Water Blaster Splatter Painting, By Simple Everyday Mom – This is a great painting idea for kids! My little ones absolutely love using their water blasters during summer water play. I can’t imagine how much fun they’d having using these to paint. You might want to lay down some ground rules beforehand about what is considered “a canvas” for their art. I’m thinking, not the cat…
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Jan 23, 2023
Introducing Creative Canvas Painting Ideas for Kids
Welcome to Lottie Dolls and our amazing range of fun and creative activities for kids. Today we’re introducing you to the wonderful world of canvas painting! This is a great activity to help kids unleash their creativity, learn about color and texture, and explore their imaginations.
Canvas painting is an easy way to get kids involved, and it can be a fun activity for parents and kids alike. Whether you’re looking for an easy afternoon craft or a way to keep your kids busy for a few hours, canvas painting is a great option.
If you’re looking for some canvas painting ideas for kids, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled some of our favorite ideas to help get you and your kids started. From simple designs to more complex ones, there’s something here for everyone.
1. Paint a Landscape – Encourage your kids to paint a landscape of their imagination. It can be a beach, a mountain, a forest, or anything in-between.
2. Paint a Portrait – Get your kids to paint a portrait of themselves, a family member, or an animal.
3. Paint Flowers – Have your kids paint a bouquet of flowers. This is a great way to teach them about colors, shapes, and patterns.
4. Paint a Rainbow – Help your kids create a beautiful rainbow on the canvas. They can use a variety of colors and brush strokes to create a unique and beautiful work of art.
5. Paint a City Skyline – Have your kids create a city skyline on the canvas. This is a great way to introduce them to the concept of perspective.
6. Paint a Self-Portrait – Have your kids paint a self-portrait on the canvas. This is a great way to help them explore their self-image and express themselves.
7. Paint a Nature Scene – Help your kids paint a nature scene on the canvas. This could be anything from a waterfall to a forest to a desert.
8. Paint a Starry Night – Have your kids paint a starry night sky on the canvas. This is a great way to teach them about the night sky and the constellations.
9. Paint an Animal – Have your kids paint an animal they adore on the canvas. This is a great way to teach them about the animal’s characteristics and features.
10. Paint a Patterns – Have your kids create a variety of patterns on the canvas. This is a great way to teach them about shapes, colors, and patterns.
We hope these canvas painting ideas for kids have helped inspire you and your family. With these fun and creative activities, your kids can express themselves and explore their imaginations. So grab your supplies, and get ready to get creative!
Painting Ideas for Toddlers Using Different Tools
Before looking for a paint brush, here are six tools (including their hands and feet) toddlers can use instead!
1. Hand/ Footprint Painting Ideas For Toddlers
Handprint Flamingo
These handprint painting crafts from Crafts for Kids provide ideas on what animals your toddler can make with their handprints, like this cute pink flamingo.
Footprint Penguin
Here’s a really simple and cute footprint penguin painting from Mr Otter Art Studio.
Footprint Insects
Peppy Prisha shows us various other options for footprint animal art, such as ladybugs and bees.
Materials:
- Hands/feet
- Colored craft paint
- Brush (optional)
- Paper or canvas
How to Make:
Just paint your toddler’s hand or foot, press it down on a piece of paper or a canvas, and let them add details with a brush or their fingers.
2. Q-tip Painting For Toddlers
Q-tip Painting Activity
Buggy and Buddy uses Q-tips and watercolor for an easy painting activity for toddlers.
Q-tip Rainbow Painting
Here’s a rainbow painting made using Q-tips from Make and Takes.
Materials:
- Q-tips
- Colored craft paint
- Paper or canvas
How to Make:
Instead of a paint brush, toddlers can also use Q-tips as a substitute! Since Q-tips usually come in large packs, you can use one Q-tip for each color.
You can also tape them together to have your toddler make a beautiful rainbow as seen by Make and Takes tutorial above!
Be sure to supervise your toddler when they paint using Q-tips as they might insert them in their nose, ears, or mouth.
