Craft Time: Color to Uncover the Hidden Picture!
A favorite game for many infants is when adults play Peek-a-Boo. Hearing a baby’s giggle every time you show your face is one of the happiest sounds. And as they grow, the simple game turns into others such as Hide-and-Seek or I Spy. Did you know that you can do this with art, too? Follow the directions below to discover:
Hidden Pictures!
Materials
You need three things to do this craft:
White paper
A white crayon
Either washable markers or watercolor paint
Step 1
Draw shapes, pictures, or words on white paper with a white crayon. It can be shapes such as circles, diamonds, and squares. You can draw pictures such as the cross photo above or maybe your child’s favorite animal. Or you can write a special message for your kiddo to uncover.
The first time we did this craft, I incorporated it into an Easter lesson and drew a cross on their pages. When we did it a second time, I added some shapes and special messages. I have also used a version of the craft for a letter of the week lesson by writing the letter and drawing pictures of things that start with that letter.
Step 2
The second step can be done one of two ways – with markers or with watercolor paint.
Step 2-A
Have your child color the entire paper with washable markers. You can specify a color or let him or her choose. My kids like to use a variety of colors, and I try to let them use their imaginations as often as possible. If you’re using this craft as a lesson for a specific theme, then limiting the colors might work best.
It is important that they color in more than one or two places as some children do. The point is to find the picture by coloring over it. The white crayon does not accept the color, so it pops up from the paper. With markers, medium colors work best. Lighter colors such as yellow or pink tend to be too bright to let the white show through. Also, darker colors like black or brown cover the white.
My youngest had trouble listening and following directions on the day we did the craft with markers, so he scribbled everywhere and traced the white instead of coloring over it. While this method didn’t exactly highlight the white picture, it worked fine. Younger children who still scribble might do this. If a little guidance doesn’t work, then just let them color their page however they choose.
The 5YO heard me say to color the entire page, so he grabbed a marker and started coloring one end. Then he switched to a different color, then another and another until he ended up with an unplanned striped pattern. His picture shows how different colors show the white while also adding a bit of a math lesson!
Step 2-B
The other option is to use watercolor paints. It can be a little messier than markers, but the concept is the same. Have your child paint across the paper until the picture or message is revealed. Make sure not to use too much water. The denser paint allows the crayon to show up much clearer. Again, brighter colors don’t let the picture appear as much as darker colors, though the blacks and browns worked just fine with the paint.
My artsy 7YO had no design plan. She grabbed her paintbrush, picked a color, and went for it. She started by uncovering the white picture but then filled in the rest of the page with random colors, including some she mixed herself. Then she added a couple of her own shapes, as well. While her choice took away from the original hidden picture a bit, the crayon still shows through as intended. Plus, she had fun figuring out what her picture says!
The oldest child also painted a striped pattern but only where she could see the crayon. Each letter was given its own stripe. Then, because she’s currently obsessed with ocean life, she decorated around the word with things that you see underwater. By doing this, she further highlighted the hidden picture and added a background!
Older Children
If you have older children who like to draw, let them do Step 1 themselves. The children’s program at my church did this craft and let the kids draw their own pictures. They were given a piece of paper and a white crayon, then told to draw or write in different places. They were then given watercolors to paint over the paper. Many of them were amazed when they saw their pictures emerge. Some even laughed when they realized how difficult it is to draw well when you can’t really see what you’re doing!
For the higher grades, we added a twist that can be fun if you join in or if you have more than one child participating. They were partnered up and placed back-to-back. One partner had the paper and crayon. They drew or wrote something without saying aloud what it was. Then they gave the paper to their partner, who used markers to discover the secret message!
Show Us Your Fun
I hope your kiddos enjoy this craft as much as mine did. If they do, share pictures of their hidden creations in the comments below!
