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Art Activities for Kids

 

 

With smaller kids, there’s a fine line between art activities and crafts, since the results can be quite unpredictable, and the process is more important than the outcome.

Having said that, we’ve ended up with lots of awesome works of art from these activities that were worth saving! Others are simply all about the process, like our bathtub painting series.

These Art Activities for Kids focus on ideas for “simple” painting and drawing with and on all kinds of materials.

I’m always on the lookout for new ideas, and inspiration can strike in the most unlikely places.

 

40+ Art Activities for Kids of All Ages on Simple Fun for Kids!

 

Click on the images to read about the art activities we’ve done, or read some general tips below the fold.

 

Super simple art project with no paintbrushes: Easter Egg Process Art - perfect for kids of all ages, toddlers and preschoolers on up!
This was AWESOME! We'd wanted to try painting on shaving cream on a window for years, and when we finally did it, it was super fun! Art and sensory all rolled into one, and really easy to clean up, too!
Super fun Halloween Cookie Cutter Art for toddlers, using simple and colorful homemade, taste-safe paint!
My toddler's first art project with super simple, taste-safe, and vibrant homemade flour paint!

Art Projects for Kids: Painting Leaves - simple and oh so beautiful!
Sensory Art with Rainbow Shaving Cream Paint on the Mirror!
Rainbow Shaving Cream on the Mirror - art, sensory play, and tons of fun!
Super simple process art for kids: Painting the water table!

Quick and Simple Art Activities for Kids: Painting Butterflies on the Wall!
Art Activities for Kids: Change things up with painting on the wall!
Simple Art and Fine Motor Practice for Kids: Rainbow Art with Cotton Balls
Easter Crafts for Kids: Classic coffee filter eggs that are easy to make and look great in your window!

Coffee Filter Hearts: A classic toddler and preschool craft that looks great hanging in a window!
Art for Kids: Homemade vibrant chalk paint that can be applied smoothly with a paintbrush! Requires only two ingredients!
Art for Kids: Painting a puddle with powder tempera and glitter!
Art for Kids: Simple coffee filter art with eye droppers and paintbrushes

Valentine's Art for Kids: Super simple q-tip painted hearts!
Winter Art for Kids: Make quick and simple resist art snowmen!
Baking Soda and Vinegar Process Art: Yet another way of having fizzy fun with science!
Art for Kids: Try these 7 simple homemade paint recipes!

Puffy sand paint is a fun homemade art material for kids that dries with a 3D texture when microwaved!
Art and Science for Kids: Watercolor Painting on Salt and Glue - so pretty!
Super simple art technique and colorful science for kids: Paper Towel Art
Super quick and simple fall art: Painting Pine Cones

Pumpkin decoration: Make a fluorescent pumpkin with the black light on while painting - it looks SO COOL!
Powder Tempera Sensory Art: Very messy and very fun process art for preschoolers and older kids.
How to make beautiful glitter paint with three simple ingredients!
Use shaving cream puffy paint to make simple puffy snowmen decorations!

We made quick and simple eucalyptus bath paint that helped with my daughter's cold while she painted!
Pour painting - a simple and beautiful way for little ones to decorate their own pumpkins!
Fun and simple drip painting on ice cubes!
We used kitchen tools for a simple and unusual art activity.

Painting with Pine Needles: Explore pine needles for a different painting experience and fine motor practice!
Painting the bathtub for a different art experience and as a way to contain the mess.
Using golf balls to paint – such a fun experience!
Make paint from bubble bath and paint the bathtub!

Have you ever heard of Gold and Silver Sidewalk Chalk? I hadn't - so I made some.
Dot marker art - more than just dots!
A simple cardboard box offers several painting surfaces and contains all the mess!
Toothbrush painting: A fun way to paint that kept my toddler entertained for more than 30 minutes!

Painting snow to make winter more colorful!
A really cool bubble wrap painting project for all ages that even a toddler can do completely on his own!
Large-Scale Toddler Art: Paint a big window outside!
Painting with water beads and marbles - exploring the contrast between hard and soft while creating a lovely painting!

Painting with marbles - an art idea for toddlers and up that's a bit messy but great fun, and the results are lovely!
Painting air cushions with a toddler to explore a new painting surface!
Painting snow to make winter more colorful!
A very different kind of paint that puffs up in the microwave - must-try with your toddler!

We did some food color bathtub painting - lots of room for pretty paintings, and a super-easy clean-up!
Messy painting with Shaving Cream Puffy Paint - so much fun!
Art for toddlers and a sensory experience at the same time: We painted with colored shaving cream!

Make sticky tape resist initials by painting with watercolors over sticky tape!
Make glue painted hearts with your toddler, either to keep and display, or to give to loved ones!
Vibrant colorful bathtub - just add bubble bath and powdered food coloring!

 



Some things to keep in mind when it comes to kids’ art:

  • As with other activities, keep an open mind for what your child comes up with with his art materials. There’s no right or wrong way.
  • Be ready for your child to ask you to start painting yourself. {There are times where E loves it when we work on a painting together.}
  • Other times, they might have very specific ideas, and can get upset if you try to join in the fun. If you like, just get your own piece of paper and do your own artwork.
  • There may even be times when you can do something else with your child painting or drawing happily beside you, just enjoying each other’s company.
  • Make sure to do the clean up with your child as part of the activity whenever you can! It teaches that it’s okay and normal to get messy but that we clean up after ourselves.
    Many times, it’s almost an activity in itself. I’ve included pictures of the clean up for some of the activities to let you see for yourself.

 

 

If you like the activities above, click here to subscribe to my newsletter and receive an email once a week when new posts are published, or to my RSS feed.

Also make sure to follow me on Pinterest to stay up to date with all we do, and for lots of great ideas from others!

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Welcome

Hi and welcome to Simple Fun for Kids! I'm Tina, mom of a kindergartener and a toddler, wife, German in Texas, blogger at all hours of the night. Click here to find out more about me...

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