DOUBLE TAP TO ZOOM WITH PHONE OR TABLET creative and authentic art  41 the way. Try a clear plastic shoe holder that hangs from the top of a door. You can find this type of shoe organizer at a department store or home improve- ment store. Each shoe pocket can hold a different type of painting implement. The implements are not only neatly organized but also easily visible through the plastic. And best of all, young children can’t dump this kind of storage container! A hanging shoe holder used for brushes and rollers Painting Containers If you’re using different kinds of painting imple- ments, you’ll also need different kinds of contain- ers to hold paint and water. When the children are painting with brushes, good containers might be baby food jars, baby food plastic containers and lids, yogurt cups and lids, and inexpensive plastic storage containers. When the children are painting with rollers or brayers, good paint containers might be plastic trays from microwave or takeout food. To make containers for when the children are painting with cotton swabs, cut clear egg cartons into sections of four compartments each. Put a dif- ferent color of paint into each compartment. You might also use a divided plate to hold paint. Types of Paint Explore art with a variety of paints! Try tempera paint, puffy paint (foam paint), fingerpaint, water- color cakes, liquid watercolors, corn syrup paint (created by adding a small amount of corn syrup to food coloring), powder paint (be cautious about allergies), and more. (See appendix B for several paint recipes.) Tempera paints work especially well for two- and three-year-olds. Early on, just offer two or three colors, preferably the primary colors red, yel- low, and blue. The children may choose to use pri- mary colors alone or mix them to create secondary colors. A bit later, add white for tinting. Next, add black for shading. This strategy offers children the opportunity to explore art with an array of colors, shades, and tints. Mixing colors is a great learning experience for young children. Through experimentation, they in- crease their understanding of colors. As time passes and children have more experiences with paint and with blending colors, they become more comfort- able and confident. To facilitate learning, help children keep the base colors separate by providing small contain- ers or paper plates for mixing. It is too difficult for young children to mix paint right on their paper. And many children will not be interested in paint- ing if you mix the colors for them. Mixing is half the fun for most children! Paint Additives Adding other ingredients to paint can have dra- matic results. Here are some additive ideas: salt, glitter, sand, dirt, mud, vegetable oil, baby oil, wa- ter, dishwashing detergent, condensed milk, saw- dust, and coffee grounds. Painting Surfaces Children can paint on a variety of surfaces. Here are just a few: large butcher paper, canvas, watercolor paper, drawing paper, fingerpainting paper, alumi- num foil, waxed paper, poster board, newspapers, COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL