Ain't Gonna Paint No More

Have you seen the book "I Ain't Gonna Pain't No More!" by Karen Beaumont and David Catrow? I absolutely adore it!  It is one of my favorite books to pull out for literature based art activities for little kids.  We intended to do the activity outside, but with the poor weather we just laid out a blanket in the living room instead. In fact we've done the activity twice now.  Once in 2011 and once in 2012.  It's an activity that members of our homeschool group love and keep requesting it. 

The book follows the song "It ain't gonna rain no more" tune and is a story about a little boy who loves to paint and paints his whole body.  After reading the story we turned the kids loose with some watercolor paints and let them do a little body painting of their own.  I always dribble water on top of the watercolor pallets a few minutes before giving them to the kids.  That way the paints are moist and ready to be used and the kids aren't required to use a cup of water which is so easily spilled.  I just keep a waterbottle handy ready to re-wet any paints that get all used up.  What a fun and easy activity.  Clean up is super easy - just toss the blanket into the washing machine and the kids in the tub or sprinklers and your good as new!