Super Fun Bob Ross Painting with Kids & Quick Tips for a Stronger, Happier Family [Friday’s Fast Five: 6th Edition]

Building a stronger, happier family is at the top of most parents’ list. However, we are busy! These weekly Fast Five ideas and tips are a quick way to brainstorm, check-in, and create the family relationships you really want. Bob Ross painting with kids, a lesson about forgiveness, a throw-back to a 90’s hit, and more are included in today’s ideas. Happy Friday!

* These ideas are NOT meant to be a checklist or guilt trip of things we “should do.” Rather, they are intended to inspire you to find what works for YOUR family to learn, laugh, and love together. Remember to stick to the Simple Side of Parenting.

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What is Friday’s Fast Five?

Each Friday, we share five quick and simple ideas for families under the following categories:

1. Something Fun

This is an activity, game, entertainment recommendation, or simple outing for family fun.

2. A Little Lesson

Here you will find a simple lesson to help teach kids important ideas. Examples include life skills or personal qualities like kindness and patience.

3. A Service Idea

Volunteering is good for our mental and physical health. Serving together strengthens relationships with those we serve and those we serve with. Service can be fun and eye-opening. Service is an important way to learn, laugh, and love together.

4. Something Random

This is a random thought, idea, quote, or meme, typically to help you smile. 🙂

5. A Quick Tip

Here you will find a quick parenting or family tip for peaceful parenting or building a stronger, happier family. These come from research, personal experience, or those common sense reminders we all need to hear once in a while.

With that, here is the sixth edition of Friday’s Fast Five. (You can find other editions HERE.)

1. Something Fun: Bob Ross Painting with Kids

I don’t know how it started, but one day, Bob Ross became a hit at our house. His voice is soothing, and it’s amazing to watch his paintings unfold. Since we began watching the videos, the kids would ask if we could paint along with him sometime. This was a super fun idea.

We set up the table on the back porch where painters could see the TV. We gathered the supplies, and chose a painting to try.

Here are a few Bob Ross instructional painting videos you could choose from:

• Mountain Retreat
• Country Life
• Mountain Waterfall
• Autumn Splendor
• Bob Ross YouTube Playlist

We started a video, and then we just followed his lead! The kids really enjoyed trying something new and creating together. The paintings all looked different in the end, and I was impressed with how cool they turned out.

Materials to Do a Bob Ross Painting with Kids

There is a wide range of supplies you could use when doing a Bob Ross painting with kids from inexpensive to professional. We used very basic materials, which is a great place to start.

Here is what you will need.

• Acrylic or Washable Tempera Paint
• Paint Brushes (It’s really helpful to have a variety of brushes.)
• Pad of Giant Paper or 11 X 14 Inch Stretched Canvas
• Paper plates for color mixing
• Newspaper, disposable table cloth, or messy art table
• Paint smock, inside out t-shirt, or old clothes

Click image for purchasing information.

A Few Tips for Doing a Bob Ross Painting with Kids

From the beginning, set the expectation that this is for fun. While our paintings might not turn out to look just like Bob Ross’s, this is art. There is no right or wrong.

Keep the TV remote or device close because you’ll want to pause the video while you finish each step.

And for painting in general, I have loved having these No-Spill Paint Cups. We have pulled the paint out so much more since we got these cups. They are great for limiting spills and saving extra paint. We waste much less, so our paint goes much further. You could also use a Paint Cup Cady for easier storage.

Click image for purchasing information.

2. A Little Lesson: Role-play Forgiveness Situations

When it comes to forgiveness, one of the most inspiring stories I ever learned about was the Amish of Nickle Mines. After several of their children were killed, the Amish were able to forgive the shooter and reach out in compassion to his family. They said one of the reasons they were able to do that was before this ever happened they had already decided they would forgive others.

We can help our kids make the same choice.

Write down several scenarios that would require forgiveness from everyday family life or inspiring examples. For instance, a sibling takes a toy without asking and accidentally breaks it, or a friend says something unkind.

Talk about what forgiveness is and how we forgive. Role-play the different scenarios. Lastly have a discussion about why we forgive.

Related: 6 Steps to a More Forgiving Child

Wondering how to fit Little Lessons into your busy family schedule?

The two main ways to fit important lessons into your busy family schedule are to find spontaneous teaching moments throughout the day and to schedule family learning time each week. These two posts go into detail about these two ways and tips for making it happen with your family.

How Busy Parents Can Teach Important Life Lessons

6 Tips for Family Time that Teaches Life’s Most Important Lessons

3. A Service Idea: Serve Someone at School

Encourage your kids to serve someone at school this week.

Brainstorm ways kids could serve at school. Ideas might be eating lunch with a new person, including someone at recess, thanking a teacher, or typing a kind comment on the Zoom chat. After kids do their kind deed, share with the family.

Service is a great way to build a stronger, happier family. If you want more service ideas, request Raising Compassionate Children in a Conceited World, which includes 101 Service Ideas for Families.

4. Something Random: Vanilla Ice Meme

Definitely time.

5. A Quick Tip: Guilt

Guilt is a very real emotion for us and our kids. It’s not always a bad emotion though. Guilt can help us make important changes in our lives, especially when we focus it on how we want to be different in the future.

In a podcast episode that aired this week, our conversation centered around pornography. In part, we talked about overcoming guilt and helping our kids do the same. So many of the principles are helpful for various parenting situations. Listen in while you get some work done this weekend!

The Motherhood Tribe Podcast Episode 35: Facing Pornography

And that is Friday’s Fast Five!

You can also see Friday’s Fast Five on Instagram or other editions HERE.

Building a Stronger, Happier Family

It takes time and intention to build a stronger, happier family. I hope Friday’s Fast Five helps you find the ways that work for YOUR family to learn, laugh, and love together.

We will never regret the time we devote to our families and relationships with our kids.

Have a great weekend with your family, know that you’re loved, and keep on lovin’!

Do you have a great idea for a future Friday’s Fast Five? Have a question or parenting struggle you want help with? Share in the comments, shoot me an Email, or schedule a call.

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