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    Home » Painting Activities

    Watercolor Painted Seashells

    Modified: Jul 29, 2022 · Published: Apr 16, 2021 by Vicky · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Whenever my family hits the beach, we go on a hunt for shells. Kids love looking for and finding these natural beauties and we often end up bringing a bunch home after a trip. I am always looking for ideas to use those shells and came up with this easy art activity for kids. Watercolor Painted Seashells are so easy to make and very eye catching. If you have extra shells, try our Bubbling Shell Craft.

    painting shells with watercolors
    Jump to:
    • Why this activity is awesome
    • Supplies needed
    • How to paint shells
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Related posts

    Why this activity is awesome

    My favorite kinds of shells to use for this activity are clamrose shells. They come in a variety of sizes and the grooves in them really do a good job of holding the paint.

    Now if you haven't been to the beach lately, no problem! You can buy some clamrose shells on Amazon that are perfect for crafting. If you don't have liquid watercolors, try using traditional watercolor paints. I prefer using liquid watercolors because they are so vibrant, plus they are great to use for lots of other kids art projects.

    Supplies needed

    • Liquid Watercolors
    • Small paintbrush
    • Cups
    • Clean shells
    shells and watercolor paint

    How to paint shells

    Squeeze a few drops of liquid food coloring into a cup and add some water to dilute it a bit. Do this with as many colors as you wish. We used four colors. Provide your child with a smock or old tee shirt, paintbrush, shells and cups of watercolors and let them get creative. You will want to place something on the table to protect it. I used a sheet of parchment paper.

    child painting seashells

    Providing a variety of colors is fun because it lets kids really get creative and experiment with color mixing. You can even try mixing some new colors while having children predict what will happen. "What do you think will happen if we mix red and blue together?"

    child painting shells with watercolor paint

    You can paint one coat or do one coat and add another after it dries for deeper colors. You can leave these for a few hours to dry or place them out in the fun. When they are done, they will make a beautiful memento of your beach trip.

    The results of painting seashells in watercolor are so eye catching, wouldn't you agree? These are great for pretend play or for for decorating. You can place a bunch of them in a basket or glass jar.

    Check out Green Kid Crafts, a monthly craft subscription box for kids that promotes creativity while instilling a love and respect for the environment, if you're seeking for more entertaining things to do with kids.

    watercolor painted seashells

    Frequently asked questions

    What kind of paint should you use on shells?

    While we used watercolor paint, acrylic paint works best.

    How do I get shells ready to paint?

    As long as your shells are clean, you are ready to go. If you have just returned from the beach, rinse them with water to remove any sand and dry them.

    Related posts

    Sea Shell Craft

    Sand Playdough Recipe

    More Painting Activities

    • Drip Painted Flower Pots
    • Earth Day Activity
    • Q-Tip Painted Snowman Craft
    • Painting Activities for Toddlers

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    Vicky from Mess for Less

    I'm Vicky, the founder of Mess For Less, which I started in 2011 to share easy, family-friendly recipes. With over a decade of experience as a home chef and recipe developer, I love creating meals that bring people together. I also design play and learning activities for kids, using my background as a former teacher with a Master’s degree in education. Learn more about me.

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