Paintbrush Parade: Craft Table March
Published on August 15, 2025
The craft table needed a parade, and the paintbrushes volunteered as floats. Line clean, dry brushes in a row and put your elf out front like a tiny grand marshal. It is colorful, fast, and does not require actual paint unless you want one extra splash of personality on paper. If you already have a posable holiday elf, skip to the recipe. If you don't, start with the setup kit.
Use clean, dry brushes with lids on the paint, keep water cups empty, and keep small brush caps out of toddler reach.
You Will Need This:
- • Your holiday elf
- • Four to six clean paintbrushes
- • A sheet of paper as the parade route
- • A cup or jar as the reviewing stand
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Step 1: Lay the parade route
Tape a sheet of paper to the craft table so brushes have a road. Line four to six clean brushes in a row, handles pointing the same way. Cap every paint bottle and empty the rinse cup.
Step 2: Mix the “floats”
Alternate fat and skinny brushes so the line looks like different parade groups. Stand one brush in a jar at the end as the reviewing stand. A watercolor set nearby can be the “bleachers” if it is closed.
Step 3: Lead with the elf
Stand your elf at the front of the line with one hand on the first brush handle. You can also sit them on the jar lid like they are waving at the crowd. Face the kitchen or hallway so the parade is the first thing kids see.
Step 4: Leave a wet-paint warning
Write “Parade only. Paint stays closed.” on a sticky note and stick it to the table. In the morning, let kids rearrange the brush order, then put everything back in the caddy. If you add a paint swipe for color, use a scrap paper, not the table.
Pro Tips:
- • Kids’ chunky brushes stand up better than tiny detail brushes.
- • A strip of washi tape down the paper makes a convincing street.
- • Skip open watercolors; they stain felt and tables.
- • Photograph from table height so the line of brushes reads as a crowd.
