May 21, 2008

Snail painting

You will need: A big sheet of white paper (we used a strip of butchers block paper), a few different food colourings, a few snails and a bit of patience.

T
he kids dipped the snails from our back yard in the food colouring and put them down on the paper. After the initial shock the snails began to move about the paper and create art for us. The kids had fun putting leaves and grass around the outside of the paper to try and tempt the snails to go one way or the other. The snails seem completely unharmed by the food colouring and we see the "used ones" happily around the place still with coloured shells days later.

The colourful art now has pride of place on one of our kitchen cabinets. From the trails it looks like the snails have all disapeared into the cupboard. Gross.










7 comments:

PaulBo said...

This has to be one of my favourite projects you've done! I was so confused by the snail collecting in the yard before I headed off for work but then you sent me these pictures and it all became clear :) brilliant!

Tab said...

Very original! I'm glad to hear that the snails seem unharmed. I have never seen a snail in our yard, but I would venture if we could find some my much older boys would love this project too.

pink and green mama MaryLea said...

My girls would love this!! Thanks so much for sharing.

Unknown said...

OMG You are so clever! Where is a good place to find snails? My boys would love this!

Anonymous said...

Fantastic idea!

fessup said...

Does the paint eventually kill the snails?

zookeeper said...

it looks like it says google.