Great big list of things to paint on

If you're looking for a way to spark your students' interest in painting, consider giving them something a little unusual to paint on.  This is a great way to learn about new materials; children can explore absorption, experiment with using different amounts of water, and see how different brushes work on different backgrounds.  Painting on a specific kind of material can also encourage children to explore the texture and detail of the material because the paint will intensify these details.

Here is a great big list of things that you can paint on:

1. Aluminum foil
2. Waxed paper
3. Saran wrap
4. Press and Seal wrap
5. Bubble wrap
6. Canvas
7. Velvet
8. Leather
9. Flannel
10. Denim
11. Terrycloth
12. Burlap
13. Paper towels
14. Coffee filters
15. Tissue paper
16. Kleenex
17. Gift wrap
18. Ribbon
19. Plastic grocery bags
20. Paper grocery bags
21. Tree bark
22. Leaves
23. Twigs or branches
24. Natural woven place mats
25. Glass or ceramic plates
26. Paper plates
27. Sandpaper
28. Wood scraps
29. Tree stumps
30. Pine cones
31. Seed pods
32. Ornamental grasses
33. Rocks
34. Landscaping pavers
35. Bricks
36. The sidewalk
37. Pillow cases
38. Old sheets
39. Flower pots
40. Mirrors
41. Old windows
42. Window screens
43. Book pages
44. Newspaper
45. Magazine pages
46. Advertisements
47. Old CDs
48. Cork board
49. Styrofoam
50. Dried pasta

What are some others things that you've painted on? Tell me about them in the comments and then follow my Preschool Art pin board for more great ideas!