Young at Art: Fun Foam Brushes

When I first saw these foam brushes they reminded me of fall mums. They provide great shape and textures for playful painting for all ages.  

Foam brushes can be made by cutting a long rectangle of fun foam and using scissors to cut long fringe along one side. The fringe should be almost half the width of the rectangle and continue all down one long side. Roll the foam rectangle tightly and wrap two rubber bands around the solid portion of the roll. This will create a handle and allow the fringe to spread out creating the brush.  

These fun brushes can be used with a variety of washable and water-based paints and will create interesting lines, texture and starburst effects depending on how paint is applied. Young children in particular seem to enjoy the dabbing motion which can create dots and starbursts of color. For greater variation, you might try cutting thinner or thicker fringe to see how it varies the effect. The brushes clean easily with soap and water and can be dried and reused.  

Enjoy the fall weather for some painting outside or on the porch with your kids with these fun and funky brushes!

Kathryn Horn Coneway is an art instructor and the owner of Art at The Center, 2804 Sherwood Hall Lane, an art studio designed specifically for children and their families.