3. Bubble Wrap Painting Ideas for Toddlers
Bubble Wrap Painting Activity
Jumpin Honey shows various ways to keep your kids busy with bubble wrap, rubber bands, and empty toilet paper rolls.
Bubble Wrap Shape Stamps
Learning 4 Kids has an educational activity that involves cutting the bubble wrap into shapes so toddlers can learn about them while painting!
Bubble Wrap Sea Turtle Painting
Carolyn Warvel shows us how to utilize the pattern from the bubble wrap to make scales for a sea turtle painting.
Materials:
- Bubble wrap
- Colored craft paint
- Scissors (to cut shapes)
- Paper or canvas
How to Make:
Using bubble wrap for painting is pretty interesting as it leaves a distinct pattern and can be used for various painting ideas, so be sure to save that bubble wrap from packages!
Just cut the bubble wrap, dip it in paint, and stamp away.
4. Sponge Painting Ideas for Toddlers
Sponge-Paint Caterpillar Painting
Neil and Noel’s Fun Zone uses a sponge to make a cute caterpillar painting.
Sponge-Paint Shape Stamps
First Palette cuts the sponges into different shapes to create fun and interesting paintings.
Materials:
- Sponge/s (depending if you want various shapes)
- Scissors
- Colored craft paint
- Paper or canvas
How to make:
Another tool your toddler can use to paint is a sponge. Just dip the sponge in paint and press it onto the paper or canvas. This can also double as a way to teach toddlers about shapes while painting!
5. Toilet Paper Roll Painting Ideas for Toddlers
Toilet Paper Roll Fireworks Painting
Mummy Maker shows us how toddlers can make an easy fireworks painting using an empty toilet paper roll.
Toilet Paper Roll Dandelion Painting
Toilet Paper Roll Hedgehog Painting
Aside from fireworks, toddlers can also make dandelion and hedgehog paintings with empty toilet paper rolls.
Materials:
- Empty toilet paper roll
- Colored craft paint
- Scissors
- Paper or canvas
How to Make:
Take your empty toilet paper roll and cut slits around one end. You can cut as long or as wide as you want as shown by My Kid Craft.
Afterwards, just dip the end with the slits in paint and stamp it on paper!
6. Fork Painting Ideas for Toddlers
Fork Flowers Painting
Here’s a simple and easy-to-do fork flower painting from Super Simple.
Fork Sun Rays Painting
Toddlers can also paint the rays of the sun using a fork as shown by Active Littles.
Materials:
- Fork (plastic or metal)
- Colored craft paint
- Paper or canvas
How to Make:
Forks produce a unique shape when used for painting.
Dipping forks in paint and stamping them onto a piece of paper can help toddlers easily create images that would be difficult for them, like flowers and sun rays.
Painting Ideas for Toddlers Using Different Styles
These four painting ideas show toddlers how to paint using different methods and styles!
7. Drip Painting Ideas for Toddlers
Drip Painting Flower Stems
Easy Peasy and Fun shows how to create stems with paint drips while using glue and cupcake liners to create petals.
Drip Painting Rain Clouds
Another toddler painting idea is this rain cloud painting from A Little Pinch of Perfect that uses glue and cotton balls to make the clouds.
Materials:
- Eyedroppers
- Watercolor
- Tray or something to catch the paint with as it drips
- Paper or canvas
- Water
How to Make:
Mix water with the watercolor of your choice. After that, fill an eyedropper with the color and have it drip onto the paper/canvas. Tilt the paper/canvas slightly and let gravity do the work!
Make sure you have a tray below the paper/canvas to avoid dripping paint everywhere!
8. Symmetry Painting Ideas for Toddlers
Symmetry Heart Painting
The Artful Parent demonstrates how to cut out a heart shape from a piece of paper to use for this symmetry painting.
String Symmetry Painting
Preschool Powol Packets uses string to produce this neat pattern for symmetry painting.
Materials:
- Paper
- Colored craft paint
- Paint brush (optional)
- Yarn or string
How to Make:
To create a symmetry painting, paint one side of a piece of paper, fold it over the other side, and press both sides together. Unfolding it reveals a symmetrical pattern!
