She drags the marker across the paper, leaving barely a streak of color.
She tries again, pressing a little harder this time.
Nothing.
I catch the marker before it makes it to the trash.
Soon, that same dried-out marker sits tip-down in a little jar of water. A thin ribbon of blue slips from the tip and curls through the clear water.
She leans closer.
If your kids love making the paint almost as much as using it, there are plenty more colorful ways to create in our Paint Recipes for Kids collection.
And for more things to mix, make, squish, and explore, visit our Play Recipes for Kids collection.
Don't Toss Those Markers Yet
Those markers that barely leave a mark are exactly the ones we want.
You'll need:
- Dried-out washable markers
- Water
- Small jars or containers
- Tape or rubber bands
You don't need many. A few markers in each color will make a small batch. Start with washable markers, especially if little hands are doing the painting.
Turn Old Markers Into Paint
1. Sort the Colors
Gather the dried-out markers and let the kids sort them into little piles by color.
Bundle two or three matching markers together and secure them with tape or a rubber band.
Red with red. Blue with blue. Green with green.
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2. Give Them Some Water
Pour a small amount of water into each jar, then stand the marker bundles tip-down in the water.
Now watch what happens.
At first, the water barely changes. Then color begins slipping from the marker tips and spreading through it.
Blue curls through one jar. Pink clouds another.
“Look at it!”
Leave the markers in the water for 2–4 hours, giving all that leftover color time to find its way out.
3. Pull Out the Markers
Lift the markers from the jars and take a look at what they left behind.
What started as clear water is now lined up across the table in little jars of red, blue, green, purple, and pink.
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A brush dips into the blue.
Maybe that marker had one more picture left in it after all.
Now Give Them a Brush
Blue sweeps across the paper, leaving a watery streak behind. She goes back for more, pulling blue into purple and pink into red as the colors run together beneath her brush.
Soon she's dipping from one little jar to another, covering the paper with color that almost ended up in the trash.
Those dried-out markers?
They're still coloring after all.
Watercolor Paint FAQ
Do the markers have to be dried out?
No. Fresh markers will release plenty of color into the water too, but dried-out markers are what make this one especially fun.
Before tossing a marker that barely colors anymore, give it one more job.
Do I need to use washable markers?
Start with washable markers.
Different markers can behave differently, so protect clothing and surfaces you don't want colored while the kids paint.
How many markers do I need for each color?
Two or three dried-out markers are usually enough for a small jar of paint.
Have a bigger pile? Add more. The more markers you use, the richer the color can become.
How long should the markers stay in the water?
Give them about 2–4 hours.
There's no need to watch the clock too closely. Peek at the jars along the way and pull the markers out when you're happy with the color.
Can I make the colors darker?
Yes. Start with less water or add a few more markers of the same color.
Can we save the leftover paint?
Yes. Cover the jars or pour the watercolors into small containers with lids and save them for another painting day.
What Else Can Become Paint?
Snow PaintTake the colors outside and turn a yard full of snow into one enormous canvas.
Chalk Paint
Turn sidewalk chalk into something kids can brush, swirl, and paint with.
Water Paint
Hand kids a brush and a cup of water and suddenly the sidewalk, fence, and porch are covered in disappearing paintings.
And when they're ready to see what else can be mixed up at home, there are even more colorful ways to make and create in our Paint Recipes for Kids collection.
Before You Toss That Marker
The paintings begin to dry while a few little jars of color are still sitting on the table.
Later, another marker barely leaves a streak across the paper. This time, it doesn't make it anywhere near the trash.
It lands beside the others, waiting for a little water and another turn with the paintbrushes.
Maybe there's one more picture hiding in there, too.
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