At Lebanon Elementary School, the PTA planned a Family Paint Night where students from Pre-K through 5th grade and their families paint their own ceiling tile for the school. We wanted to do something special to get families together and enjoy a creative activity.

After checking with the school to be sure what ceiling tiles would fit properly, we purchased about 100 tiles at Home Depot. We created flyers to hand out to parents and promote the event. This can be a fundraiser or just a regular event. There were about 70 people who signed up. It was a great turnout! Teachers were invited to participate, and the principal also came to watch students paint.

Materials:

• Ceiling Tiles
• Color Splash Washable Tempera Paint Gallons
• Paintbrushes
• Paint cups or paint trays (or paper plates)
• Aprons (optional)
• Cups of water
• Table covers
• Tables (for painting stations)

Paint Night Set Up

The school provided tables to set up stations. One table was set in the front of the auditorium as the main paint station. We used gallons of tempera paint that come with a pump, so there was enough for everyone to participate and convenient to pump their own paint. S&S Worldwide carries 4 packs of these large paint bottles, including:

• White, Red, Yellow, Blue Paint Pack
• Turquoise, Peach, Magenta, Violet Paint Pack
• Orange, Green, Brown, Black Paint Pack

Paintbrushes and paper plates were provided, as well as cups of water so kids could rinse and use a new color. Several other tables were spread out in the auditorium for students to paint the tiles at. We did also provide some pre-made paint plates at the tables, with a few dabs of different paint colors on each.

The paint we used was washable tempera. Because these were going to be replacing the existing ceiling tiles in the school, the fire marshall had to approve the type of paint that was allowed. For Lebanon Elementary, tempera paint was approved and met all requirements to keep the school safe. Please check with local fire marshall on what type of paint is allowed at your school prior to your event, if you decide to host your own Paint the Tiles Family Night.

You can also set up a snack station for students and parents where they can find an assortment of treats and snacks, such as chips, crackers, granola bars, rice krispie treats, fruit snacks, and fruit bowls as a healthy option!

Painting The Tiles

Students were encouraged to decorate their tiles with any design they chose. Many chose to paint their name, use their handprint, and others chose a theme like outer space, smiley faces, sports, butterflies, and peace signs. We were so impressed with their creativity. This activity really spread a positive vibe throughout the school.

We also encouraged kids and parents to bring stencils, and any other materials to create their masterpieces!

We charged $10 per tile for the event, just to cover the costs of the tiles. The maintenance team at the school would take the existing tiles down and put up the decorated tiles in the hallways.

Everyone loved this activity, the feedback was just amazing. Due to the pandemic, the students have not been able to do many in person activities. Being back in the school with their families was so important to them.

Students love walking down the hallway and seeing their artwork on the ceiling. They really enjoy looking up and seeing their paintings. Parents loved that this will last for years to come, and we plan to make it an annual tradition. Year after year, students can come back and see their creativity. Even years after they graduate school, they can return to the school and admire the decorated ceiling tiles.

---

Idea submitted by Carolyn Schwartz, Graphic Designer at S&S Worldwide. Carrie is a very creative individual and a member of the PTA at Lebanon Elementary School. She even designed the flyer for the Family Paint Night!

---

Family Engagement

Want to extend learning from the classroom to home? Check out our Family Enagement Bags that can help parents get involved in their child’s education. Each bag comes with a parent engagement guide designed to help parents and provides step-by-step instruction and tips on how to get the most out of the materials. These bags are a great value and meet the criteria for allowable expenditures.

Choose from Literacy, STEM, SEL, and Math themes to help stem the decline in reading and math achievement. No assorting required. Bags arrive preassembled and can be labeled by grade or classroom for easy distribution.