Splatter Painting Paper Gourds with Young Preschoolers

I recently purchased an assortment of fall gourds from the market.  Sassyfras and Juiciness took quite an interest in them.  They were unsure of what to make out of them and spent considerable time exploring them, even trying to taste them. 

Using One Crafty Mumma's recipe for puffy paint, recipe found here, I showed Juiciness and Sassyfras how to throw the paint on their gourd.  Once they finished, we puffed them by drying them in the microwave for about 20 seconds.  It was a hit!

It was an easy project to prepare and clean up and it was certainly fun and easy for them to complete independently.