Toddler Art Projects

I've been bitten by the art bug or something because I'm itching to do some real art with my kidlets at home...I'm ready to move beyond the crayons and markers! I'm ready for fun, messy, creative...ideas, please! Thanks

 

Not sure if this is really "art", but our new nanny did home-made playdoh with my kiddos yesterday...it was a huge hit! She had them help mix all the ingredients in the bowl and then they rolled it out on their table. They used cookie cutters and other random stuff to stamp it.

They also went outside and collected rocks (about the size of a small apple) and then had a great time painting the rocks!

I think they will also be going outside later this week to collect random stuff (twigs, leaves, etc) and then return inside to glue them to construction paper.

I will be watching this thread for good ideas, too!

 

I've taped butcher paper to the back of cardboard (or large bin lids) and proped them up against the fence. Basically creating a canvas for them to paint with. I buy children's washable paint and big brushes.

I also have seen them use golf balls in pre-school. They dip the golf balls in paint and roll them over paper...it's actually quite cool!

Lately when I'm lazy I've given them their big paint brushes and a cup of water for them to "paint" on the patio, play house and toys! If they start to catch on I've actually put a drop of food coloring to make it look like paint!

 

Hmmmm......

1.) I put butcher paper up on the side of the house, brought out the paints-and let them go to town. Something different!

2.) Get a shallow box(like one they put empties in), or any 8 by 11 box or a bit bigger/smaller. Tape paper down. Add some different colored paints. Add marbles-or whatever type of ball you want. Have the kids hold the box with two hands and roll the balls around.

3.) Paint with feet. It's as simple as that! And it's dirty! LOL!

4.) Take out some glue, scrap paper, or foam shapes, glitter, pom-poms, etc and let them go to town. They really do love this. And it's great for fine motor skills.

5.) Make various projects based on the season. So for apples, let's say.... Cut an apple in half, dip in red/yellow/green paints and do apple prints. Talk about the various apples and have them taste them if they'd like. Google can be your friend!

6.) I love painting on canvases. Go to Michael's/ACMoore and pick up small canvases, along with tempera paint. Let them finger paint, or use brushes. They turn out great and you can hang them up-or give them as gifts.

7.) Anything with tissue paper. If you have contact paper/laminating paper, draw some type of design on one side, and then let them lay down the squares of tissue paper.

8.) Make butterflies with paint. Fold a piece of paper in half, then have the kids pick various colors of paint and put blobs on one side. Then fold the paper, press down and spread it around, then open up and you have a gorgeous butterfly!

That's about all I'm good for now. I'll think of more...

 

I did this one year with the older 3 kids when they were little. Then I framed them in simple black frames with white mats. I kept a set for myself & gave a set to each grandma. We all still have them hanging, they turned out to be very nice "modern" art!

 

1) Koolaid playdough (recipe online)

2) Paint the sidewalk/driveway with water and a paint brush

3) Draw simple shapes or letters in marker and have them glue Cheerios along the line. (This was a fave of mine that we would do often, alternating Cheerios for beans, noodles, mini-marshmallows, sequins, etc.)

4) Stringing Cheerios on pipe cleaners (I used to keep this in my purse for those instances where I needed them quiet and occupied)

5) Mini stickers in a mini-memo/spiral book (fun for small hands and another fun one to keep in your purse)

6) Painting with q-tips

7) Mine started at a young age with plastic safety scissors. Make playdough worms and cut them up with scissors.

I feel like I should have a million more ideas in my memory bank, but it is fuzzy!

 

I used to take DD to this toddler time at the library with songs, a story and then a little art project. The art projects were always tied into the season or upcoming holiday. Some things I remember DD doing: creating a jack-o-lantern out of construction paper (cut out a pumpkin shape from orange construction paper and several triangles and other shapes from black construction paper, have them glue them together to create their jack-o-lantern), making a fall leaves wreath (cut leaf shapes from lots of different color paper and cut out the inner circle of a paper plate, have them glue the leaves along the edge of the paper plate to create a wreath), making valentine cards (again construction paper and glue, tissue paper squares, glitter, etc), drawing a snowman on paper and filling it in with cotton balls, etc.


DS is in a pre-preschool through EI and they also do a lot of art projects. I love the ones where they paint his hands and feet and then use his hand prints and foot prints to make something. They also have glued cheerios and macaroni on pictures, glued cotton balls, etc. They finger paint a lot too.

 

We did this last year for Christmas for the grandparents. They :wub: it and already are asking for more this year. It was a very inexpensive gift. :good:

 

We did this too! Well...DS didn't really do it. DD painted both canvases for me and we hung them on the wall in DS room (they matched his room colors).

Other ideas....

*Pudding Painting
*Use chalk on construction paper or on a huge sheet of paper outside
*Froot Loop Sand craft ~ let them crush up froot loops into "sand", make a design on paper with glue and then sprinkle the sand on for color.
*Pine cone bird feeders - smother pine cones in peanut butter and then sprinkle with bird seed, cheerios, etc...

 

What wonderful ideas!!!

The only thing I can add is handprints... have them trace their hands or you trace them and then cut them out. You can do a bunch of stuff with the hands... You can cut out a yellow circle and put the hands around it and it can be the sun. Or tape it to strings and hang them from a fan or a door knob.

 

Tons of great ideas. Here are some websites wtih good info

http://funmommyandmecrafts.blogspot.com/

http://funhandprintart.blogspot.com/ Some of these are amazing

http://funhandprintart.blogspot.com/ I like this one as it has one idea for each day of the month

http://playgroupsandplaydates.blogspot.com/

Some are better than others but all have some ideas I have used. If you are getting ready to do homemade gift now is the time to start thinking and there are some fun one on some of these sites.

 

I saw a really cute project in Parents magazine recently that made a bird feeder out of a cardboard milk or juice container. It had a cut out one side fille with birdseed, a stick that stuck out underneath that hole and the children painted the carton and then decoratd with buttons and other craft materials. I've also made bird feeders out of pinecone by rolling them or painting them with peanut butter and then rolling them in birdseed.