One of the happiest memories of a kid is painting something or making crafts in childhood. As toddlers, children are satisfied with making squiggly lines and hand prints. But as they grow, their need for more complex artistic expression may arise. Some children are naturally adept at coming up with new painting ideas. While others may need a little help from you.
The first suggestion of painting should be to draw whatever is in their mind. Encourage them to explore their creativity. However, there are tons of painting ideas for kids to help jumpstart that creativity. Starting with making a ball or painting on paper is a good idea. Also, they can draw flowers, colorful sky, birds, monsters, pets, and family members.
If your kids want to learn new ideas about painting, you have to think of something new as well to suggest them. Are you confused about what to suggest? No worries! I have got tons of ideas for you here.
Best Painting Ideas for Kids
As the world is full of colors and stories, children can put anything on their canvas. Scroll down and go through these ideas one by one and decide which one will be best suitable for your child. Let’s get started-
Painting With Circles
One of the most basic and easiest ideas for kids is making colorful circles. It’s a very simple and beautiful one. They will need some colors, cups, bottle caps of different sizes, easel paper, a paint palette, and tempera paints.
First, gather some cups of different sizes to make the circles. You can use caps of bottles to make the rings as well. Then place a large piece of easel paper on the surface. Take a palette and squirt the paints on that. Use the colors that your kid loves. Then dip the cap or the end of the cups into the color and stamp it on the paper.
Continue doing this and make different sizes of circles over the paper. Use lots of colors. You can use unlimited colors and rings to make it. And the outcome will be a lovely painting of circles.
Colorful hand paintings
This idea is also a must-try one. Kids love to involve their hands in everything and play with it a little. You can apply this idea on paper or even on the walls. It needs tempera paints and a large piece of paper to draw. Tempera paint is easily washable. That’s why it is preferable for hand paintings.
First, take a color palette or a small bucket and pour lots of color into it. Use different palettes for different colors. Then dip your and your kid’s hand into the paint and stamp it on paper. It makes the most adorable painting. You can keep it as a memory for a lifetime.
Painting rainbows
Rainbow is always dreamy and beautiful. It contains the most beautiful seven colors- violet, blue, sky blue, green, yellow, orange, and red. You can teach your kid about color and how to identify them individually through rainbow painting. It’s a nice concept for kids.
You can make this painting using your and your kids’ hands or brush or whatever you want. It also goes with any kind of paint. You can make rainbows on anything, starting from papers, tee-shirts, walls, to pots, plates, roads, anything.
Painting Paper Town
Nowadays the schools take painting very seriously and often assign painting projects for the better development of the kids. Making a paper town can be an excellent idea for these projects. It’s easy to make and doesn’t require much hard work.
You need to arrange a paper board, paints and lots of paper to make this craft. Let the kids draw the roads and make the trees and buildings of the city. And then place them on the board with some glue. You can use any paint medium to draw this. And in this precisely similar way, you can make a village or park model as well.
Making Paper Planes
We can barely find anyone who hasn’t made a paper plane in their childhood. Kids find colorful papers very interesting. They can make paper planes with it and paint them with their favorite colors. It just needs some paper, colors, and a brush to apply the colors.
Painting Sea world
Like paper planes, the paper boat idea is also a famous painting idea for kids. But you can make it more interesting by adding other elements to it. Add some fish in the water, some boats, swimming ducks, and whatever the kids like. It’s better to use a water-based color while painting this.
Painting with Smashed color
Yes, you guessed it right! You can make a painting by smashing colors. It is a creative and easy idea for kids to paint. To make this painting, you will need acrylic paint, a brush, and some plastic wraps.
Make random dots with the help of color tubes. It’s better not to use the brush here; just directly use the paint tubes for it. After adding all the colors your kids like, gently add a plastic wrap over the paper and smash it. Then carefully pull back the wrap. If you want to spread any particular color, then use a brush to do it. Dry it for some time and it’s done!
