# Berry Basket Painting
> Cut the sides of a plastic strawberry basket into grid stencils, then fill in the little squares with watercolors to make colorful block designs. It's an open-ended art activity using only two major supplies: berry baskets and paint.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-berry-basket-painting/
- Ages: 3–7 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: low
- Time: prep 15 min, activity 20 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class
- Skills: fine-motor, color-recognition, patterns, open-ended-art, decision-making

## Materials (one batch)
- 1 piece Plastic berry basket (strawberry basket) (household)
- 1 piece Watercolor paint set
- 1 piece Small flat paint brushes
- Markers (optional)
- 1 sheet White paper (household)
- 1 piece Cup of water for rinsing brushes (household)
- 1 piece Scissors (adult) (household)
- 1 piece Table covering (optional) (household)

## Substitutions
- Instead of watercolors: Markers (The author set out markers too, to color in the squares.)

## Safety
- An adult cuts the berry baskets. Cut plastic edges can be sharp or pointy, so trim or check them before handing stencils to kids.
- Supervise painting and keep paint and brushes away from mouths.

## Before you start
- Cut the sides off plastic berry baskets to make flat square or rectangular grid stencils. One basket made 5 stencils for us.
- Trim any sharp plastic points left from cutting.

## Steps
1. Lay a berry basket stencil flat on a sheet of paper and set out watercolors, markers and small brushes.
2. Hold the stencil still with one hand.
3. Wet a small flat brush, pick a color and fill in one square with one stroke.
4. Choose the next color and think about which one looks good next to the last.
5. Keep filling squares with an assortment of colors until you like the design.
6. Lift the stencil off and admire your painting!
7. Try rectangular stencil pieces and paint a block design together with a grown-up.

## Tips
- Use a small flat brush so that one stroke fills in one square or rectangle. That keeps the interest in the art activity longer.
- This can be a good chance to teach patterns and color recognition. We talked about complementary and contrasting colors while we painted.
- It's open ended, with no rules and no directions to follow. Kids love it, and it's fun to watch their little minds make choices and decisions independently.
- No activity is complete when mom doesn't play and create with the kids, so paint one together!

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013)

We have yet another open ended art activity this time using berry baskets. Art activities from recycled materials are very fun and satisfying. We have in the past always tried to use recyclables for most of our craft and art projects. We have made **[paper roll castles](https://www.funlittles.com/tp-roll-craft-castle/)** and **[paper roll airplanes](https://www.funlittles.com/paper-roll-craft-airplane/).** We have done art activities using **[tin cans](https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-for-kids-tin-can-roll/)** and **[egg cartons](https://www.funlittles.com/spring-art-egg-carton-sheep/)**. What's fun about this art activity is that it needs only 2 major supplies - cut up berry baskets and paint. That's it.2 supplies! I used our strawberry baskets and cut up the sides to make 5 square stencils. With watercolors, markers and small tipped paint brushes I invited my 4 year to create using the berry basket stencil. 

She usually gets pretty psyched with open ended art activities simply becase there are no rules and no directions to follow. I bet all kids love open ended kids activities. She painted a bunch of squares with an assortment of colors. This time my pattern loving child went free form!  ok ok I know I should cut her nails..!  This may be a good opportunity to teach patterns and color recognition. We just painted and while talking about complementary colors and contrasting colors. Everytime she chose a color she took a second to analyze which other color would look good next to the previous one. Well in her mind black and brown go together, blue and purple go together. That's the fun part in open ended art activities and **love to see her little mind work and make choices and decisions independently.**

 Once satisfied with the design, remove the stencil and admire!



I should mention while painting squares it is better to use a small flat brush so that with one stroke one square/rectangle is filled in. That keeps the interest in the art activity longer.



No activity is complete when mom doesn't play/create with the kids. So we had to do one block painting together. We used rectangular ones this time.



This creation came together on its own. It was so cool! My 4 year old and I created blocks on separate sides and once we were almost done she squealed " Looks like a robot to me mom". May be!



Thanks for reading

Visit our **[Art Projects Category Page](https://www.funlittles.com/category/art-projects/)** for more art activities