Mixing colors with paint! Learn about primary colors and complimentary colors with easy color mixing art activities that include a bit of science, art and problem solving. Even includes a free downloadable color mixing chart for you to use. Fun and totally do-able art activities are perfect for busy kiddos at home or in the classroom.

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Mixing Colors For Kids

Have you ever noticed that kids, especially preschoolers love mixing colors? It is so much fun to see what colors you can create by playing with different colors. 

Color is one of the 7 elements of art and is important for creating the mood and atmosphere of an artwork.

Introduce your kids to basic color theory, with these fun color mixing activities below. Complete your own color mixing chart with our free printable. Then paint a rainbow with a simple color mixing activity for kids.

Why Do Art With Kids?

Children are naturally curious. They observe, explore, and imitate, trying to figure out how things work and how to control themselves and their environments. This freedom of exploration helps children form connections in their brains, it helps them learn—and it’s also fun!

Art projects are a natural activity to support this essential interaction with the world. Kids need the freedom to explore and experiment creatively.

Simple, easy art activities allow toddlers to preschoolers to practice many valuable skills for life and learning. These include the aesthetic, scientific, interpersonal, and practical interactions that can be discovered through the senses, intellect, and emotions.

For elementary and middle school grades, art is fantastic for relaxation and a good outlet to express themselves through creativity. From process art to exploring famous artists, our art activities are a valuable resource to have on hand!

Making and appreciating art involves emotional and mental faculties!

Creative work, whether making it, learning about it, or simply looking at it – offers a wide range of important experiences. In other words, it’s good for them!

Helpful Art Resources To Get You Started

Here are a few resources to help you introduce art more effectively to your kids or students and feel confident when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

What Is Color Mixing?

Color mixing is a fun way for kids to learn about colors, express their creativity, and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them. It’s also a great introduction to both art and basic science concepts related to color.

Check out more easy ways to introduce colors to preschoolers.

Color mixing is based around the colors, red, yellow and blue. These colors when mixed create all other colors, and are called the primary colors. The primary colors cannot be created by mixing other colors. These colors are like the building blocks for all other colors.

By mixing the primary colors together you get the secondary colors, which are green, orange and violet. For example:

  • Red + Blue = Purple
  • Red + Yellow = Orange
  • Blue + Yellow = Green

You can also introduce tertiary colors, which are created by mixing a primary color with a neighboring secondary color. For example, mixing red (a primary color) with orange (a secondary color) creates red-orange.

TIP: Use a color wheel as a visual aid to help kids understand how colors are related and how they can be mixed. The color wheel shows the relationships between primary, secondary, and tertiary colors.

Click here to grab your free printable color mixing activities!

Color Mixing Activity 1: Watercolors

Also check out these fun watercolor art projects!

You will need:

Want to make your own watercolor paints? Check out our easy watercolor paint recipe!

Instructions:

STEP 1. Print out the color mixing chart.

STEP 2. Paint each circle with its labeled primary color.

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STEP 3. For the third circle, mix the previous two colors together.

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STEP 4. Write down what new color you made on the line below it.

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Color Mixing Activity 2: Food Coloring

Pair this rainbow color mixing activity with one or more of these hands-on rainbow science activities!

You will need:

Instructions:

STEP 1. Print the rainbow template.

STEP 2. Add a drop of red food coloring to a small bowl and paint the first strip of the rainbow with red food coloring. Do not add water.

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STEP 3. Now mix  5 drops of yellow and 1 drop of red. Paint the second strip.

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STEP 4. Paint the next strip yellow.

STEP 5. Mix 5 drops of yellow and 1 drop of blue to paint the next strip.

STEP 6. Paint a strip blue.

STEP 7. Now mix 5 drops of red and 1 drop of blue, and paint the last strip. What colors did you create?

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More Fun With Color

Printable Famous Artist Bundle

You’ll find each of our famous artists featured in our Famous Artists Project Pack 👇  including tons of fantastic resources!

This bundle includes a variety of art packs to cover different areas of the art experience! Perfect for ages 5-12, with various activities to suit all age levels. Easy to use in the home or classroom.

PACKS INCLUDE:

  • Famous Artists Project Pack with 25+ artists to explore past and present, including women, people of color, and indigenous peoples.
  • Artists Challenge Pack: Various extra art projects, including a museum scavenger hunt and extras.
  • 7 Elements of Art Pack: Learn about and explore the 7 elements of art with handy information, tips, and fun projects to try.
  • Art and Playdough Pack: Make homemade playdough and use these art mats with kids of all ages featuring famous artists with simple information.
  • Art Techniques Pack: Learn watercolor, collage, and printmaking techniques for your art projects. Complete with information, tips, and activities to try!