Paint With Colorful Chalks
Using colorful chalks to paint sidewalks and walls is a fantastic idea for outdoor paintings. To make sidewalk chalks, it will need some home ingredients. You don’t have to buy it from outside. Add some cornstarch, food color, and some tiny drops of water. And you are done! It contains food color, so it’s safe for the kids.
Now use a brush to apply the colors on the sidewalks or walls. Make anything with them or write anything the kids want. Help them to draw and grow their creativity. The chalk drawings will be sharper and brighter after drying.
Painting Cherry Blossom
Spring is the best time that brings color to nature. It blooms with flowers everywhere. Cherry blossoms are one of the most beautiful ones among these flowers. So, painting cherry blossoms is a lovely painting idea for kids.
You will need some acrylic paints, especially pink color, some cotton balls, and a canvas for this painting. Make a tree and its branches on the canvas with black color. Then squirt lots of pink colors from the tube and make dots. Gently flare them using the cotton ball. You can mix the white paint with the pink one to create different shades of cherry blossom.
Start with the darker shades, and then slowly make the cherries over the branches. At last, add the lighter shades of it. And then let it dry. It has such vibrant and fluffy colors; anyone will fall in love with it.
Painting With Straws
Are you surprised to hear that? Well, yes, you can use straws too to make a blow painting. It’s another fun activity. You just need any water-based color, some straws, a large piece of paper, that’s it.
Place a paper on the surface and then squirt different colors on the color palette. It would be best if you use the tempera color here as it needs lighter and thinner consistency. This will help to blow more. Pour a little watercolor on the paper and blow it with the help of a straw. Make different shapes with it, like a star or an octopus or a monster.
To make it more attractive, you can use a pen when it dries. Draw eyes and nose or a funny smile and turn it into an imaginary character. It’s the simplest yet funniest one. Your kids are going to love this for sure.
Painting Rocks
If you have pebbles or rocks in your garden area, then painting with them will be an excellent idea. It’s an outdoor plan you can make with your kids. It just needs acrylic paints and some rocks.
First, gather lots of rocks and pebbles around. Then mix the painting with water. You can make anything with it, like paint it as red strawberries or smiley faces as your kids like. Then let them dry. It will last for a long time if you use acrylic paint. And you can keep them as showpieces in our house. It’s a great idea to spend time with your kids.
Painting Paper Plate Flowers
Who doesn’t love flowers? You can easily make flowers with paper and paint. It is also one of the simple painting ideas kids can go with. For this, you will need some paper, acrylic color, paper pins, and scotch tape.
Cut the piece of paper with the help of a scissor so that each paper has at least five paper plates. Cut them in a round shape. Then color them using a brush. Let your kids do the coloring part. Then you can curl the petals upwards to make it look natural. After coloring, let them dry and wait for some time.
Once they dried, join them one by one with the help of scotch tape. You can use glue as well. You can use a specific paint for a specific flower or use multiple colors in one flower as your wish. Lastly, put a paper stick or a straw at the bottom of the flower. And you are done.
Shaving Cream Painting
You can use shaving cream as a painting medium as well. But you must be careful while doing that. It can hamper if your kids put the cream into their mouth. You will need some food color, paper plates, food colors, craft sticks, paper towels, and baking sheets to paint with shaving cream.
First, place two small bowls and fill them with shaving creams. Bring two food colors, whatever you are available with. Then lightly mix the colors with the shaving cream. Then place a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the mixture of shaving cream and paint over the paper. Then place a paper plate on the sheet and press it, make sure it is coated with the colors.
It will make an abstract, smashed-like painting, though not something specific. But if you combine the colors beautifully, the outcome will be excellent.
Painting Dolls with Eggshell
Kids love dolls. It will be nice if you try painting a doll with them and name it something beautiful. There are several ways to paint dolls. You can even use an eggshell to do the head area. You need to gather some paper, a clean, dried eggshell, and acrylic paints.
First, paint the eggshell like a human head. Draw its eyes, nose, ears, leaps, and teeth. And then let it dry. Fold the papers, and or you can use fabric pieces alternatively to make the body. Shape it like a human body, use sticks to make the hands and legs. Then use some thick ropes to make its hair. And your beautiful doll is ready.
