Cave Painting

Whether you are looking for a fun way to fill those hours after school or want to help your kids get back in the school groove these crafts can be both fun and provide some learning opportunities. Best of all crafting with your kids can create memories that will last a lifetime and these crafts give you a fun way to teach all at the same time. Here are some great ideas for back to school crafts that make learning fun-

• Cave painting-Kids will love to learn that some of the world’s earliest artists were cave painters who drew charging buffalo, leaping deer, wild horses and other animals on cave walls, most likely to bring themselves good luck in hunting. This craft lets your kids try their hand at their very own version of “cave painting”.

What you will need:

• Brown paper grocery bag or brown paper
• Pencil
• Wide black marker or charcoal
• Paintbrushes
• Tempera paint in black and earth tones (red, orange, brown, gold)

Instructions for the project:

To start, help your child prepare the surface of the paper bag so that it has a rough and worn appearance, like that of a cave wall. He or she should crinkle the paper, spray it with water in the sink (be sure not to soak), then let it dry completely (you can help him use a hair dryer in order to speed the drying time). Once the paper is dry encourage your child to make his own style of cave painting. Remind him that he does not need to include every detail but can make his creatures from simple shapes, such as circles, triangles and rectangles. Let him know that they do not have to look authentic and neither do the original cave paintings. After making a rough pencil sketch on the bag, have your child go over the pencil marks with black paint, marker or charcoal, making sure the lines are thick and strong. He can then add more details, such as eyes, ears, horns, tails or antlers. When the black lines have dried, have him paint the figure and background with the earth-tone paints. To frame the finished drawing you can simply mount it on a piece of black construction paper using glue or rubber cement. If your child really takes to this project, have him try creating an even more authentic cave painting, using a large flat stone (available at garden centers) for his canvas and, with your help, natural materials (soil, leaves, dandelions, a charred stick) for drawing.