Whether you have a kiddo who is a budding Picasso or just want to keep a little one busy for the afternoon with a non toxic paint, painting makes for a fantastic and sensory-rich art experience for kids of all ages! Here you will find over 30 painting ideas that are fun and easy for any kiddo to paint.
EASY THINGS TO PAINT FOR KIDS
PinWHY DO ART WITH KIDS?
Children are naturally curious. They observe, explore, and imitate, trying to figure out how things work and how to control themselves and their environments. This freedom of exploration helps children form connections in their brain, it helps them learn—and it’s also fun!
Art is a natural activity to support this essential interaction with the world. Kids need the freedom to explore and experiment creatively.
Art allows children to practice a wide range of skills that are useful not only for life but also for learning. These include the aesthetic, scientific, interpersonal, and practical interactions that can be discovered through the senses, intellect, and emotions.
Making and appreciating art involves emotional and mental faculties!
Art, whether making it, learning about it, or simply looking at it – offers a wide range of important experiences. In other words, it’s good for them!
Make sure to check out our list of over 50 do-able and fun art projects for kids!
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE 7 DAY ART CHALLENGE PACK!
MAKE HOMEMADE PAINT!
You don’t even need to go to the art store to get started! Try one of these homemade paint recipes instead for a start-to-finish hands-on painting project.
- Egg Tempera Paint
- Traditional Paint
- Edible Paint
- Puffy Paint
- Glittery Snow Paint
- Fingerpaint
- Watercolors
- Spice Paint
- Fizzy Paint
- Sidewalk Paint
- Snow Paint
PAINTING IDEAS FOR TODDLERS
From toddlers to preschoolers and elementary through middle school, painting is for everyone! Yes, 2 year olds can have fun painting too!
Painting is suitable for toddlers because it provides a sensory experience for them, develops fine motor skills, gives them practice with colors and it’s just fun! Plus we have edible (taste-safe) paint too! Here are a few ideas that are perfect for this younger age group.
BATH PAINT
What better way to contain the mess of painting with toddlers than in the bath! Get the kiddos to make their own works of art that you can easily clean up.
EDIBLE PAINT
Edible paint is fantastic for babies and toddlers who are still putting everything in their mouths. It is easy to make yourself and fun to use. It also makes a great part activity for the crafty party kid!
FINGER PAINT
Homemade finger painting is one of the best ways for young kiddos (and big ones) to explore art!
FLY SWATTER PAINTING
Use a fly swatter as a paintbrush, easier for little hands to hold.
ICE CUBE PAINTING
Make your own colorful ice paints which are easy to use outside and just as easy to clean up.
RAINBOW IN A BAG
This colorful paint in a bag idea is a fun way of doing finger painting without the mess.
Also check out our apple painting in a bag and leaf painting in a bag!
EASY PAINTING IDEAS FOR KIDS
Explore over 30 easy painting ideas below that are fun for kids to paint and totally do-able!
All of these painting ideas use different art techniques to develop kids’ understanding and enjoyment of art without them even realizing it!
Learn from famous artists, try open-ended and sometimes messy process art activities, or add a bit of science to painting for STEAM.
BAKING SODA PAINTING
We love baking soda science experiments, now make fizzing art with baking soda painting!
BLOW PAINTING
Straws instead of paintbrushes?Absolutely with blow painting.
BUBBLE PAINTING
Mix up your own bubble paint and grab a bubble wand. Talk about a budget-friendly painting idea!
BUBBLE WRAP PAINTING
Love playing with and popping bubble wrap! But have you ever thought of painting with bubble wrap? Make sure to set aside your next bubble wrap packaging to create simple colorful art!
Also check out apple painting and pumpkin painting with bubble wrap.
BUTTERFLY PAINTING
Make apolka dot butterfly painting inspired byfamous artist, Yayoi Kusama. Printable butterfly template included!
