Salt Painting

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For families with 3- to 12-year-olds Salt provides an interesting and inexpensive medium for your children to use as "paint." They choose the colors that the salt will be and can change the picture simply by scooping up the salt and starting over. Materials      • Salt, 1/2 cup (.12 L) per color      • Measuring cup      • Liquid food coloring      • Microwaveable containers       • Spoons      • Waxed paper      • Cookie sheet or flat surface Project Activity #1  Place 1/2 cup (.12 mL) salt in each container. #2  Drop food coloring into each container of salt, at least 5 or 6 drops for a bright color. Allow your child to experiment with the colors. Mix red and blue colors to make purple, or yellow and blue to make green, or just add a little bit of each color to make your own personal favorite. #3  Stir each color well. #4  Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes and let them air dry for a day. This is an important step or your child will have very colorful hands. #5  Cover a cookie sheet or other flat surface with waxed paper.  #6  Pour little piles of different colored salt on the waxed paper. #7  Encourage your child to move the salt around to make a picture or to flatten the salt out and draw pictures with their finger. Option: Colored salt can be used like glitter for art projects. Just sprinkle it on a glued surface and let dry.