As a child, I loved fingerpainting and anxiously awaited the weekly, colorful in-class activity. It wasn't so much the art that compelled me; I loved the distinctive smell and visceral feel of the fingerpaint. The entire process felt like an exploration, and through it, I discovered my creativity.
It was messy, chaotic, and crucial, I think, for my development. The new idea with fingerpainting is to separate a child's fingers from the paint. You splash some of the squishy colors onto a canvas, then seal the goop under plastic. The child then basically pushes the colors around without actually touching them.
