# Rainbow Writing
> Paint rainbow stripes on a foil-covered baking tray, cover it with shaving cream, and let kids write, swirl and draw with their fingers to reveal the colors underneath. It is pre-writing practice for little ones and sight-word or spelling practice for older kids.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/sensory-activities-for-kids-rainbow-writing/
- Ages: 3–6 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: high
- Time: prep 5 min, activity 20 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class · one batch serves about 1 kids
- Skills: pre-writing, fine-motor, sensory-exploration, letter-formation, sight-words, colors
- Cautions: ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- 1 piece Baking tray (household)
- 1 sheet Aluminium foil (household)
- Acrylic paint in rainbow colors
- 1 piece Paintbrush
- Shaving cream (foam)
- 1 piece Cotton buds (optional) (household)

## Substitutions
- Instead of acrylic paint: Rainbow scrapbook paper, laminated (A reader's idea for homes without acrylic paint. Untested in the post.)

## Safety
- Shaving cream is not taste-safe. Keep it away from mouths and eyes, and supervise closely, especially with kids who still mouth things.
- One reader notes the shaving cream label warns 'keep out of reach of children' and says Ohio preschools can't use it. Check your school or center's rules before using it with a group.
- Shaving cream can contain fragrances that may irritate sensitive skin. Wash hands well after play.
- Let the acrylic paint dry completely before adding shaving cream.
- Use fingers or smooth, blunt tools. Sharp tools can make the paint peel off the foil.

## Before you start
- Tightly cover a baking tray with aluminium foil.
- Paint rainbow stripes across the foil with acrylic paint and let it dry completely. An older child can do this as fine-motor practice.

## Steps
1. Wrap a baking tray tightly in aluminium foil.
2. Paint rainbow stripes across the foil with acrylic paint.
3. Let the paint dry completely.
4. Spread a layer of shaving cream over the whole painted sheet.
5. Write in the shaving cream with your fingers to make the rainbow colors show through.
6. Make lines, swirls and letters to reveal more of the colors.
7. Fill up the tray with rainbow writing.
8. Swoosh and swish the cream, then smooth it out to start all over again.
9. Older kids: write sight words or spelling words.

## Tips
- I usually involve the children in the preparation, since I believe preparation is half the fun. This time I prepared the sheet as a surprise for my 3 year old.
- This may be a good chance to have your older child prepare the sheet. Wrapping the foil is great fine motor practice.
- True to her age, she wanted to reveal the entire color palette with a big swipe of her fist. That's fine: just smooth out the shaving cream and start all over again.
- Try to use smooth or blunt 'writing' materials, since the paint may peel off depending on the brand. If the kids are just using their fingers you should be fine.
- A reader plans to use it with her kids for spelling practice. (from readers)
- It's like scratch art, only messier, so kids will love it. (from readers)

## FAQ
**Will the paint come off?** The author says the paint may peel off, depending on the brand, if kids use pointed tools. Use smooth or blunt tools; fingers should be fine.
**I don't have acrylic paint. What else could I use?** One reader planned to laminate a rainbow piece of scrapbook paper instead. The post doesn't test this.
**Is shaving cream OK to use with preschoolers?** The post doesn't address this. One reader notes the label warns 'keep out of reach of children' and says Ohio preschools can't use it. Check your program's rules, keep it away from mouths and eyes, and supervise closely.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013)

My 3 year old really, I mean *really* wants to write simply because she sees big sister ( 5 years old) write with ease and interest. I find her trying to write her name, write "captions" for her pictures etc. As we all have personally seen the best to encourage the little ones to explore their area of interest further is through play. We are engaging in more [**sensory activities for kids**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/sensory-bins/) through good old shaving cream trick with a rainbow twist. Who doesn't enjoy [**rainbow activities**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/rainbow/)? I know even I do! {Access all our [**writing activities**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/writing/) here} {Don't forget to visit all our [**shaving cream art projects**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/shaving-cream/).} For this fun sensory activity you will need

- Baking Tray
- Aluminium Foil
- Acrylic Paint
- Shaving Cream
- Cotton Buds (optional)

I tightly covered a baking tray with foil and painted rainbow colors using acrylic paint. For this type of sensory activity I usually involve the children in the preparation since I believe that preparation is half the fun. However this time around, I wanted to surprise my 3 year old with this sensory activity I prepared the sheet. This may be a good chance to have your older child prepare the sheet. So many wonderful opportunities to practice those [**fine motor skills**](blogmemom.com/category/fine-motor-activities/), especially with the wrapping of the foil.  Once the paint dried I layered the sheet with shaving cream and had my little one come for a tiny surprise! She came squealing " shaving cream mommy?" Knowing very well she would say yes, I asked " Do you want to write with your fingers"  That's what she did for a long time. Once she started making those lines, the colors on the foil would show and that got her even more excited. She would make more beautiful marks, swirls and even an occasional "A" to reveal more of the colors. Of course true to her age, she wanted to reveal the entire color palette by doing a big swipe with her fist. That's fine all you have to do is smooth out the shaving cream to start all over again! Sensory activities like this are a perfect fit for her age group.  Since she was totally in love with the writing medium she explore a lot more than she would normally do. We would fill fill up the tray with these beautiful rainbow writing.  Obviously we ended up playing with the shaving cream by totally swooshing and swishing it.  This could be a wonderful way to have the older ones practice writing sight words.  Notes: Try to use smooth or blunt "writing" materials since the paint *may* ( depending on the brand) peel off. If the kids are just using their fingers you should be fine.



Fore more [**sensory activities for kids**](blogmemom.com/category/sensory-bins/) visit our category page

More [**Messy play ideas**](blogmemom.com/category/messy-play-2/) are also on the blog