# Throw Ball Painting
> Dip balls and squishy sensory balls in watered-down paint, then throw them into a big paper-lined cardboard box so the paint splatters everywhere. It's a high-energy, multi-age outdoor process art activity that leaves you with a removable painting.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/art-activity-throw-ball-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 · one batch serves about 2 kids
- Skills: gross-motor, sensory-exploration, process-art, hand-eye-coordination, colors
- Cautions: ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- 1 piece Large cardboard box (household)
- Butcher paper (optional)
- 1 piece Painters tape (optional)
- Washable kids paint
- Water (household)
- Flat trays (household)
- Plastic balls (household)
- Textured sensory balls (optional)
- Sensory puffer balls / squishy creatures (optional)

## Substitutions
- Instead of textured sensory balls: Regular plastic balls from around the house (What the author mostly used.)
- Instead of butcher paper: Paint the bare inside of the box (The author says you could leave it as is. You just won't have a removable painting, and the box stays painted.)

## Safety
- Washable paint is not food. Toddlers who put hands and feet in the paint tray need close supervision so it doesn't go in mouths.
- Have kids take turns throwing and keep everyone else out of the throwing line and away from the box opening.
- Wet paint on bare feet and grass is slippery. Watch footing and rinse feet before kids walk on hard surfaces.
- Supervise sensory play at all times.

## Before you start
- Find a large cardboard box.
- Tape butcher paper to the inside walls and floor of the box (optional).

## Steps
1. Set the box on its side on the grass with the open side facing the kids.
2. Pour watered-down paint into flat trays and set the balls and squishy creatures next to them.
3. Dip a ball in the paint.
4. Throw the ball into the box and watch the paint splatter.
5. Pick up the balls, dip again and keep throwing until the paper is covered.
6. Little ones can feel the paint with their hands and feet and make hand stamps on the box.
7. Paint the inside of the box with a squishy creature.
8. When you're done, peel off the paper, let it dry and display or frame it.

## Tips
- Water down the paint so the splatter is even more dramatic.
- Tape paper inside the box so you get a removable piece of process art and the box can become something else the next day. Kids' interests are fleeting!
- The sensory puffer ball is perfect for babies and younger toddlers. It has such a great texture for painting and exploring.
- It's a multi-age, open-ended activity. My 4-year-old couldn't get enough of throwing, while my toddler was all about feeling the paint.
- Painting inside a box helps contain the mess somewhat. (from readers)

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013)

**Outdoor Art activity with paint and lots of movement** We played with our big box yet again and this time the activity included paint! 2 weeks ago we came in possession of a huge box and we have already turned it into an [**art studio for the kids**](https://www.funlittles.com/recycled-crafts-art-studio-in-a-box/) for all their art activities. The kids have played pet shop in there, used it as a workshop, enjoyed the box as reading nook and many more. Today's post is about how they enjoyed painting inside the box. When the weather is nice and sunny ( which is most of the time here) we love doing a ton of outdoor art activities. *To see our earlier preschool art activity ideas which involved lots of movement visit our [**tin can roll painting**](https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-for-kids-tin-can-roll/)* The balls we used were regular ones we had around the house and we had one sensory puffer ball/ squishy creature we had left over after a birthday party I suppose. However after I saw this outdoor art activity unfold I see that the sensory puffer ball is perfect for babies and younger toddlers. It has such a great texture for painting and exploring - I have included links to sensory balls and sensory puffy balls. Materials

- **[Bu](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EHZ6WC/?tag=blmemo-20)****[tcher Paper](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EHZ6WC/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Painters Tape](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYP8R5B/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Washable Kids Paint](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004UBH2/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Textured Sensory Balls](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FZYLFHG/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Sensory Puffer Balls](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07229BW4Z/?tag=blmemo-20)**

I taped the insides of the box with butcher paper. You could leave it as it. The reason I taped paper was to simply have a removable piece of process art after the art activity and so that the box can become something else the next day. Kids' interests are fleeting and we all are well aware of that. We have used this same box as an [**art studio**](https://www.funlittles.com/recycled-crafts-art-studio-in-a-box/) and then a [**giant rainforest**](https://www.funlittles.com/small-world-play-rainforest-box/) and also as a [**glow in the dark box**](https://www.funlittles.com/glow-in-the-dark-play-quick-play-idea-in-a-box/) I set out a few plastic balls and those sensory squishy creatures available at the dollar store or even at the dollar spot at Target.

 With some vibrant colored paint set out in flat trays the kids dipped their balls to their hearts' content and then splash! time.  They threw the balls inside the box and it splattered paint all over. This art activity was pure fun! I had watered down paint so the splatter was even more dramatic. My 4 year old could not get enough of the ball splattering paint all inside the box

 For my toddler, apart from throwing the paint dipped ball, it was all about feeling the paint. All **art activities** turn into **sensory activities** with her.

 She put her hands and feet inside the paint tray and did a few hand stamps on the box. She even used the squishy creature to paint the insides.

 My pre-schooler was all about getting the ball all over the paper. This was one of those multi-age open ended fun art activity - all inside a box.



After all the fun, here is our box. We would have played longer but the fun had to be cut short for an evening errand.



Your kid is now an artist who throws paint! You can save to display or frame it. I have so many of these I'm completely overwhelmed. Ha!



Thanks for reading and let's have a fun summer. Don't forget to pin. *First published on May 20, 2013*

****

**Thanks for reading!**

**Want more art projects?**