Nylon Splat Painting

Lisa Murphy, founder and CEO of Ooey Gooey, Inc., has over 30 years of experience in early childhood education. She’s a globally recognized author, keynote speaker, and passionate advocate for play-based learning. Lisa has brought tremendous magic and insight to the field, inspiring educators everywhere to do what’s best for children in their earliest years.

Today, we tried one of her famous activities—Nylon Splat Painting! Here’s how we did it:

• We filled nylon stockings with rice, dried beans, and popcorn, then tied them securely.

• A large piece of butcher paper was laid out, and bowls of vibrant fluorescent paint were set up.

• Children used step stools and chairs to dip the stockings into the paint and splatter them from different heights.

• As the paint fell, it created the most epic splashes, patterns, and colors!

Splat painting is a type of action art, where the focus is on the process, not just the finished product. These messy, joyful projects support children’s growth in so many ways:

• Builds motor skills: Big movements strengthen muscles and coordination, while also developing fine motor skills for writing later.

• Encourages creativity: Open-ended exploration with colors and textures sparks imagination and problem-solving.

• Supports sensory & emotional growth: Provides healthy outlets for energy and emotions while engaging multiple senses.

• Promotes teamwork: Group projects foster cooperation, sharing, and communication.

• Makes learning joyful: Active art keeps children engaged and builds a lifelong love of creating.

Messy? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely! Activities like this help children learn, grow, and have fun all at the same time.