So the old school way to dye Easter eggs is fun and all but what is really in those funky dyes? And must we really have to deal with smelly vinegar and stains on our kids clothes? No thanks. How do we incorporate a familiar routine with a not so familiar routine? Water colors + Easter eggs! Your child will more likely be successful with making Easter eggs and you’ll more likely deal with less stress and less stinky mess with the fun alternative of water colors. Since your child is familiar with water colors from home, school and/or therapy, let’s keep that familiarity but change it up a little with painting eggs! This way your child will be participating within a fun holiday tradition that many of their friends at school are participating in but it will be easier on them in a number of ways.

It’s really simple. All you need is:
-hard boiled eggs (cooled and dried)
-water paints
-preferably something to hold the eggs while painting/drying (egg carton turned upside down works well)
-towel or paper towels
-smock for child’s clothes (if you want)

Depending on your child’s fine motor skills, a small paintbrush may be difficult. You can find larger paintbrushes at just about any store that carries basic craft supplies. Also, it may be easier for your child to paint the eggs while the eggs are sitting on the egg carton, while your child holds the egg in one hand or they may need you to hold the egg for them while they paint.

Another fun twist is to try sponge painting. This is a fun alternative for young children, for children that may have difficulties using a paintbrush or any child because it’s fun! We grabbed a kitchen sponge we had laying around and then cut it into strips. The sponge just needs to be a little damp before you dip it in the paint.

You could also try a finger paint approach and have your child “stamp” their finger in the paint and then on the egg….whichever sensory/fine motor approach you want to take with your child….as long as they are having fun!

Since we are dealing with water colors, there will probably be some imperfections and dripping. Allow the eggs to dry completely before they are handled. There still may be some smudging. One bright side is that there will be cool swirling and mixing of colors on the eggs which will make for a pretty result.

Some fun vocabulary to work on as you play:
-Nouns (egg, paint, paintbrush, sponge, water, cup, carton, scissors)
-Verbs (paint, dry, wipe, hold)
-Colors
-Mixing colors (“red and yellow make orange”)
-Sequencing (“first brush in water, second brush in paint, third brush on egg”)
-Descriptors (wet, dry, messy, sticky, colorful, fun, slippery, dark, light, like, don’t like, up, down)
-Shapes and designs (polka dots, stripes, zigzags, horizontal, vertical)
-Basic math (adding and subtracting the eggs, fractions – “paint half the egg blue”)
-Family names
-Sharing and turn taking (my turn, your turn, give, share)
-Prepositions (in, out, on, off, on top, on bottom, in the middle)
-Other Core Vocabulary (more, finished, help, yes, no, I want ____, look, wait)

Have fun with this new twist on a fun holiday tradition. Also, beware of curious onlookers:

~KidSpeak, LLC
www.kidspeakdallas.com