During the school holidays I always have a couple of act activities planned. I put away the materials until just the right moment - when there is a rainy day or a rest day or just when the boys are getting bored or restless. I like to ensure that the boys are challenged, that they are learning and are exposed to new experiences.

Foam Printing is a really good activity, it can get messy but it's safe, easy, interesting and suitable for young children. I think the results are pretty fabulous too!

This is the easiest form of printing we have tried. The child uses a pencil to draw on the printing foam, the child will need to press a little so they make an indent into the foam. This is easy to do, they just need to draw with a little pressure! My children are not particularly talented and don't spend hours drawing but I still think the results are effective. 

We use a foam roller to cover the foam in paint. Then we place the paper on top, press down or rub over and carefully peel the paper off to reveal the printed image. 

The process uses a lot of paint. I also recommend using nice paint, we tried it with a bottle of old paint that was a bit cluggy and it didn't come out so well. The foam is like a plastic foam, it is really easy to wash and reuse. We did this so many times. This is so cool as you can make the same print in lots of different colours. It also allows the children to have fun and experiment.  

I think the black art frames are a fabulous finishing touch! 

A3 Printing Foam, A3 Mixed Media Paper, A3 Art Frames and Foam Rollers are c/o Child.com.au. (I can't find the same products available in the US but this might be worth trying!). This is a great article on foam printing especially if you are in a school setting. If you are looking for special and unique art activities I also recommend marbling or some simple milk and food colouring fun.