Packing paper is big, easy to clean up, and free.  Perfect material for kid art.  Now what can you do with it?

1.  Cover the table.  Put packing paper over a table (it completely covered our kid table) and let them finger paint all over it.  Give them some primary colors and let them mix it by hand to make secondary colors.  The best way to learn is by doing, so let them get messy.  Not feeling the paint?  Give them crayons and markers and let them draw on the table while you make dinner.

2. Hang it on the wall.  Tape up the packing paper to a long wall and let them create a mural.

3.  Lay it out on the floor.  The floor is the perfect place for sitting babies that haven’t mastered walking.  Plop them in the middle of the packing paper and let them go to town.  Have older kids lay down on the paper and trace around them.  Then they can color themselves and design an outfit with paint, markers, or chalk.

4.  Take it outside.  On a nice day, put packing paper down on the driveway, deck, or sidewalk.  Take off those shoes and make paint footprints!