Painting Flower Pots
If your house has lots of plants, then it might be a good idea for your kids. Kids love to paint real things more than draw on paper. So, you can paint the plant pots with them. You just need some acrylic paints and a few flower pots for this idea.
Gather the pots in a place. Let your kids draw on them using their imagination. They can make anything like birds, rainbows, flowers, stars, etc. Once you are done, let the paintings dry for some time. And place them in your beautiful garden.
Paint Your Pet House
If your kids love pets, then you might have one in your house. Make a pet house and paint it with your kids. It can be an excellent painting idea as well. Everyone knows how much kids love painting on walls. So, painting a whole house will be a fantastic painting activity for them.
You can make a theme for this. If you have a cat, then make a cat drawing on the house. On the other hand, if you have a dog, you can also make bones or puppy faces. However, it’s best to go with your kid’s imagination first. Let them think and decide.
Paint With Balloon Dart
Well, it is another fun activity to do with paints. It is like shooting balloons. You will need lots of balloons, liquid colors, and darts for this concept.
First of all, place a canvas or hardboard on a stand or wall. Then fill the balloons with colors. Place the balloons on the board with the help of clips or scotch tape. Once you are done setting up all these things, bring the darts. Here comes the most fun part. Make a point on any specific balloon and tell your kid to aim it, throw the dart towards it.
As the balloon bursts, the color spreads out all over the board. This way, you can point the balloons one by one. And at the end, the canvas will be full of different colors. It’s a fun activity, and later you can make designs on the canvas with a pen. If you are up for some fun, this is the perfect idea for you.
Paint With Spray Bottles
Generally, it is the most popular way to make a galaxy painting. But you can paint other things as well. First, you need to gather all the necessary elements required for the painting: a spray bottle, acrylic paints, sparkling glitters, and a canvas.
First, place the canvas on a stand and fill it with black or dark blue. Then put the white color into the spray bottle. You can use toothpaste as well instead of white paint. Let the canvas dry with the black surface, spray the white color over it. It will look like stars in the sky. Then you can make spaceships or planets on it with a brush. It’s the most fantastic idea of painting.
These are the best ideas you can try with your kids. However, these are the suggestions we have for you, but it’s better to go with your kids’ imagination.
Which Paints Are Safe for Kids?
There are several kinds of paints available, and all of them are pretty good. But for kids, not all the paints are equally safe. Some are too tough for them to handle, and some might hamper their sensitive skin. So it would be best if you wisely choose safe paint for them. Watercolors, acrylic paint, color pencils, and craft paints are some best paints for kids.
As kids often tend to put their fingers in their mouths, it can happen while painting with colors too. So, it would be best if you choose a non-toxic, safe paint for them. Let’s discuss in detail so you can choose the best and safest one for your kid:
- Watercolor
Watercolor is one of the simplest colors and widely used paint. It’s very easy to paint with them. It is made from color pigments, blinder and it is the thinnest of any of the paints. There is a special set available only for kids. It comes in a tray and is also budget friendly. Watercolor is also preferable for beginners. So, kids can quickly get along with this paint.
You won’t need too many elements to paint with it: some brushes, paper or a canvas, and some water to mix the colors. But if your kid is a naughty little one, then you might want to cover all the workspace so that they don’t make any stains over them with colors. Otherwise, it doesn’t contain any chemicals and is safe for your kid.
- Pencil color
Another safest option is pencil colors. It is the most used medium of paint all over the world. And the best part is there is nothing to worry about the stains. It is not liquid and doesn’t need any extra elements as well. Even the schools recommend painting with pencil colors at the primary stage
Kids can draw anything on paper with pencil colors. It is easy to learn and also budget friendly. It doesn’t contain any chemicals at all. So, if your kid finds watercolors difficult, then select pencil paints for them.
- Acrylic Paints
Acrylic paints are pretty similar to watercolors, but it is the higher version of that. It contains color pigments, metal soaps, silicon oils, polymer emulsion, defoamers, and stabilizers. Most of the acrylic paints are water-based and become water-resistant when dry.
