17 Easy Painting Ideas For Kids

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Whether your little Picasso is a budding artist or simply loves to dabble in colors, providing them with easy painting ideas for kids can get their creative juices flowing and spark their curiosity.  These projects are simple enough for kids of all ages to do, and they’re a great way to get creative with your children.

Painting is a fun and inexpensive way to spend time with your kids, and it’s a great way to teach them about color and compositionHere at 24 Hour Family, we have many different painting ideas and free templates available to use.

East painting ideas for toddlers, young kids, and kids of all ages

For kids, painting isn’t just about creating art; it’s about exploring the endless possibilities of imagination and most importantly, having fun!  Easy Painting ideas are the perfect fun activity for budding little artists.

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What are the Basic Paints for Kids?

When it comes to painting for kids, it’s essential to choose paints that are safe, non-toxic, and easy to use. Here are the basic types of paints suitable for kids:

  • Tempera Paint
  • Finger Paint
  • Watercolor Paint
  • Poster Paint
  • Acrylic Paint
  • Washable Paint

A sturdy art table will provide a designated space for creativity to flourish. Paint brushes of various sizes will allow for different techniques and styles to be explored. A box of watercolors is a great option for little ones as they are easy to work with and clean up.  Basic Art Supplies can include an art table, paint brushes, watercolor paints, regular paints, card stock papers, different types of thicker papers, paper towels, and old t-shirts.

So, roll out the paper, set up the easel, and let the magic of painting unfold as we embark on a colorful journey filled with laughter, learning, and boundless imagination.

Fun Painting Projects for Kids:

Easy painting ideas for toddlers

Finger Painting Fun: Let your child’s fingers become the brushes as they explore the tactile joys of making homemade bath paint. With vibrant colors at their disposal, encourage them to create bold patterns, playful shapes, and imaginative scenes. The squishy sensation of paint between their fingers adds an extra layer of sensory delight to this classic art activity.

Bubble Wrap Painting: Who knew bubble wrap could double as a sensory painting tool? Unleash your child’s creativity by making a seahorse using bubble wrap. Simply dip the bubble wrap into the paint and press it onto the paper to create a mesmerizing array of bubbly patterns. It’s a simple yet fascinating technique that promises endless hours of artistic exploration.

Salad Spinner Art:  Spin art craft for kids is a fun activity for kids to encourage creativity through experimentation with color and texture while developing fine motor skills. Spin art is an activity that uses a salad spinner to create a fun and colorful piece of art.

Apple Painting: Painting and stamping using apples is a fun art activity to get kids excited about art and enjoy a fun, creative activity.  Cut up fruits like apples or potatoes into different shapes, and dip them in paint, This project is easy to do and requires only a few materials that are probably already in your home such as tempera paint, apples, and a paper plate.

Resist Process Art Technique: This Watercolor handmade card idea is perfect for your kids to make for any special occasion such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or a birthday card for a special friend or relative. Making watercolor-resist painting is unique and your kids will love getting to use that white crayon. This is a fun art project that uses only basic supplies such as white paper, a white crayon, and washable watercolor paints.

Fall Tree Black Line Painting: This fun painting technique is the perfect fall painting craft for toddlers or preschoolers – a fall Tree Painting Scene using black paint. This fall tree painting is perfect for young kids learning to paint with watercolors. It even comes with seven free tree printable templates to print and use.

Homemade Paint Recipe:  Here is a recipe for How to Make Paint that uses only four ingredients.  This easy paint uses food coloring and is a simple cleanup project for moms. You can use this washable paint for finger painting and many different art activities.  Choose to make bold colors or bright colors by adding the right amount of food coloring. This homemade non-toxic paint would be perfect for sensory play. For toddlers, it is a great alternative to different types of paint that older children can use such as tempera paints. It is also perfect because all of the ingredients in this recipe are edible and safe for toddler use.

Edible Paint Recipe:  This creative painting recipe is simple and would be a fantastic way to teach kids their primary colors, in addition to providing them with hours of crafty fun. The art supplies that are needed can probably be found in your home already. You need only four things to make edible paint – clean paint brushes, sweetened condensed milk, gel food coloring, and simple foods to paint such as fruits, marshmallows, cookies, or Rice Krispy treats.

Painting Egg Carton FlowersEgg carton flower painting project for kids is a fun painting activity that would also make a great gift for a Mom, a special teacher, a friend, or a family member.  You could use homemade paint to paint the egg carton or you could use a different kind of paint such as acrylic liquid paint, tempera paint, or even puffy paint when doing this craft project with older kids. 

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Paper Painting Ideas

Bunny Black Line PaintingBlack line art painting for kids using a bunny template can be a fun and educational sensory experience for kids. By providing children with a template, they can practice their fine motor skills and creativity while also learning about shapes, colors, and patterns. Using black acrylic paint to make black lines, kids can fill in the spaces with different colors to create their unique artwork. 

Watercolor and Salt Ocean PaintingSalt painting is a creative painting process that involves using salt, glue, and watercolor craft paint to produce unique and textured paintings. To create a salt painting, children begin by applying a thin layer of glue to a design or pattern on a piece of paper. Then, they sprinkle salt over the glue, allowing the excess salt to be shaken off. Once the salt is in place, kids can use watercolor paints to gently apply color to the salt, resulting in a beautiful and textured effect as the color spreads along the salt crystals. 

Glow in the Dark:  Making homemade paint that glows in the dark requires only simple supplies and would be a fun activity to do at glow-in-the-dark parties or Halloween parties. 

Valentine’s popsicle stick craft:  This simple yet charming Valentine’s painting activity allows children to express their creativity while making delightful Valentine’s Day crafts.

Snow White Footprint Art:  Painting using fun techniques like this Disney art printable is perfect for capturing those adorable baby or toddler footprints while they are still young. Make sure to use a piece of cardstock when making this piece of art.

Creative Hand Print Designs: This free printable handprint art is the perfect summer art activity to celebrate the 4th of July! You can use different colors of paint like red paint, white paint, and blue paint.  Mother’s Day Handprint art would add a special touch to Mom’s memorable day.  The finished product would make the perfect gift.  Here is a list of the 24 best paints to use when making handprint and footprint crafts.

Fabric Paint Craft Ideas: This Sharpie Art Watercolor Mask is a fun idea to paint using Sharpie markers, and this mask uses colorful paints and tie-dye techniques.

Another easy painting idea for kids is to use household items like sponges, coffee filters, or cotton balls as brushes. Kids can dip these items in paint and create abstract paintings that will become a collectible piece of artwork for you.

When looking for easy painting ideas for kids, consider starting with simple shapes and patterns. You can have your child practice painting circles, squares, or even zig-zags. This will help them develop their fine motor skills and get comfortable with holding a paintbrush

More Fun Painting Ideas

These are just a few easy painting ideas to get you started. With a little practice, your kids will be creating beautiful works of art in no time. Painting is a great way to spend time with your kids while teaching them about color and composition. These easy painting ideas are perfect for little artists of all ages.

toddler painting ideas

Painting is a great way to spend time with your kids while teaching them fine motor skills, color, and also composition. These easy painting ideas are perfect for little artists of all ages. Developing fine motor skills is an important part of being a child, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. There are plenty of activities that you can do with your little one that will help build those crucial muscles needed later on in life. Have lots of fun with paint!

What can kids paint with Acrylic Paint?

Kids can paint a wide variety of subjects and surfaces using acrylic paint. Acrylic paint is versatile, durable, and easy to work with, making it an excellent choice for young artists. Acrylic paint works wonderfully on canvas, thick paper, unfinished wood surfaces, rocks, fabric, seashells, and recycled materials such as vintage albums are just a few surfaces that kids can paint with acrylic paint.

What is easy to paint for beginners?

For beginners, it’s often best to start with simple subjects and techniques to build confidence and develop foundational skills. Abstract painting allows beginners to explore color, shape, and texture without worrying about creating realistic representations. Landscape elements like trees and mountians are also easy to paint. You can gradually add more details as you gain confidence.