Another method to make beautiful symmetry art is with the use of string as shown by Preschool Powol Packets.
They dip each piece of string in paint, place them on one side of the paper, fold the other side over, and press the sides together while gently removing each string.
9. Splatter Painting Ideas for Toddlers
Autumn -Themed Splatter Painting
Yuziana uses a toothbrush and some leaves to create this autumn inspired splatter art.
Mickey Mouse Splatter Painting
Neil and Noel’s Fun Zone uses a cutout silhouette of Mickey Mouse to create a fun pattern within the splatter.
Materials:
- Paint brush
- Colored craft paint
- Paper or canvas
How to Make:
Take a brush, dip it in some paint, use your fingers to pull back the bristles of the brush, then release and splat!
As shown in the two examples above, toddlers can paint in the space left by the cutout or it can be left as a white or negative space.
Speaking of negative space…
10. Other Negative Space Painting Ideas for Toddlers
Negative space (or “white space”) is the blank space within the main design element. In this case, that element is paint.
Handprint Negative Space Painting
Fun A Day shows toddlers how to use their hand to trace a cutout.
Negative Space Name Painting
Here’s a negative space name painting by Maia Lorick.
Materials:
- Paper (at least two pieces) or canvas
- Colored craft paint
- Scissors
- Marker
- Paint brush (or any other painting tool you want to use)
- Poster putty
- Painter’s tape
How to Make:
First, trace the desired shape on a piece of paper with a marker and cut that piece out. Stick the cutout on another piece of paper with poster putty and paint over it. Finally, remove the traced object.
Another toddler painting idea is to use painter’s tape to spell out your toddler’s name on a canvas and let them paint over it.
Bonus Painting Ideas for Toddlers
Here are two more fun toddler painting ideas that go beyond the traditional paper canvas.
11. Mess-Free Finger Painting Ideas for Toddlers
Mess-Free Ziploc Bag Painting
Here’s a mess free painting idea from Days of May using Ziploc bags.
Mess Free Plastic Wrap Painting
OiOiOi With Jessi, on the other hand, uses plastic wrap to allow younger children and babies to finger paint.
Materials:
- Plastic wrap or a Ziploc bag
- Colored craft paint
- Paper (the sturdier the better) or canvas
How to Make:
This mess free finger painting method for toddlers from Days of May shows us how to add paint on a piece of paper, put that paper inside a Ziploc bag, and tape it to the floor or a table to ensure a mess free painting activity for your toddler or baby.
You can also use plastic wrap to wrap over a canvas to avoid a mess while your toddler paints (as shown by OiOiOi With Jessi).
These are mess free ways to teach your toddlers about color mixing or simply leave them to have at it without leaving a mess!
12. Painting Objects
Pinecone Painting
One object toddlers can have a lot of fun painting is a pinecone as shown by Fireflies + Mudpies.
Pot Painting
If you have pots at home, Dilly-Dali Art shows us how toddlers can paint mesmerizing patterns on them.
Materials:
- The object you want painted
- Colored craft paint
- Paint brush (optional)
How to Make:
Don’t just settle with letting your toddlers paint on pieces of paper or on a canvas! Pinecones and pots are just some of the other objects they can have a lot of fun painting.
They can paint with a brush or use the various other tools and styles found on this list.
Painting with the Help of Gravity
Crayon Drip Rain Cloud, By Sugar, Spice and Glitter – Wh en painting ideas for kids lo ok like something I could find in a gallery, I need to find out how it’s made! The drip effect found here is created by melting crayons with a blow dryer. I just love how the different materials combine to create this seriously mean rain cloud!
Drip Painting Flowers, By Easy Peasy and Fun – We have featured drip art on the blog before, but I love how this painting and the one above are unique. They “saw something in the drips” and helped us see it too by using additional materials. Toddlers up to older children will certainly have fun with this one.
Balloon Dart Painting, By A Crafty Living – This process art is simple to set-up, but does get a little messy. You will the balloons with air (not paint) and then dip the balloons in the paint. Older kids can throw darts in an attempt to pop the balloons.