If your kids paint excellent stuff and are interested in painting more, you can select acrylic paints. Acrylic paints are available in different sets. And there is a particular set for kids, which is not that expensive as well. Kids can paint with them on every medium. This paint is safe for kids and easily available in every craft store.
- Craft Paints
Craft paints are different from watercolors. They come in various bottles of paints. It has color pigments like acrylic paints but is easier to use. It doesn’t get any streaks, and you can wash it off the surface and brush easily.
Craft paints are cheaper than acrylic paints. So, it is budget-friendly too. If you get a stain from the color, the best part is you can wash it off if you want. Since it is a non-toxic paint medium, kids can paint with this. Apple Barrel is one of the best craft paints to start with.
- Tempera Paints
Tempera paint is another liquid painting. However, it is more fluid and thinner than acrylic and watercolor. And it’s inexpensive and washable too. One problem might be it’s harder to control while painting with tempera paints. It has a lighter effect and a comparatively fluid base than other paints, so it isn’t easy to do sharp projects.
Tempera paints are preferable for toddlers who want to play with paints. It is safe for them and doesn’t require any skills to use. And it’s the cheapest one so you can easily afford as much as you want.
- Oil pastel
Oil paint is an entirely different medium of painting formed into a stick, made of color pigments mixed with non-drying oil. It is considered a more manageable medium to paint with, and it is also more convenient to carry. It doesn’t require any brush or tray and is budget-friendly too.
There is no toxic element in oil pastel. So, it’s safe for kids. Kids who don’t get along with water-based color can try oil pastel paints. Kids sometimes paint on walls with oil pastels. But one problem is the paint is not washable. So, you must be careful with this one.
So, now you can easily decide the safest and suitable one for your kid according to these descriptions of different paints.
Is Hand Painting Harmful to Kids?
Yes and no. If kids paint with a medium that is non-toxic and safe, in that case, hand-painting is not harmful. But, if the paint contains toxic and harmful chemicals, then it can be dangerous for them. Also, kids have sensitive skin. So, not following the safety instructions can worsen the situation.
Kids tend to put their hands into their mouths more often. It is very normal to do while painting as well. Kids love colors, and when they play with something, they tend to scatter things everywhere and create a mess. That’s why you need to choose a safe paint medium for them. Non-toxic paints and paints that are specially made for kids are safe for hand-painting.
When Can Children Start Painting?
Some kids learn things very fast, and some are slow learners. So, the time can be different for each of them when they can start painting. Generally, toddlers who are around 15 months begin to make scribbles. And around 18months, they will probably start to enjoy painting with colors.
However, if your kid is taking time to learn, that’s fine too. Painting is a fun activity, and when they know how to hold something, they tend to draw with that. Even it can be food, mud, lotion, or shaving cream. Typically, a two-year-old child can understand the concept of drawing and learn about colors. But before that period, they played with it.
How Can Kids Be Benefitted from Painting?
Painting can greatly encourage kids to dream, think, and explore their surroundings. It helps a child to learn about sizes, patterns, shapes, and names. It develops their mind and creativity. Also, the painting evolves their hand coordination and psychological development. Let’s find out some significant benefits of painting
- Paintings strengthen the small muscle of kid’s hands, fingers, and wrists
- It develops hand-eye coordination
- It improvises visualization
- It helps to make a perception of the world
- It makes them creative
- It develops emotional expressions
- It builds skills interests
- Also, it Improves attention span
- Outdoor paintings also strengthen their larger muscles
Painting is just another form of expression. If you want to know what your kids like, what they are feeling, or their perception of the world, hand them paper and paints. They will express everything about what they are thinking. So, for the better development of your child, it is essential to learn painting.
Conclusion
Painting ideas for kids are simply beautiful. It doesn’t mean they have to be Pablo Picasso or Van Gogh.
It helps them to grow their creativity and thinking ability. I hope our painting ideas will help you decide some good suggestions for your kids. Let them paint with whatever they want. And involve yourself as well to allow them to explore. Happy Painting!
