Teach At Home Thursday: Musical Painting

I adore any kind of activity where you can use art supplies, music, and movement. About 12 years ago (OK, this made me feel really old, it feels like only yesterday I was there!), when I was working at summer camp, I started what we called the dance PlayStation and the campers would come and we would create a dance for them to learn and then perform! I loved these moments, the campers had such a blast and it was amazing to see them come together and perform.


One session during the summer, I had campers who were in wheelchairs sign up for my group. I had worked with campers in wheelchairs before and never had any worries, but now I had to find a way to incorporate them into a dance routine. This wasn't a problem, more like a complication how to have them part of the routine without feeling left out. I remembered something my dance teacher, Miss Patti, (you can read my original post on the studio here.) had said about dance so many years before. Dance is how you feel the music and how it moves you, not necessarily the steps! Then it hit me, combine an activity where all of the campers can move to the music and no matter how they move, it will be awesome!


The first time we played a mixed bunch of music, everything from classical to rap and the campers had to make their movements match the music but tell a story at the same time. It was amazing to watch. I wish I could share them with you but I do not have permission from all of the parents :( The next time we did it, we taped paper to the ground and the campers stepped, or rolled in paint and used the paint to record their movements and create beautiful artwork! It was and still is amazing.


I recently did this activity with Peanut and Pumpkin and they absolutely loved it. The best part is we were learning to move our bodies to the music and have our movements match the music.

We started by taping an old sheet to the floor.

old sheet taped to the floor with painters tape

Then I painted their feet, when I do this with a big group of students, we pour the paint into tray and they step in themselves. Since, I was doing this activity with younger kiddos, I decided to control the mess and paint their feet.

blue feet!

We used a bowl of water and an old towel to clean their feet in between each color change.

who had time for a foot soak?

The kiddos enjoyed the music and the painting and I decided to have a "teachable" moment and we reviewed color mixing. We started by placing two piles of paint and then mixing them together with a paint brush.

red and yellow or as pumpkin called it ketchup and mustard!

making orange

Our finished product:

Here is a video of the kiddos making their musical painting: