Nope. This stayed really contained. No one got super dirty, nothing spilled (thank you no-spill cups), and the toddlers painted for well past the 30 minute mark. HALLELUJAH.
Giant Canvas Toddler Art
Author: Susie Published: 11/20/2016 Updated: 04/23/2020
Table of Contents:
- Looking to spice up art time? Try this simple giant canvas toddler art activity!
- Setting up this Giant Canvas toddler art activity is so easy!
- Getting the kids ready
- Setting ground rules for an activity like this
- Why is painting on a vertical surface important?
- Was there a big mess?
- Giant Canvas toddler art was a lot of fun. Will you try it at your house?
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Looking to spice up art time? Try this simple giant canvas toddler art activity!
I love painting with my toddlers. We do it all.the.time. Why? Because it’s a quick activity that can be varied up depending on our mood. We’ve splatter painted, sponge painted, and even used kitchen tools as paint brushes.
Our latest painting adventure – giant canvas – is officially at the top of our art list now. This activity was just plain awesome!
Setting up this Giant Canvas toddler art activity is so easy!
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I set this activity up on our sliding glass door. It’s a hideous door, but we won’t worry about that right now. I put up a section of Kraft paper just slightly taller than each of my toddlers. I wanted this to feel larger than life.
40 Simple And Easy Canvas Painting Ideas For Kids
Are your kids fond of painting? If you also think painting is a great way to foster and encourage a great future for your children, then the best thing to do is to keep them involved with some creative canvas artwork. Be careful! Don’t restrict them to think on particular painting subjects, give them an opportunity to think out of the box. Encourage your kids to be more creative and have fun on the canvas with a wide range of colors.
Canvas painting for kids is extremely necessary as a learning process that teaches your kids to express themselves in whatever way they want to. I still remember the painting masterpiece created by me when I was a kid….all All friend praised! Here, we present a few Simple And Easy Canvas Painting Ideas For Kids that develop their cognitive skills and help them to get on the right path of creative thinking. Here we are giving you EASY ABSTRACT ANIMAL PAINTING IDEAS to bloom the inner artist residing in you!
Simple And Easy Canvas Painting Ideas For Kids
Marble Painting!
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The Canvas painting that young kids can begin with at an early age is marble painting. This is a mess-free painting technique that creates a stunning masterpiece without any mess of paint. Your kids will enjoy customizing the colors and creating a work of art that will match their bedroom.
Loop Watercolor Painting!
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Painting patterns can look even more interesting with this Simple And Easy Canvas Painting Ideas For Kids. Try making a pattern of smears with loops on canvas such as – geometrical, linear or concentric. For kids, this is an interesting way to make their canvas look a bit different. Also, here we have some Easy Acrylic Canvas Painting Ideas for Beginners.
Finger Painting!
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If you’re looking for a natural sensory activity for your kids, finger painting is the answer! It’s a simple activity that involves dipping of fingers in paint and then using fingers to create various objects and shapes on a canvas. This is a great way to preserve your childhood memories. Don’t forget to use non-toxic paints only.
Blotting the Paint on Canvas!
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Keep all your paintbrushes aside and use this creative tool to create fabulous painting art. The blotting paper has a very unique way of spreading its contents onto a canvas and absorbs watercolors instantly. If your kid is super-excited, you can use kitchen power towels or napkins to prevent the blotting paper from tearing.
Graffiti Canvas!
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This is one of the simplest and easiest canvas painting ideas for kids. Even if they aren’t graffiti artists, they could become one with your help. Get some marker pens, pencils, masking tape, spray bottles, and scrappers. Then, allow your kids to spray the dye onto the canvas and its ready! Here we are present some Hyper-Realistic Oil Painting Ideas. Have a look-
Button Painting on Canvas!
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If you want to make something simple with your kids, give this fun painting idea a must-try that helps your kids to explore their inner creativity. Simply put together a variety of buttons in different colors and let your kid stick each one of them onto the canvas wherever they wish. Both learning and fun go hand-in-hand!
You can simply turn these paintings into stackable wall tiles easily with Wallpics and simply decorate your home & workplace as well.
Bubble Wrap Paint on Canvas!
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Yes! This one is extremely cute to have in the house. Take out some paint in a larger tray, lay down the bubble wrap sheet and then let your kids create fall tree paintings with bubble wrap. You can even roll the bubble wrap roller in the acrylic paint and place it on canvas. You’ll notice – kids enjoy rolling, rolling and rolling!
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Now, we hope you must have understood how painting on a canvas is an excellent way to improve the self-esteem of kids as it will provide them with a skill they can be proud of for the rest of their life. These Simple And Easy Canvas Painting Ideas For Kids to help them to unleash their creativity in an interesting way.
Here we have collected the Superfine MODERN SURREALISM ART AND PAINTING IDEAS that are purely imaginations of artists and of course, of ours.
My experience with hand painting for kids on canvas
When I was a Montessori teacher in another school after we moved, I took this idea, hand painting for kids, as a project in the classroom. I thought it would be a fun idea for the kids to have their own canvas to work on for several days (or weeks) and bring it home as a gift for Mother’s Day.
Below is a picture of all the kids’ canvases from my classroom. It really is amazing how they all turn out unique. What’s really great about this art activity is that the kids completely create their art pieces by themselves. The teacher just drips the paints on the canvas and the kids use their hands and tap to create their abstract painting.
Each week (or day) is a new set of colors, so the kids are adding a new layer of color, adding to the depth and richness of the art piece.
Color mixing
There are different directions you could go with this. You could incorporate a color mixing lesson while painting, which could be an extension of a Sensorial color lesson. For example, for each painting session, you could choose two primary colors that mix to make a secondary color; blue and yellow make green for the first session. Then let the colors dry and for the next painting session, choose red and blue to make purple, and so on.
Or, you could have the kids completely choose whatever colors they want and have them explore with color, even if the painting gets all muddy brown at the end. It’s all a great experience. After it dries, you could always just start over and add another layer of paint!
My experience with hand painting for kids on canvas at home with my older toddler
I thought it would be fun to do this painting activity with my older toddler (almost preschooler). She is two years and 8 months old and she loves to get her hands into things. She loves water, painting, kinetic sand, sensory bins, and play dough. Mother’s day is coming up. After this painting project, we’ll have canvases to give as gifts for both grandmas, aunt, and mom (me)!
Bonus: the hand painting for kids on canvas also makes a great father’s day gift, too! Also, check out my coffee filter flower color mixing craft for another mother’s day gift idea.
You will need:
- Canvases – we used 8″x10″ canvases. You can use smaller or larger canvases, but I find this size is perfect for little hands and a nice size for a gift (or whatever is on sale at your local arts and crafts store). We painted 4 canvases (2 for grandmas, 1 for aunt, 1 for mom).
- Acrylic Paints – I used a non-toxic, Craft Smart brand in larger sizes (8 oz). Supervise your children at all times while using acrylic paint and wash hands immediately following the painting activity. It says non-toxic but keep acrylic paints away from babies and very young toddlers, as they have a tendency to put things in their mouths.
- If you prefer, you can always use washable kids’ paints like tempera paint, but it won’t have the same staying power on the canvas or the richness of color as acrylics.
- Acrylic washes off of hands and hard surfaces with soap and water, but it can stain clothing and porous surfaces so be sure to use a splash mat and an apron or old painting clothes.
Here are the 4 Steps for Hand Painting for Kids on Canvas!
Step 1: Set up your painting area
- Place a splash mat or tarp on the floor for your kid(s) to paint. If you prefer to work at the table, you can place the cloth on the table to protect your furniture.
- Have your kid(s) put on an apron/art smock or have them wear old painting clothes that you don’t mind getting full of paint.
- Place the canvases on the splash mat and have your kid(s) sit in front of them. If you’re doing multiple canvases for mother’s day gifts, your kids can work on all the canvases at the same time. You could push them together like they are one canvas.
- Get your acrylic paints that you will be using out and ready to go.
Step 2: Drip the paint on the canvases
- Ask your kid(s) what color they would like to start with. Start with the primary colors. If she chooses blue, then ask what other color she would like, for example, she chooses yellow. You can incorporate a color mixing lesson and say “blue and yellow make green.”
- Slowly drip the paints on the canvases. If you’re using an 8″x10″ canvas, you don’t need a lot of paint – maybe a tablespoon of each color on each 8″x10″ canvas.
Step 3: Let the magic begin! Your child paints with hands on the canvas!
- Step back and let your child be creative! Let them tap, tap, tap their hands on the canvas to move the paint around freely.
- I noticed that the kids want to smear the paint, like windshield wipers. Instead, see if your child can tap like on a drum. This way, you really get a brushstroke effect on the canvas.
- If the colors look too dark, you can drip white paint, or add drops of the secondary color they are making. For example, your child is tapping blue and yellow to make green, you can just drip white and green paint to their creation and have them tap in with their hands
- Optional: while your child is tapping the paint on the canvas, drizzle some collage objects on their painting for them to tap on. Just use one type of object at a time for each session, like yarn, tissue paper, pencil shavings, or glitter.
Step 4: Let the painting dry and repeat all the steps as many times as you like!
- Let the canvas completely dry. For each new painting session, have your child choose a new set of colors. If you’re doing the color mixing theme, choose different primary colors and go from there. For instance, your child chooses blue again, so pick out red and say “blue and red make purple.”
- Remember to tap, tap, tap (instead of smear) to get the brushstroke effect.
- Add in a different collage object, if you’d like.
Concluding Thoughts
We did 5 layers of paint for the canvases, but it’s up to you how many paint sessions you’d like to do. I find that you’ll just know when the artwork is completed. Your child will have her very own Jackson Pollack-style painting!
This hand painting for kids on canvas activity is a wonderful hands-on experience for the children. The canvases always come out so unique. It’s cool that you can start over again with a new layer of paint as many times as you like. And you have a beautiful abstract art canvas to give as a gift. Try different size canvases and different color combinations.
Have you tried this paint project with your kids? Do you have any kids’ hand painting ideas and tips? Leave a comment!
