This activity is best for the end of Summer when leaves are nice and big or in Fall when the leaves had started to fall. Get outside for a nature walk with your toddler to collect the leaves and then once you’re home set up the paint for a fun activity! If paint overwhelms you, try mess free painting! You could even add the leaves onto the canvas and use them to create negative space.
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What you need:
– 5-10 leaves (we found the bigger ones to be better for this activity)
– Paint (our favorite washable paint)
– Cardstock or butcher paper
– Paintbrushes
Collect the leaves on a nature walk and keep them somewhere safe until you’re ready to paint. Once you’re ready help your toddler with the first leaf. We painted one side with whatever color (or colors) we wanted and then we pressed the paint side down onto the cardboard. Once you’ve pressed it take the leaf off to see the paint it’s left behind!
Let your toddler experiment from here. They can paint different sections of the leaf, use the front or back, or paint a leaf multiple times! You can also use the leaf to create negative space. That is, place the leaf on the paper and paint on the leaf as well as all around it. Then lift the leaf to see the white space left behind.
My three year old had the most fun painting all the different leaves and placing them on the paper, but there are so many possibilities for them to explore.
Be sure to check out more toddler activities on the blog or grab the ebook where you can have easy access to 52 easy activities.
Remember, you’re doing amazing. xx Ciara