NEW! CORN PAINTING
Forget the paint brushes, and try this fun corn on the cob art project instead! Corn painting makes for awesome process art to explore the colors and textures of Fall.
CRAZY HAIR PAINTING
Kind of a messy but a very fun painting idea; the kids will have a blast trying this crazy hair painting!
DINOSAUR FOOTPRINT ART
Get STOMPING, stamping or printmaking with dinosaur painting that uses toy dinosaurs as paintbrushes.
DOT FLOWER PAINTING
Color in our printable flower template scene with nothing but painted dots. Also called pointillism!
Explore more dot painting with our Shamrock Dot Art, Apple Dot Art and Winter Dot Art.
FLOWER PAINTING
Paint these fun bright and colorful flowers with your own homemade stamps, inspired byfamous artist, Alma Thomas.
LEAF PAINTING
Use real leaves to make a simple mixed media leaf painting using watercolor paints and white crayons as a resist. Easy to do for a cool effect!
LEGO PAINTING
LEGO bricks are fantastic for kids to use as stamps. Grab the printable project, and paint a city skyline using paint and LEGO pieces.
MAGNET PAINTING
Magnet painting is a fantastic way to explore magnetism and create a unique piece of art.
MARBLE PAINTING
Marbles make a cool paintbrush in this super simple to set up painting activity. Get ready for process art that’s a bit active, a bit silly, and a little messy.
OCEAN PAINTING
Ocean theme salt art! Combine a popular kitchen ingredient and a bit of physics for cool art and science that everyone is sure to love!
PAINTING SNOW
Can you paint snow? You betcha! Just a few simple supplies to make your own homemade paint and your have a fun winter painting idea for the kids.
PINECONE PAINTING
Grab a handful of pinecones for a fantastic pinecone painting activity.
PUMPKIN DOT PAINTING
Turn a real pumpkin into a piece of art with painted dots inspired by famous artist, Yayoi Kusama.
RAIN PAINTING
Take your art project outdoors the next time it rains! Its calledrain painting!
SALT PAINTING
Even if your kiddos aren’t the crafty type, every kid loves to paint with salt and watercolor or food coloring. Combine science and art with this easy absorption process.
Also check out our leaf salt painting and snowflake salt painting!
SHAPE STAMPING
Painting or stamping with shapesis a fun art activity to do with young kids! Use everyday items to learn, for an easy way to teach kids basic shapes.
SIDEWALK PAINTING
This is an awesome way to get outdoors, and paint pictures. What could be better than that? Plus, you can make thishomemade paint recipeyourself!
Also try our fizzy sidewalk painting and puffy sidewalking painting!
SNOW PAINT
Want to know how to paint some cool looking shivery snow? Treat the kids to an indoor painting session with this super easy to make snow paint recipe!
SNOWFLAKE PAINTING
Our tape resistsnowflake paintingis easy to set up and fun to do with kids.
SNOWY NIGHT PAINTING
Set up an invitation to make a winterysnowy night painting. ThisVan Goghinspired activity is perfect for exploring mixed media art with kids.
STARRY NIGHT
Try something a little different with a Starry Night art project!
SPLATTER PAINTING
Kind of messy but a totally fun painting activity, the kids will have a blast trying paint splatter!
SPICE PAINTING
Have a go at sensory painting with this easy natural scented spice painting activity.
STRING PAINTING
String painting or pulled string art is easy to do with a few simple supplies, string and paint.
TURTLE DOT PAINTING
Dot painting is a great way to develop your child’s fine motor skills. Plus, it’s fun!
PinWATER DROP PAINTING
An easy painting idea with a difference. Combine the science of surface tension and art to paint with water drops,
WATERCOLOR GALAXY
Create your own galaxy painting inspired by the beauty of our amazing Milky Way galaxy.
WATER GUN PAINTING
Try water gun painting for an awesome water art project with easy materials.
Click on the image below or on the link for more easy art projects for kids.
