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Fun Finger Paint Aquarium Activity

May 11, 2018 by Rosie 3 Comments

I’ve got the sweetest and easiest ocean themed art activity for you today! This fun finger paint aquarium activity is super creative and fun!

We love visiting aquariums and finding out about the fish and animals that live in the ocean. I get nostalgic when I think about aquariums, as I used to work in an aquarium and present the dive shows!

It’s so important to learn about what we can all do to protect our oceans. Aquariums are also such magical places and can spark imaginations big and small.

I have a bit of a thing for finger painting too! So this activity combines two of my favourite things. Finger painting is just so easy and simple – you don’t need any special equipment. Just some paint, paper or card and your fingers! Little ones of all ages love finger painting!

Older kids, around 5 and up, will love making their finger painting into little ocean creatures and getting creative with their designs.

Toddlers and pre-schoolers will love joining in with the finger painting too. Let them go wild! If they want to swirl and mix the paint, this will make great looking water!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by The Works. All ideas and suggestions are honest and all my own – as always.

This activity is really good for stimulating children’s creativity and imaginations. If you like you can make it into a mixed media piece. Add some plants and rocks made from tissue or coloured paper, or add other collage bits you might have.

You can make this art project into a sweet keepsake, card or gift. Put the finished art piece into a quick and easy homemade aquarium frame.

Let’s get started!

Fun Finger Paint Aquarium Activity

You’ll need:

  • Water based paint – mixture of colours
  • Blue card – A4 or US letter zize
  • Paint pens or felt pens
  • Paper plate or paint palette
  • Overalls
  • Kitchen towel, or piece of rag
  • Sponge (optional)
  • Tissue paper or coloured paper and glue (optional)

For the frame:

  • Large envelope: A4 or US letter size
  • Pencil
  • Ruler
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • String – small piece

If you’re in the UK, The Works has some fantastic art and craft supplies for kids, fab if you’re on a budget too. There’s some great price drops at the moment, so a perfect excuse to get crafty!

Before you start painting you could look some books and pictures of sea creatures together to get some inspiration. You might like to look at some of our favourite ocean themed picture books. Talk about what type of fish and other creatures you can find in the ocean.

Which might you see in an aquarium?

Then it’s time to start painting!

Put a variety of coloured paints on a paper plate or paint palette.

Start finger painting! Print individual finger prints over the card. Dab any excess paint onto a piece of kitchen towel or a piece of rag before each print. Of course if you prefer you can use a sponge or brush, instead of fingers. Anything goes here!

Toddlers will just want to swirl and mix the paint – let them get creative! LP had a great time dotting and swirling the colours.

Use the sponge to add some sand at the bottom of the ocean. Or just use your fingers! Allow to dry for a few minutes.

Get creative! Use the paint pens or felt pens to draw eyes, fins and features onto the coloured finger prints. If you use paint pens it doesn’t matter if the finger paint isn’t quite dry.

Make the finger paints into fish, turtles, crabs, jellyfish, octopus – whatever you imagine them to be!

With a little help, toddlers and preschoolers can turn their finger prints into sea creatures too. You can make it a joint project, or just let them do their own thing!

Add some seaweed and rocks. Use your paint pens, or add some collage with tissue, or paper and glue.

Allow to dry, while you get started on the aquarium window. You’ll need your envelope, pencil, ruler and scissors.

Draw a window on the envelope, approximately 2cm from the edge. You’ll need to adjust this depending on the size of your card and envelope. Place your picture on top of the envelope to check. Draw a window around 1cm smaller than your picture.

Cut around your lines to create a window. You’ll need to help little ones with this.

Cut a small piece of string. Tape onto the back of the envelope, at the top and in the middle.

Slide your picture into the envelope so that the sea creatures are facing out (make sure it’s dry first).

Ta da! You made a finger paint aquarium! Where will you hang your aquarium?

I’m excited to hang our aquariums next to the bathroom. I think they’d look lovely next to some shells from our shell collection, especially when the sun shines on them. Where will you put yours?

You could also make this into a gift. Write a message on the back and give it to someone special.

I’m looking forward to visiting a real aquarium again soon? Have you been to an aquarium recently?

You might also like my posts:

Make a Snail and the Whale Ocean Tray

Easy Stencilled Whale Cards

Ocean Themed Creative Play Ideas

Like this post? Pin me for later!

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Filed Under: Arts and Crafts, Crafts and Activities, Ocean Ideas

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Helena

    May 21, 2018 at 5:00 pm

    This is a wonderful creation. It sounds like you had a dream job too. #bloggerpinparty

    Reply
    • Helena

      May 21, 2018 at 5:02 pm

      oops #makeitlinky

      Reply
  2. Sarah

    June 1, 2018 at 9:17 pm

    Oh this is so sweet! My little ones love finger painting, I know they’d love this! #MakeItLinky

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Rosie!

Lover of tea on the beach and avid recycler!

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Sweet and simple ideas to inspire kids. 👩‍🎨
Art | Crafts | Nature
Lover of tea on the beach and avid recycler! 🐚🐠🐳 ❤️

Rosie
Don’t you just love when a crafty project double Don’t you just love when a crafty project doubles as something useful??
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You can turn this easy Christmas tree stencil idea into simple gift wrap! 
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Get your children printing and decorating Christmas trees on a sheet of parcel paper. You’ll keep them busy and creative, then can wrap gifts for the grandparents or friends in the paper! 
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This year, more than ever, people will really appreciate the small, personal things that you do for them. Things that are made, thought about and given with love. ❤️ Have a think about how you can make someone feel special this year. The simple ideas are always the best!
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Are you planning to add a personal touch to gifts and cards this year? Have you made gift wrap with your children before?
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Joining in with @makemerryandcreate @littlelion_mom @playwithmamma and #makeyourchristmascrafts
Wow, it’s been a while! I took a bit of a soci Wow, it’s been a while! 

