Color Exploration

Color Exploration

Location: indoor

Materials: paper and your choice of art material (markers, paints, oil pastels, crayons, watercolors, etc.)

Inspired by Mary Blair's work at Walt Disney, this is an art exploration that is a great way to encourage your kids to think about the colors they are using, their own creativity, and determination.

To start you can read Amy Guglielmo's book, Pocket Full of Colors: the Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire, to learn more about the artist and her life. Mary Blair was the first female artist working for Disney. She contributed to well-known films like Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan.

Mary Blair loved colors. Invite your children to create very colorful art like Mary Blair.

They could choose to make a painting, a collage, or something else entirely.

As your children work, you can talk about the colors they are using and talk about Mary Blair.

Mixed-Age Guide:

Infants may:

  • enjoy exploring finger paint while sitting in a high chair
  • want to observe other children at work
  • have more success with working on a contact collage

Toddlers may:

  • find success with a variety of art materials

Preschoolers may:

  • have a specific idea of the colors and materials they want to use
  • have favorite colors and want to work with those
  • tell you details about their work: their favorite colors, what's happening, who or what they're creating

What We're Learning

  • sensory exploration
  • finger and hand manipulation
  • making a plan and following through
  • self-expression and creativity