Paint with Car Races, By Learn, Play, Read – “Mommy, did you say messy art and big trucks?” “Yes I did my child, yes I did.” I love how this messy art with trucks has kiddos roll the trucks downhill, leaving a little bit to chance.
Painting Ideas for Kids using Motion
Catapult Painting, By Create, Laugh and Learn – Catapulting paint? I strongly encourage all brave mamas out there to try this STEAM painting activity steeped in learning. I might try it too, but you’ll find me in a radioactive suit with a large tarp covering at least a 6 foot radius from the catapult. I’m only half kidding…
Paper Plate Twisting, By Buggy and Buddy – This painting activity for preschoolers is so easy you’ll have your feet up sipping coffee in no time. Not only is it easy, it’s quick too. Your child can experiment with color again and again, and see how no two designs will look alike.
DIY Spin Art, By Babble Dabble Do – If you have a marble, a marker cap and a CD of dreadful music, you are ready to create your DIY spinner. Place paper in a container or a box, start your spinner and begin pouring the paint over the CD. Watch centrifugal force at it’s finest, making art as it goes.
Painting in a Salad Spinner, By Meri Cherry – I guess my mind is spinning with painting ideas for kids (Ha! The pun!), I just had to include one more spinning art activity! Meri Ch erry cuts a thematic shape out of cardstock, places it in the spinner, adds paint, and spins!
Art and Science Collide
Bubble Blower Art, By Childhood 101 – Blowing bubbles can be such a magical experience for kids. Now imagine when those bubbles are filled with paint! This fun and easy craft is great for all artists, but younger children may struggle to consistently aim their blower at the paper. In that case, you may simply have to take this art outdoors.
Soap Pump Painting with Bubbles, By A Little Pinch of Perfect – This messy art results is some beautiful textures both to see and touch! Fill a foam soap dispenser with water, clear glue and food colouring to achieve these effects.
Fizzing Heart Art, By The Pinterested Parent – Add paint to the vinegar in your classic baking soda and vinegar experiment and get gorgeous abstract art. Your little ones will be dying to know how it all works and will want to continue experimenting with different colors and techniques.
Melting Snow Process Art, By Mom Explores the Smokies – Bring the fun of snow indoors and add an artistic twist! You might even end up discussing melting, solids and liquids, color blending and more!
More Painting Ideas for Kids
Watercolor Yarn Process Art, By Arty Crafty Kids – Create a beautifully textured, abstract work with yarn and paint. The yarn stays in place because it gets soaked in glue. Once the glue is dry, paint as you please! This art will pop wherever it is displayed!
Rainbow in a Bag, By Powerful Mothering – If your baby or toddler loves sensory bags, they will love this one! Follow the recipe to make a paste for each color of the rainbow and add it to the bag in a row. The paste won’t mix like paint so it’ll maintain it’s rainbow quality for longer. What a fun item to pull out when waiting in line or prepping dinner.
Multi-stage Process Art, By Happiness is Here – Paint is only one step of this multi-stage process art, but I absolutely had to include it. This mama laid out a canvas and on each day she brought out a new material to add to the art work. Each of the kids contributed to the same canvas, creating a unified masterpiece. You just have to see it!
Spice Painting, By The Pinterested Parent – Ok, so I might be cheating a little bit. This is a post on painting ideas for kids and this art doesn’t really require paint. I think you won’t mind once you see how amazing this art is! Kids can brush their page with glue so the spices can stay where they land. Then little ones can sprinkle, smush and smudge to their little hearts content.
How to Paint with Kids by Days with Grey. And if you are looking for a little more assistance or guidance with exactly how to paint with your kids, be sure to check out this post!
Phew! Now this is one heck of a post on painting ideas for kids! I must say, if you need an idea for using up that paint you most certainly will find it on this list.
Painting is definitely a go-to craft for little kids. But it can be so much more than just a cup of paint and a brush (though it certainly can be that too!). Adding a few different elements and ideas are great ways to spice things up and keep your crafting exciting (for your kids and for you too.)
Happy painting friends!
xo
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