We’ve been using watercolor paints in the classroom for quite a while now, but I realized we haven’t done any formal instruction. Watercolors do some fun things when mixed with household items that I knew the kids would get a kick out of.

1. Salt. Adding salt to a watercolor painting has to be my students’ absolute favorites, though they have to be patient because their work has to dry before you can see the results. Of note, it only works when the salt if added when the painting is still wet. A spray bottle and a few squirts of water will help revive a too-quick-drying painting.
   
2. Alcohol. Dropping a bit of alcohol onto the artwork gives instant satisfaction as it pushes the paint away.  This works best when the painting is still wet, but not too wet.
   
3. Saran Wrap. Saran wrap leaves geometric patterns as it traps the color underneath it. Again, you have to wait for it to dry to see its effects. We also tried Press’nSeal, but it’s results were not consistent and much harder to work with.
   
4. Stickers. Stickers make a nice resist leaving the paper white when the sticker is removed.
   
5. Glue. Glue is also a nice resist except that you have to wait for it to dry. We completed ours a week in advance. We made pumpkins, then after they dried, we outlined the glue in marker or pencil.