Celebrate the end of summer with squirt gun painting

It's hard to think about, but it's obvious in the Iowa Great Lakes that summer is coming to an end.

Traffic is easing. Visitor numbers are dwindling. Stores and restaurants are getting ready to close for the season.

But there is still plenty of warm weather to enjoy outside, and squirt gun painting is a great activity to celebrate second summer in Iowa.

kids with squirt gun art

You'll need:
Squirt guns
Tempera paint in a variety of colors
Water
Thick white paper, the bigger the better
A clothesline
Clothespins

girl with squirt gun painting

Start by hanging your paper on a clothesline with clothespins. Make sure that if kids miss the paper they aren't going to hit anything you don't want painted!

Mix tempera paint with water. Dependent on how thick you want the paint, a ratio of about 12 ounces of paint to a half-gallon of water is pretty average. You can make the paint a little thicker if you have a squirt gun that you can pour the mixture in. If you have the type that sucks the mixture up, it may need to be a little thinner.

Fill your squirt guns with the paint.

Make sure the kids have old clothes on, head outside and let them be creative!

boy with paint on his face

Try these other fun outdoor activities:
Dirt painting
Color Match Trek
Shape Walk
Nature Bingo (Free download)

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