In thinking about types of paint to use with children, there are several things to consider:
the child’s preferences and developmental level
the resources available in the painting area
clean- up, and
the paint available for children
The child’s preferences and developmental level may help you decide if you want to use paint that is applied with their hands, or paint that is applied with a brush or a bottle or a tube. The resources available will help you determine if the child needs paint that works well on a countertop, on paper placed flat, on an easel, or paper taped on a wall. Clean-up after painting can range from putting the lids back on the tubes to washing all nearby surfaces and the need for a bath, so the circumstances can help you decide what will work best for you. And the types of paint available for children include mainly finger paint, tempera, watercolors, and specialized products, which you can match to the child and occasion.
Types of Paint to Match Your Child
Many young children begin their paint experiences with a non-toxic finger paint. There are special finger painting sets you can buy, because this is often used by children, but you can also make finger paint at home. The sets come with a coated paper, and this paper can also be bought separately, but finger painting can also take place on a kitchen countertop made of Formica, for example.
Tempera paints come in both powder and premixed colors, allowing ease of set-up on the one hand, and a high degree of control on the other. Because they are washable, clean-up time is minimized. Tempera paint is a type often used in school settings. Tempera paints are characteristically applied with a brush and feature bright colors.
Watercolors come in five forms that you may find interesting. The first is a book with pre-drawn pictures and pigment embedded in the pages. Brushing the pages with a brush dipped in water brings out the pigment, which stays on the page. This is one of the types of paint that allows for very quick set-up and clean-up, but there’s not a lot of creativity involved for the child.
The other four types of watercolor paint come in pans and tubes, crayons, and pencils. They may be applied to varying types of paper for different effects, and the paper may be wet or dry. Wet brushes and sponges may be used after the watercolors have been applied to create more effects. Since these types of paint are used by professional artists, a child beginning to learn watercolor techniques can keep it simple and just have fun or embark on a career or a hobby that will last a lifetime.