And they can help with all kinds of activities. Here’s one fun project called Funny Fish:

• Get out permanent markers and a Styrofoam tray, such as the kind used with takeout food.
• Have your child draw and color several fish with the markers.
• Cut out the fish and punch a hole in the bottom of each one.
• Tie a piece of thread through the hole.
• At the bottom of each thread, tie a small rock or seashell.
• Put the fish in a fishbowl lined with sand. The rocks or shells will hold them down as you slowly fill the bowl with water.
• Watch your fish float in their new home!

Here are several other quick and easy ideas you can use with your child:

• Decorate inexpensive canvas sneakers with fabric markers.
• Draw with washable markers, then spray with water.
• Draw with a white crayon on white paper. Then color with washable markers.
• Make a black-and-white copy of a photograph and let your child color it in.
• Drip rubber cement onto paper. Draw over it with markers. Then remove the cement.
• Use washable markers to make dots on paper. Then connect them with a wet paintbrush.

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