How to Paint at the Beach

During those long summer months, especially if you're on a beach holiday, a great alternative to offer the kids when they're sick of swimming and sand castle building is painting. You can go to an art store and buy special oil paints, or just use water colors or kids' paints. The ocean scene provides much inspiration for a young artist's mind, and a break from the hot summer sun. Set up a little artist's colony on your own beach blankets.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Paints
• Paintbrushes
• White sketchbook paper, semi-thick
• Water cup
• Rag or paper towel

How to Paint at the Beach

1. Set up your painting area under a beach umbrella, on some beach blankets.
2. Use a ocean water in a bucket as your water cup if you wish. Set your brushes in the water cup. Open up your paint sets. Set out rag for wiping brushes.
3. Have the children open their sketchbook to a new page.
4. Have the children look around them for inspiration, and paint the scene! Or whatever else inspires them. The painting will become an activity the kids look forward to on a long beach trip, as a break from the sunshine and a new way to be creative.
5. When the paintings are done, don't tear out of the sketchbook. Allow to dry in the sun. Clean off paints and brushes with non-salt water. Expect lots of sand!

Tips & Warnings

• By the end of the summer, you'll have a whole sketchbook of your child's paintings to look back on!