Calico Critters Painting Fruit at a Craft Table

Four Calico Critters style animal friends sit and stand around a big craft table in a room with bookshelves behind them. Two rabbits are on the left, one seated and painting on a tilted board that hangs from a strap, the other standing and holding up a large flat board. A chipmunk or squirrel with a bushy tail holds a small mallet near the shelves, and a floppy-eared puppy paints on a board at the right. In the middle of the table sit a bowl with an apple, grapes and bananas, paint tubes, two paint palettes, and cups full of brushes and pencils. Tools like pliers, a ruler, nails and a hammer lie on the far side. Try coloring the fruit in true-to-life reds, purples and yellows, then set out a real apple and grapes so kids can match the colors. It also works well for a free printable art-class activity.