Handprint rainbow painting is an idea that has definitely been around for awhile but to each new class of preschool students, it is still a new and interesting and fun idea.
I love taking the children through the process of painting together to create something and ending up with a magnificent work of art for our classroom.
While I was out of town, Miss Abby directed this process along with the help of Miss Lauren and Miss Sascha. We had both classes of our students get into the action of creating a large handprint rainbow. Since I wasn’t there, I will walk through the process the way I usually do it but I am sure Miss Abby found her own way through the process as you can see from the beautiful results below.
To begin the process, start by drawing the lines of the rainbow on a large piece of butcher paper. If the lines are in color, the children can use them as a guide for placing the different colors of paint on the paper. It may also help the process to be as free as possible once the children begin.
Now it’s time to begin the painting process. Begin by having the children paint one hand with red paint and then head over to the table to make handprints on the red line. I usually have the children just follow each other down the row but this is to keep the children from running into each other as they go back and forth from the paint to the rainbow.
My photos are not going to match the directions I am sharing with you because as I mentioned, Miss Abby led the children through the process in her own way. So don’t get confused or just ignore what I am saying and go have fun!
After the children paint with their red hand, they head back to the paint table to get yellow paint on their other hand and then paint the yellow line. Then rub their hands together to make orange and paint the orange line (adding more paint to each hand as needed).
Once the children finish mixing up orange and adding orange to the paper, then they can either wash hands or if the paint is fairly dry, the blue paint can just be added right on top of the red.
Add blue paint to one hand and go paint. Come back add more yellow paint to the yellow hand then rub the yellow and blue together to make green and go paint again…
And finally, come back to the paint area and add red paint to one hand, blue to the other, rub two hands together for purple and finish the last line of your rainbow.
Or just let the children figure it all out on their own. In the end, they will surprise you with how capable they are and your rainbow will be fabulous!
I am thankful that I have three amazing co-teachers that don’t mind a little messiness while I am away.
And what a beautiful mess it really is!
Available on Amazon
Links to Grow On
The Rainbow Center by Teach Preschool
Rainbow Slime by Teach Preschool
Rainbow Tracing by Teach Preschool