Exploring patterns with paint (and toy cars)

(These ideas came home from school.)

Materials:

• large sheet of paper
• washable paint of various colours
• washable (plastic) toy cars or trucks with interesting tire treads
  

Instructions:

• assign one vehicle per colour of paint
• have child dip vehicle tires in paint and then drive all over the paper
• explore patterns on the paper
• explore repeating patterns overtop each other (within same colour)
  
• explore what happens when paint colours mix
• explore which colours show up on other colours

Of course, if you really want to get into the swing of things, get them to paint a car with using the wheels of a car!