I took a bit of a social media break, as life took over. As it does from time to time. So taking the time to say hello to you all again.👋 

I’m Rosie and I love to share simple ideas to inspire kids to get arty, crafty and creative. 🎨 

I also 💚the outdoors and try to share this love of nature in many of my projects. 🌲 

This is me and my crew, back in October on my 40th birthday! A beautiful beachy day. 🏝 

Since then we’ve bought a house, moved and had one kiddo in isolation for 14 days 🤪- hence the radio silence. 

A break has helped me ditch the overwhelm and simplify my priorities. But now, I’m so ready to start getting creative again and bring on all the festive vibes! 🎄

When life gets overwhelming, don’t be afraid to step back and focus only on the things that are important. Take a breath, get outdoors and then reprioritise, one step at a time. ❤️

How are you doing with lockdowns, winter and festive preparation? What helps you step back and reprioritise?
What is your lasting memory of this past few month What is your lasting memory of this past few months with your kids?

For me it’s been bike rides and making things together. 🖍 ✂️ 
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Funny how our minds gloss over the stresses of home school and lack of ‘me time’ 🤣
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I’ve not been on social media much lately - I’ve been making the most of the end of summer, adjusting to the ‘new normal’ and figuring out what is next for me now that my littlest has started school. 😊
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One thing I am doing is starting to sort through the pile of creations 🖼 (and clutter too!) in the house. It’s reminding me of all the lovely things we have done together (even when mum guilt sometimes tells me otherwise) and helping to clear my mind too. ❤️
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If you’re feeling a little lost at the moment I can recommend a good sort out as a starting point! @whatkatysaiduk is a wonderful inspiration on decluttering. 🥰
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Are your children back at school, or are you still in the thick of homeschool? 
Anyone else swamped with projects from this year?! I’d love any ideas on how you like to organise art work!
(Press trip) Do you have a Dino fan in your family (Press trip) Do you have a Dino fan in your family?
We had a roarr-some time at @roarr_dinosauradventure in Norfolk last weekend.
With dinosaur trails, a splash zone, Jurassic putt and much more we all had an amazing family day. I was really impressed with the social distancing and safety measures in place too. Full review to follow soon!
Have you been on any fun family days out recently?
Is home school still happening in your family?! Af Is home school still happening in your family?! After 12 weeks of lockdown we’ve ditched ‘home school’ for ‘life school.’ So far the kids have made and decorated their own cakes, helped do laundry, vacuum and mop. 🧼 Plus lots of free play, projects and learning about topics they are interested in - mainly dinosaurs! 🦖 🦕 
I feel so much more relaxed for letting go of formal work! (Let’s face it there wasn’t much of it happening anyway...😬) But I was still pressuring myself mentally and it was starting to create power struggles (with my eldest very spirited child!) When you start doing things that you and the children are motivated to do it takes the pressure off everyone. And the miracle is that’s when the real learning happens! 🌟 
My son has even written about his fossil collection - a change from tearing my hair out to get him to write! The kids have played more independently too, as I’ve ‘left them to it’ more. Plus - the house is even starting to look just a little bit cleaner! 🧹

So if home school is just not happening anymore, I’d recommend doing an Elsa and just ‘Let it Goooo’. Swap it for ‘life school’ and I guarantee the kids will be learning equally valuable lessons. 💡Just do what works for your family. ❤️ Are you still home schooling? Do you feel like you’re trying to ‘do it all’? Or have you embraced a more flexible approach?

I’d love to hear any ideas you have that we could try? My kids love dinosaurs and creative things. Plus I’m trying to encourage independent playing and helping in the house, so all ideas welcome! 💡
Sleeping with her babies. 👶🏻👶🏾❤️
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I’ve been listening to black voices over the last few days. Thinking about the BLM movement and ways I can do more. I wasn’t sure whether to share, but I’ve learned it’s better to speak than to say nothing.
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I’ve always thought of myself as someone who embraces diversity. I’ve travelled, met and befriended people of all colours, nationalities and religions. As a teacher I’ve valued each child’s individuality, as well as seeing them all as equals. I try to encourage my children to be kind to all others.
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But I realise this is NOT enough. I need to do more. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last week it’s that - we have to take ACTION against racism. It’s not enough to just ‘not be racist’, we have to be ANTI racist to make a change.
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So what action do I commit to do?
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•Listen - keep listening to black people’s stories and struggles.
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•Educate - myself and my children further. Read books that spark CONVERSATIONS with my children and others. Keep learning and keep trying to do better.
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•Amplify - promote black voices, especially those in the fields of education and children.
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If you’re a mama or a teacher and wondering how you can take ACTION against racism, I’d really recommend taking a look at @readlikearockstar and @apron_education - they have some brilliant resources to share with your kids. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Do you talk about racism with your kids? How are you taking action against racism?
#blackouttuesday #iamlistening #blackouttuesday #iamlistening
Do your children ever say that they are 'bored'? 😑 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Children are the masters of their own creativity. 🖼 Given the time and space, children will think of ideas that will never fail to surprise you!
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But sometimes we all have moments when we're at a loose end - children included. A little inspiration can go a long way. 💡 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Try putting some ideas for play and projects into a jar or box, ready for when inspiration is needed. 📦 You could include some of your ideas and some of your children's ideas. 👶 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
To start you off I have a FREE PRINTABLE with 40 simple ideas to inspire your children’s creativity! Grab your printable from my bio - print and cut! You're ready for when boredom strikes! 🙌 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Do your children ever get bored? How do you try to inspire them?
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