Call in the paint. And now for the fun part. Take a walk through your home and pull a few things that you use everyday into the mix. Maybe a potato masher? Chopsticks from your last take-out meal? A toothbrush on its last legs? Here are a just a few things you can use in place of a paint brush:

 Grab some napkin rings. Roll each of several napkin rings through a different colour of paint. Next, get out a piece of paper (any size will do, including today’s newspaper). Now, you guessed it, rock n' roll. Some kids make rainbows. Some kids mix and roll and mix and roll until they have that colour-of-brown-that-only-kids-can-make.

 Pull up a floor vent. The Inuit artists of Cape Dorset create one-of-a-kind prints with cut stone. Why not paint the surface of your floor vent and use it to create a modern day stone cut print? The same vent can be used again and again with different colours of paint. Or you can try a blend of colours on one vent.

 Scoop that muffin tin. You could use each muffin hole for a different colour of paint (leaving a few open for creative mixing). Or, you could paint each of the bottoms a different colour, press on a sheet of paper and use the finished product for a game of twister for dolls? Transformers? Or, the multitude of circles could become planets in an all-new solar system. Add a name to each (great printing practice) and they become place markers for tonight's dinner.

 Roll out the marbles (or golf balls). Put out a few different colours of paint (the muffin tin comes handy here!) and roll each marble/golf ball in a different colour. Put a piece of paper at the bottom of a tupperware or rubbermaid bin (for very enthusiastic kids put that lid on). Now chuck those marbles in and roll them around. If you roll for a while you end up with a rainbow of colours.

 Fork over an old map. You know, the one from a trip you took before having kids that you hang onto as a reminder of that last bastion of freedom. Fork it over or walk the plank. It has been absconded by pirates. With an X, some skulls & crossbones and dotted lines it will take on a new life. Encourage your artist to come up with some names like Skeleton Island, Skull Beach and Crocodile Crossing. Tear off the edges to make it even more realistic and roll it up and tie it with a ribbon when you are done.

 Just when you thought you'd never hear the words, “Honey, where did you put the floor vent?!”...

• a broom (perfect for the Potters out there) - add some twigs & twine to one end
• a bowl of Spaghetti - with some tomato sauce?
• a dinosaur tail
• a pirate’s peg leg
• a worm... or a whole can of them!
• legs for a spider or ladybug
• a balance beam for a tight rope walker
• a breathing tube for an astronaut (bring up that ski helmet & put a box on his or her back to attached 'airpipe' to)
• a fire fighter hose - the only other thing you need is a hat to complete the costume!
• a unicorn horn
• a light sabre for Hans Solo (ah, but soft)
• tail spikes for a dragon or dinosaur
• cut up into sea urchin spikes
• cut up into logs for a lumberjack (and not too heavy!)
• a snake
• an extra arm for any costume ... very ghoulish!
• padding for your football or hockey player
• Whimpy Kid hair
• octapus arms
• a bouquet (with flowers made from colourful gift tissue topping the noodles)
• a bunch of asparagus (circling your body with a ribbon tied to keep it all together)