These are some of the best creative painting methods that don’t have any ‘rules’. They’re going to delight your little ones.
10 Easy Painting Ideas You Can Do With Your Kids
This past year, kids have been home a lot more than we are used to, and it isn’t always easy to keep them engaged. Sometimes those same old DIY activities can feel kind of stale. Luckily, you can find unique canvases, painting tools, and new painting ideas all around. It’s safe — and encouraged — to think outside the box.
If you’re drawing a blank on easy things to paint with your kiddos, don’t worry; we put the extra time on our hands to good use to compile a handy list for you. These seven unique painting ideas for beginners make a perfect pastime for kids.
Bubble Wrap Painting
Sometimes the best painting ideas come from repurposing materials around you. The next time you get a bubble-wrapped package, re-use it for art.
Kids love drawing on things other than paper… as evident by the crayon marks on the walls. When you paint on bubble wrap, it creates a stained-glass effect. Cut the bubble wrap to a manageable size, use a paintbrush, roller brush, sponge, or even fingers, and go crazy! We recommend starting with tempera or poster paint, but it doesn’t matter much. Try all kinds to see how they look! Watercolor might fill the space between the bubbles, while thick acrylic coats everything with little opacity. Hang the finished pieces on a window where they will get some sun.
Use bubble wrap as a paintbrush.
Bubble wrap can create an almost leaf-like texture when dabbed on paper. Start with a cardboard toilet paper or a paper towel roll. You can either cover one side with bubble wrap and secure it with a rubber band or stuff the bubble wrap into the roll with just enough hanging out to use for painting.
Some of the best painting ideas involve the great outdoors.
The Best Rock Painting Art Projects for Kids
Rock painting is a cute art, but remember that you cannot take rocks from public gardens, someone else’s yard, or National Parks. Additionally, cleaning rocks with bleach and water and allowing them to dry before you paint is what works best.
1. Rock Art With Inspiring Quotes – We’ve talked before about how beautiful these are and what you can do with them. For now, how about putting some rock art quotes out for those who might need a midday pick-me-up or something of that nature? Simple quotes work best, of course.
2. Lady Bug Rocks – Red with some fun black dots, a cute face, and any other lady bug detail you can think of is going to be lovely for this.
3. Mermaid Scale Rocks – Mermaid scales are easier than you think, and they are fun to create. These rocks are easy to make using small ‘u’ shapes with pastel colors and a black acrylic marker to define the mermaid scales.
4. Rainbow Rocks – These are great for kids of all ages because they are rainbows. You don’t get simpler than this.
5. Monster Rocks – These rocks are often so much fun for kids because they’re so seasonal. They’re perfect for a Halloween or fall activity in which you can get the kids to focus on something exciting and spooky. Just paint a rock the color you want – using acrylic paints. Monster rocks might be green or purple, ghosts might be white, etc. Then, just add other colors to paint a monster face. Kids will fall hard for this one.
The Best Canvas Painting Ideas for Kids
Canvas is always more fun than boring old paper, is it not? Your kids will love painting on canvas, and they make great gifts for grandparents. They love grandkids’ homemade art, and canvases are pretty when they’re hung up and displayed well.
6. Self-Portraits – A self-portrait is a beautiful idea, and perfection is not welcome here. Have your kids paint themselves as they see themselves. What you might see in the end is going to shock you.
7. Beach Scenes – Beaches are easy to paint, even for smaller kids. You just need some sand, water, and the sky. Add a few waves for ambiance, and throw in a few seagulls if you’re feeling crazy.
8. Holiday Scenes – What holiday is fast approaching? Whatever time of year you’re paining with the kids, try having them pain t their favorite part of each holiday. Perhaps they love the fireworks on the Fourth of July and want to paint a beautiful scene as such. There are so many things you can do, and this is an idea that keeps working throughout the year.
9. Your Family – What do kids love more than anything? Their families, of course. Ask your children to paint a family portrait of all of you doing what you love to do the most. What’s your favorite activity? Are you a big fan of playing sports in the backyard together? Do you love to go on walks as a family? Have your children paint a lovely photo of your family doing what you all love the most, and then hang it up somewhere it can be shown off.
10. Your Pets – Everyone loves a good pet portrait. Have your kids paint your pet on a canvas. The way kids see your cats, dogs, hamsters, birds, lizards, or whatever you have as a pet (and if your pet is none of the above and it’s something entirely different, I’d like to know what it is please and thank you) is adorable, and I can promise your kids will love the idea.
The Best Wood Painting Projects for Kids
One of my own children’s favorite things to do is paint on wood. I pick it up – generally – at Hobby Lobby in the crafting section. They have the most fun items to choose from. My kids have painted giant wooden initials for themselves, welcome signs for their own bedroom doors, art that looks like cool pieces of wood hung up, and so much more. You can peruse the craft store aisles until you find what you are looking for. Your kids might want to have a little say in the décor they are painting for their own bedrooms, however.
11. Wooden Welcome Signs – Whenever our kids decide they want to ‘redecorate’ their own bedrooms, it usually means we are in the store picking up new bedding and new wall art for them. They love to paint their own art for their doors, though. Welcome signs of their own using the blank wooden art boards we pick up.
12. Wooden Picture Frames – Both mine and my husband’s parents are obsessed with the kids’ homemade gifts. They want to have everything these kids have ever made, painted, drawn on even though they should not have…you get the point. These kids can do no wrong in the eyes of our parents. My point is that they love to paint them wooden frames and put their own photos in the frames to give to their grandparents. It brings them all joy, and who are we to deny that?
13. Wooden Letters – Sometimes, you just want to paint your own name using fun letters. My middle daughter advises that you pick wooden letters in various sizes, though, because the ones that are too similar are ‘too boring’ in her mind. My youngest daughter, on the other hand, would like all of her letters perfectly sized, matching, and aligned just so. Either way, let your kids pick their own and get to painting.
14. Wooden Holiday Signs – The holidays are a big time in our house, and one way to keep the kids entertained is to allow them to paint wooden holiday signs. We also let them do their own ornaments for their own bedroom trees, too. They love nostalgic things like this, and they always ask to do it no matter how old they get. It’s like decorating cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve, except it’s making their own Christmas ornament for their own tree every year.
15. Wooden Plaques – Another cute wood painting idea is a plaque. Again, you can pick these up at the local craft store. Let your kids paint whatever they want. Maybe they want a plaque to put in the garage in front of their own designated bike spot so that their siblings don’t ‘steal’ their parking spot. They can paint signs for the garden, for the house, for the pool deck, for their friends. There are not rules.
