Painting game for a five year old?

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Permalink Reply by mcglory13 on September 10, 2012 at 10:56am

There's a lot lost between the tactile and fine motor skills that real life art making gives kids and the experience of using a computer program.

Though I know it's not helpful in terms of what you asked, I'd give him real art supplies.

Permalink Reply by kommishoner on September 10, 2012 at 4:10pm

Does he have some sort of sensory issues or other concerns that would make him put the pencils in his eyes?  If not, I think it's probably safe for him to have them.  And walls can always be painted over.  ;)  We use sidewalk chalk a lot - nice and round and washable. 

But I don't know of computer coloring games - maybe something as simple as MS Paint or Photoshop would be fine for a 5 year old - there's all kinds of cool functions in photoshop, like spraypaint coloring or tints or photo manipulation.  Some children's museums have computer art labs, too - like Zeum in San Francisco.

Permalink Reply by mightyninjamom on September 10, 2012 at 4:54pm

We used to have one, but it was specific to Linux. It's called Tux Paint. It's open source, so I think you can just google it to see if the download will work on your computer. My son loved that one and played with it a lot.

Also, you can't stop them from sticking stuff to the walls, whether it be actual stickers, crayons, markers, or paint. They like to leave a mark. I advise investing in Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. Then when he does color on the wall, he can use the Magic Eraser to take it off. My daughter did that once, and after cleaning up after herself, she didn't do it again. But the stickers are another story.

Permalink Reply by ruth on September 10, 2012 at 6:02pm

Agree with everyone that real, tactile art supplies are important and necessary for a 5 year old. If you can afford it, those Color Wonder Markers that only color on the special paper that comes with them are pretty awesome for preventing mess when  you can't be watching him every minute.

Permalink Reply by wookie on September 10, 2012 at 6:56pm

Chalk, crayons etc. are cool for kids at that age with a lower risk threshold for mess.  Computers are nifty but at that age they really need to be working on those fine motor, pre-printing skills.

There are lots of games on the iPad that kids can "create art" with that are a buck or two a pop and let them doodle.  Lots of games on sesamestreet.org along the same lines.

Permalink Reply by Herasmus B. Dragon on September 10, 2012 at 7:17pm

Sidewalk chalk, and get outdoors. It's hard to poke your eyes out with something that big.

Permalink Reply by Jessie on September 10, 2012 at 9:57pm

Thanks, everyone, especially you kommishoner! I continued my "research" on Google and I've found on Soft Neo some sort of tool, Gm Coloring Book, I'm checking it right now. I'll try your tips too. Thanks

kommishoner said:

Does he have some sort of sensory issues or other concerns that would make him put the pencils in his eyes?  If not, I think it's probably safe for him to have them.  And walls can always be painted over.  ;)  We use sidewalk chalk a lot - nice and round and washable. 

But I don't know of computer coloring games - maybe something as simple as MS Paint or Photoshop would be fine for a 5 year old - there's all kinds of cool functions in photoshop, like spraypaint coloring or tints or photo manipulation.  Some children's museums have computer art labs, too - like Zeum in San Francisco.

Permalink Reply by hotmama on September 11, 2012 at 4:24am

Has he attended preschool? Early Intervention? I hate to sound alarmist, but at age 5, you should be able to allow a child access to pencils with supervision and not worry that they will put them in their eyes or be unable to follow the instruction to write on the paper and not the wall. The exception to this would be, like Kommish mentioned, they have a sensory or other issue. 

Provided you have an outdoor area to use and the weather where you live is not too extreme to put him outside with art supplies, and watch him create.  Maybe he won't want to be artsy... that's ok too.