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A couple of weeks ago I asked for rainy dad funtime suggestions. And I forget who suggested painting, but THANK YOU. We picked up some paints off the dollar table at Books a Million (come for the trains, stay for the comfy chairs). And Savannah absolutely loves it. We've had to make subsequent trips out for more paints and paper.

We already had loads of crayons, but they had just lost their luster, I suppose. Now she's very enthusiastic about being artistic. Of course, everything ends up a big brown smear when all the paints get mixed together, but the enthusiasm is what counts for now.

We also got a big box of sidewalk chalk (not the fancy 3D kind, just big sticks of colored chalk) and that is also a big hit.

I don't know what others have already suggested, but scrapping was always a big hit with my daughter. When she was about 3 her grandmother took her out and bought her a scrapbook, some stickers, paper, dye cuts etc. Then, that was their special activity. I would supply pictures (usually pictures I had duplicates of or pictures I didn't care for as much) J now has a really cool scrapbook that was created through her eyes.

Nate, it might have been I who suggested painting! My son loves it too! I have framed some of his "works" and he loves the fact they are framed and hanging in our house. Also, check out the school supply site below for great paint deals! Glad you guys are having fun w/ it!
http://www.schoolbox.com/Produ...aspx?ProductID=18898

Nate and others, do you have any pics of their artwork? You should post them -- we could have an online "art gallery!"

I drew an underwater scene picture with my son this weekend; he's still really into ocean animals after our recent SeaWorld trip. He wanted to draw fish and a shark and a sea turtle and starfish. I'll take a pic of it tonight.

No pics yet, but it can be easily arranged. sounds like a fun idea!

I did sidewalk chalk with my elementary kids for years and they loved it! We also did some colored sand art. Self-portraits are fun too. You can let them look in the mirror and with a dry erase marker, outline their face and features to draw what they look like. They can then trace this onto paper so you get more real concepts of what people look like instead of two dots and a curved line for a face.

I will take some pics too! What a great idea.

We LOVE painting too...my hubby actually brings home giant rolls of "defective" paper from his work (they have big CAD printers and if the roll gets bent at all they can't use it..yay for us We cover our dining room table with the paper and let them go crazy. We bought the 10 pack of Crayola paints...they wash off very easily..but smell a little strange..yet familiar...haha.
Also, with the chalk...any of it can be the 3D kind...Michael's had the special glasses on an end cap for free a little while back and you can use them with any chalk! It is pretty cool. We also started making jewelry (thanks Daphne for the invite to the beading class! I can make clasps now) Caeli loves to make her own stuff. Walmart actually has a decent selection of beading things and they aren't too expensive

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bishop96:
We LOVE painting too...my hubby actually brings home giant rolls of "defective" paper from his work (they have big CAD printers and if the roll gets bent at all they can't use it..yay for us

Lucky you with the big paper - how cool! For the rest of us, Sams' Club has a 18" wide by 1000 ft. roll of white butcher paper for $20. Not sure if our local store has it, but it is on their website.

Crafts are great! We recently bought a little plastic kid desk for our daughter, where she can keep all her paper, paints, markers, crayons, stickers, safety scissors, etc. She is always going to her desk and making some sort of masterpiece lol

Although, leaving all the supplies out is a little risky...one marker made it to her room and onto her bed sheet, but only once