Golf ball painting

Golf ball painting is the process where children create tracks across paper by rolling a golf ball (or similar) through paint and across the paper.  Several variations exist, e.g. a group project rolling balls across a table as pictured, individual projects using a shoe box or some other container to put the paper and golf ball into, or large scale outdoors using larger balls.

Equipment required

• Paint
• Paper
• Golf balls (or similar)
• Some kind of way to contain the balls and stop them rolling away (e.g. shoe box)
• Some way to pick up the paint covered balls (e.g. spoon or tongs)

What do we do?

• Place paper into shoe box
• Dip balls into different colours of paint
• Using a spoon or tongs or your fingers, place the painted balls into the shoe box on top of the paper
• Tip the box from side to side and watch the golf balls roll around, leaving trails behind them

What are we learning?

• Colour mixing
• Force (gravity in terms of tipping a box, or motion in terms of rolling/pushing balls)
• Fine motor skills (handling the slippery, slimy balls)

Links to Te Whaariki

• Strand 3 - Contribution.  Goal 3 - Children experience an environment where they are encouraged to learn with and alongside others.
• Strand 5 - Exploration.  Goal 2 - Children experience an environment where they gain confidence in and control of their bodies.
• Strand 5 - Exploration.  Goal 4 - Children experience an environment where they develop working theories for making sense of the natural, social, physical, and material worlds.