyes. Let the finished picture dry flat.