The next time you're at the discount store and see plain T-shirts or sweatshirts on sale, buy a few, because they make great canvasses for your child's artwork. You'll also need fabric paint. There are several types available. Some appear flat while others will look wet and slick when dry. Some will puff up for a three-dimensional look. Whichever style you buy, be sure to follow the directions on the tubes, because some fabric paint has to be set with a hot iron. Once you have a shirt and some fabric paint, the kids can paint free-hand or copy a picture from a coloring book. Here's a twist that works well for younger children--let them try stamping with the fabric paint. Cut a sponge into a simple shape, wet it, and squeeze out most of the water. Then dip the sponge into the paint and stamp onto the shirt. Of course, on the end of your child's arms are some of the most original stamps available-- their hands. In a shallow dish, mix one drop of water to every ten drops of paint, dip the hands into the paint, and place flat on the fabric. For the older child, fabric designs cut from sale fabric, such as Santa with a sleigh and reindeer at Christmas, and outlined with the paint to keep the cut out in place, will give one-of-a-kind results.
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