# Crepe Paper Paint and Homemade Liquid Watercolors
> Soak torn crepe paper in water overnight, then squeeze and wipe the soggy bits across paper for a sensory watercolor wash. Afterward, strain the colored water into cups for a second painting session with brushes.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-kids-crepe-paper-paint-homemade-liquid-watercolors/
- Ages: 2–6 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: high
- Time: prep 20 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class · one batch serves about 2 kids
- Skills: fine-motor, sensory-exploration, process-art, hand-control, color-exploration
- Cautions: ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- Crepe paper sheets (or crepe paper streamers) in 3 colors
- Water (household)
- 3 piece Bowls, one per color (household)
- 1 sheet Thick watercolor paper
- 1 piece Strainer or filter (optional) (household)
- 1 piece Small paper cups (optional) (household)
- 1 piece Paint brushes (optional)
- 1 piece Tray or large plastic lid (optional) (household)

## Substitutions
- Instead of crepe paper: Crepe paper party streamers (The author tested this, and regular streamers work.)
- Instead of crepe paper: Tissue paper whose color bleeds (Works only with tissue paper that bleeds. Colors bleed from some tissue papers, not all.)
- Instead of watercolor paper: Regular printer paper (We used it and didn't tear any sheets, and the art dried fine. It's riskier for rips with lots of water.)
- Instead of watercolor paper: Large sides cut from cereal boxes (A reader's tip, and the author paints on them too. Much cheaper than thick paper.)

## Safety
- Supervise toddlers closely: wet crepe paper bits are small and can be mouthed. The colored water is paint, not a drink.
- Supervise all water play, and wipe up spills promptly so the floor doesn't get slippery.
- Crepe paper dye can transfer to clothes and surfaces. Cover the table and dress kids in old clothes.

## Before you start
- Tear a few sheets of crepe paper into bits (kids would LOVE tearing) and sort them into 3 colors.
- Put each color in its own bowl of water and soak overnight so the color runs out into the water.

## Steps
1. Set out the bowls of soaked crepe paper next to a sheet of thick paper for each child.
2. Show how to gently squeeze a bit of crepe paper, so some water comes out but some color is left.
3. Wipe the squeezed crepe paper across the paper to make a watercolor wash.
4. Try different colors and patterns, and dab or drip for spots.
5. Keep squeezing gently and painting until the paper is full, then let it dry flat.
6. Adult: filter out the crepe paper and pour the leftover colored water into paper cups, one per color.
7. In another session, paint with the cups of faux watercolors and brushes.
8. Experiment with how much of each color you put on the paper to see light and dark shades.

## Tips
- Do this on thick watercolor paper if you can. We didn't have any and used regular printer paper. It was still fun, nothing tore, and the art dried perfectly fine.
- My preschooler likened it to wiping things off: "Look mom, I'm just wiping but I'm painting too."
- It's a great test of a toddler's hand control. Mine watched her sister squeeze gently and tried to copy. Sometimes she went overboard, sometimes she was right on target.
- Doing the same art activity with multiple ages need not be daunting. Choose activities where both kids can use the same materials on the same project.
- Setting the leftover colors out in cups with brushes sparked fresh interest, and the kids came back for another session.
- The colors aren't as vibrant as store-bought liquid watercolors, but they look just as good as solid watercolors. The washed effect is so pretty.
- More colors would be nice, but the kids didn't mind. They got creative with the colors they had.
- Save the large sides of cereal boxes for painting. They're much cheaper than thick paper. (from readers)
- A parent of a touch-seeking child saw it as a good fit for sensory seekers who need fine motor practice. (from readers)

## FAQ
**Does it stain fingers?** The author says it didn't stain her kids' fingers.
**Can I use party streamers instead of crepe paper sheets?** Yes. The author tested regular streamers and they work.
**Will tissue paper work?** Only tissue paper whose color bleeds. Colors bleed from some tissue papers, not all. The author suggests starting with regular crepe paper sheets or streamers.
**What paper should I use?** Thick watercolor paper is recommended because there's a lot of water. Printer paper worked without tearing, and cereal box sides work too.
**Are the homemade watercolors as bright as store-bought?** Not quite as vibrant as store-bought liquid watercolors, but they look as good as solid watercolors.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013)

It has been fun great sharing all our process based [**art activities**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/art-projects/) and [**homemade art and play supplies.**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/cornstarch/) Today we have one more easy and unique art activity with crepe paper. Few months ago we used crepe paper and had fun with our [**"just add water" art.**](https://www.funlittles.com/easy-art-project-for-kids-just-add-water-art/) This art activity is similar with another small spin. That tiny twist makes this art activity whole lot funner and adds that much loved sensory element. I tore up few sheets of crepe paper ( kids would LOVE tearing) and sorted them into 3 colors. Then soak the crepe paper bits in a bowl of water over night. That's it. There is a bit of discussion about crepe paper - you can work with party streamers and I have tested that it works with regular streamers. Colors bleed from *some* tissue papers and this will definitely work with bleeding tissue paper. So take your pick and see which material works for you. I suggest you start off with regular crepe paper sheets or streamers. The color from the crepe paper would have run out and you would have your own [**"liquid watercolor".**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/liquid-water-colors/) Before handing over the paint brushes try this super fun way of painting with watercolor.The following day invite your kids for some sensory fun induced art activity. Demonstrate gently squeezing the bits of crepe and using the remaining "color" from the paper to paint.

### 

My older squeezed not all but a bit of water out of the crepe paper and used the bits to give a nice water color wash.



It was both a fun sensory experience as well an open ended process art activity. Both explored with different colors and patters. I'd highly recommend that you do this art activity on a thick water color paper. We did not have any on hand and went ahead on a regular printer paper..It was still fun and we did not tear any sheets. The art dried perfectly fine..Thicker paper is recommended so you avoid the chances of rips since we are working with quite a bit of water here.



My preschooler especially enjoyed this unique activity and she likened the whole process to wiping off things.. "Look mom, I'm just wiping but I'm painting too. It's fun"



This art activity was really helpful in another way- it tested my **toddler's hand control a**nd in effect was great for her [**fine motor skills**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/fine-motor-activities/). She saw her sis squeeze the water out of the crepe paper really gently so that *some* color was left. She tried squeezing gently and tried painting with the crepe paper scraps. As you can she went over board sometimes and was right on target sometimes. I find that doing the same art activities with multiple ages need not be daunting. In our case it has been rewarding. Initially it was tricky and there were many territorial flights and problems following directions and the usual issues.. The more we did the art activities together the better the kids have become. We have come a long way in the last in terms of working together around the table on the same art project and **I carefully choose the art activities when I have both the kids working with the same materials and on the same project.**



Once the kids were done, I filtered out the crepe paper and poured the remaining "water colors" in individual paper cups and set them out with brushes. This new set up with brushes and cups sparked some more interest. During another session they came back and painted with the faux water colors.



While the colors may not have the same vibrancy as store-bought liquid water colors they did look just as good as the solid water colors.. The washed effect was so pretty.



I wish I had more colors though! But the kids did not mind though. If you observe closely they got creative with the available colors and did experiment with the concentration of each color on the paper.

Thanks for reading