Rainbow Fish Chalk Painting

Chalk is such a great, inexpensive medium to do art with. Dry chalk is fun- get it wet with water and it gets even better! The following directions are for the preshcool-first grade child. Older children can create an entire underwater world drawing and painting with both dry and wet chalk.

Rainbow Fish Chalk Painting

Classified: Easy- fun- and messy!

What you need:

• Tag board (to create a fish template for younger children)
• Chalk
• Colored construction paper
• Glue Stick
• Scissors
• Cup of water
• Markers
• *Optional: Hair spray to seal in the chalk on the paper.

What to do:

Prep (for younger children): If you are working with the preschool/Kindergarten crowd, you may want to create a fish template for them to trace and cut. Personally, I found that if you drew the bottom fin, body and tail as it's own stencil and then traced them on different parts of the chalk painting- it gave the rainbow fish more of a personality! (See what we used in the photos below.) For older children, I encourage them to attempt to draw his own fish. You can aide in this by demonstrating how to draw a simple fish, or display fish drawing steps for children to try out!

1. Demonstrate to younger children how to "paint with chalk." Dip it in the water and have fun with it on a piece of colored construction paper. Blend with finger when wanted/needed. Add some dry chalk too for a fun effect. Remember, for younger children it is the process and not the product. So allow them to play! Encourage older children to develop more of a technique and to draw/paint an entire underwater world.

2. Allow to dry. I sprayed mine with hairspray to hold in the chalk. This is not necessary.

Exploring chalk as paint

3. Have your younger children trace the fish stencil and cut it out. Glue onto separate sheet of blue construction paper.

Trace template for younger children

Draw in details

4. Draw in details.

3 year old creation

My 5 year old's fish- isn't it awesome?!

Fish Books:





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