Sunscreen can be used for more than just protecting your skin! Check out this sunscreen painting activity. It’s easy, fun, and cost-effective. This project is so easy and fun for kids, you will wish you tried it earlier! It is also educational and can be used as a STEAM activity. The best part is, even after all the fun, children will learn the importance of protecting their skin from the sun.

Here is what you will need:

Sunscreen

Paint Brush

Black Construction Paper

This station can be set up just like you are doing any other painting project with the kids. The kids can dip their brush into the sunscreen and paint a sun, clouds, or anything else. After their paintings are complete, have them put their painting into the sun outside. Make sure to have something heavy on the corners to hold it down. Leave the pictures out in the sun for a few hours, direct sunlight will produce the best results. After time has passed, have the children go check on their paintings. The places where they put the sunscreen on the paper, will be the same color as it was before. The parts that were unprotected by sunscreen, have faded. Remember the objects that you placed in the corners? If you pick those up, the paper underneath has been protected by the objects. Ask the children if the sunscreen protected their paper, can it protect their skin?

There are two ways that sunscreen creates a barrier to block the UV rays from the sun. A physical barrier and a chemical barrier. Most sunscreens contain both barriers. This will be an important and fun lesson for the kids in your classroom on learning how sunscreen works and how it protects our skin.

Excerpts found at Team Cartwright