# Large-Scale Vehicle Painting > Tape long sheets of butcher paper down outside, dip toy vehicles' wheels in paint, and drive, drag and race them across the paper to make big tire-track art. A gross motor art activity that lets active kids burn off energy while they create. - URL: https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-vehicles-painting/ - Ages: 2–6 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: high - Time: prep 15 min, activity 30 min - Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class - Skills: gross-motor, printmaking, cause-and-effect, sensory-exploration, colors ## Materials (one batch) - Large toy vehicles (trucks, cars, motorbikes) - Powdered tempera paint - Poster paint (optional) - Water (household) - 1 piece Paper plates (household) - 3 sheet Butcher paper - 1 roll Painter's tape (household) - Marker or chalk for lane numbers (optional) (household) ## Substitutions - Instead of butcher paper: Paper on a cookie sheet (The smaller-scale, indoor version of this kids classic.) - Instead of powdered tempera: Poster paint (Works, but TurkeyMom found the prints less vibrant.) ## Safety - An adult mixes the powdered tempera. Avoid breathing in the dry powder. - Supervise young children so they don't put paint in their mouths. Paint is not food. - Wet paint on the ground can be slippery, especially for barefoot kids. Watch footing around the paper and plates. - If kids 'fly' or race the vehicles, keep other children out of the path. ## Steps 1. Tape down 3 long sheets of butcher paper outside and mark a number at the top of each. 2. Adult: mix the powdered tempera with water and pour each color onto its own paper plate. 3. Set out a variety of large vehicles next to the paint. 4. Dip a vehicle's wheels in the paint. 5. Drag the vehicle along the paper from one end to the other to make tire marks. 6. Try racing or pushing a car from the end, then compare its prints with the dragged ones. 7. Switch colors and vehicles and keep rolling, racing and dragging. 8. Let the finished paper dry. ## Tips - Powdered tempera made much better and more vibrant prints than poster paint. - Pushing or racing a car from the end doesn't transfer much paint. Dragging it back and forth makes strong tire marks. - Big vehicles with chunky treads make fantastic prints. We love the prints made by our big pink truck. - The race idea went kaput with a 2.5-year-old who has zero regard for rules. With older kids, try a race: which vehicle wins while leaving a great tire mark? - Great for warm summer days and for times you need kids to burn off energy. They'll be moving while creating! - Every activity involving paint becomes a sensory activity, so expect paint on hands and feet. ## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013) It was a hot day and the kids were itching to get out. We couldn't really get out of the house and go somewhere. Instead we went to our backyard and did what we do best - play with **paint.** We have painted with cars before of course we have; it is a kids classic. That day however we did the art activity on a larger scale for extra fun. In kids world, bigger = better, right? Large scale art activities are great for warm summer days where you can get messy and creative *outside* your house. They are also perfect for days you need the kids to burn off some energy while having tons of fun. Gross motor art activities are fantastic for encouraging active kids to create. They will be moving while creating! I set out a variety of large vehicles we own along with some poster paint and mixed up powdered tempera paint. I observed that the powdered tempera made much better and vibrant prints. As mentioned earlier you could do this art activity on a cookie sheet but that day we wanted something bigger. I taped down 3 sheets of butcher paper and marked numbers on the top. My hope was that we can make the art project into a race. Meh! then I realize that I have 2.5 year old who very typical of all 2.5 year old has absolutely zero regards for rules. So yeah, race idea went kaput! But if you have older kids you could do a race car painting project. Ready, set, go -which vehicle wins while leaving a great tire mark. We however had lots of fun moving around with big vehicles and dipping them in paint.My 4 year old raced them across the paper and often times flew them across the paper- even the cars flew. Ironically, my 2 year old was very interested in making the tire marks. These were made by her vehicle. She was very persistent in getting from one end of the paper to the other with her car to make prints.This pink truck right here quickly became my toddler's favorite because of the fantastic tire marks. She dragged this toy back and forth to paint. She tried racing the cars from the end and saw that the paint marks were not strong enough. Just by pushing the vehicles she realized that the prints don't transfer that much. She went on to dragging the vehicles from one to the other. My 4 year old however was all about getting the vehicles to fly, roll and generally move. Here is my 4 year thoroughly enjoying the large scale art activity.. These pictures remind me of a giraffe drinking water! Our completed project. We love the prints made by our big pink truck. Every activity involving paint becomes a [**sensory activity**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/messy-play-2/), right? Other active art activities ### [**Tin Can Roll Painting**](https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-for-kids-tin-can-roll/) ### [**Throw Ball Painting**](https://www.funlittles.com/art-activity-throw-ball-painting/) ### [**Squirt Gun Painting**](https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-with-squirt-guns/)