“We banned glitter from our house,” my coworker sighed. “The girls dumped a bottle on their brother’s head, and now he looks like a disco ball. I think I need to use tweezers to pick each piece out one by one.” While visualizing little Jeffrey, I unsuccessfully suppressed my laughter over my friend’s dilemma. Jeffrey’s smile lights up a room, and now, apparently, so does his head.
Toddler art projects come with a fair amount of mess. And a house-wide ban on glitter sounds tempting. However, it’s worth the mess to see your little one bring such gusto to creating an original masterpiece. Try these 8 glitter-free toddler art projects your little one will love (and you won’t mind cleaning up!).
Hands-Down Favorites
Your child’s hands won’t be that small forever. Try one of these toddler art projects and give yourself a visual reminder to cherish.
1. A Heartfelt High Five—Use a paint marker to write “L VE YOU” on a piece of white stock paper or canvas. Leave out the “O.” With washable poster or acrylic paint, paint the inside of your toddler’s hand. Gently press his palm down in place of the “O.” Make it even easier with our free printable. It’s all written for you. Just add cuteness!
Variation: Use a quote from a favorite bedtime story instead. For example, “I L VE YOU TO THE MOON & BACK.”
2. You Are My Sunshine—Use your child’s handprint to make the sun. On white stock paper or canvas, draw a circle in pencil. Paint your child’s palm yellow with washable poster or acrylic paint. Help her place her hand in the middle of the circle with her fingers (sun rays!) extending outside the circle. Continue making palm prints until your little ray of sunshine goes all around the circle.
Variation: Create a gift for Nana. Write “You are my sunshine,” followed by the name your child calls her grandmother. Leave out the first vowel (“N_Na”) and replace it with your child’s yellow handprint.
3. The Family Tree & Me—This is one of those toddler art projects for the whole family! Trace each family member’s hand onto green construction paper. Add their names. Then, everyone decorates their “leaf” using crayons, markers, and stickers. On poster board, draw the outline of a tree trunk with branches. Write your family’s last name(s) on the trunk. Then, everyone glues a leaf on a branch.
Variation: Create extra leaves and let your toddler add other people he considers family. At 3 years old, our youngest insisted on adding Lightning McQueen (Yes, THAT Lightning McQueen).
Art That Moves You
Your toddler is on the go. It’s why you can never have enough movement activities for kids in mind. It’s also why your little one will love these toddler art projects that provide wiggle room.
4. Pop Art—Save the bubble wrap from your online order for one of our favorite toddler art projects! Cover your table with a plastic tablecloth. Roll out butcher paper on top of the tablecloth and squirt with globs of washable paint. Wrap your toddler’s hands in bubble wrap. Then invite him to pop them in the paint. If you feel nervous about painting in the house, head to the back yard.
Variation: Save the bubble wrap and take it outside when you try out number 5! This time wrap your toddler’s feet and let him stomp and pop away!
5. Take a Walk on the Art Side—Roll out butcher paper on the sidewalk or on your driveway. Drizzle on small amounts of red, yellow, blue, and white washable paint. Invite your child to walk on the paper and paint with her feet.
Variation: Why limit the painting to feet? Encourage your child to use her whole body to paint. Then turn on the sprinkler to wash her up before going inside.
6. Thar She Blows!—While your little one won’t be moving her body, she will be expending energy by moving paint! You’ll need straws, liquid paint, a baking sheet, and paper. Place the paper on the baking sheet and add a glob of paint. Your child blows through the straw to move the paint around and make art.
Variation: Invite your child to create a brand-new kind of creature with the paint. Then ask him to tell you all about it. Where does it live? What’s its name? Does it eat broccoli or bicycles?
Seems Sketchy
Sometimes the best toddler art projects only involve the basics, like crayons or chalk.
7. Palette of Emotions—Put on music and let your child draw the emotion she feels when listening. Keep it simple with just crayons or markers.
Variation: If your child no longer takes an afternoon nap, put on some lullaby music and invite her to color while listening. Art relaxes the mind and helps children manage stress.
8. Chalk It Up—Invite your toddler to lie down on the driveway while you trace her body with chalk. Then switch and let her trace you. Afterward, you each finish your self-portrait.
Variation: Create an alter-ego. After tracing each other, turn yourselves into superheroes. Then, ask your child about his superpowers and what a “day in the life” as his alter-ego would look like.
Help a momma out. What’s your best hack to tackle the post-art adventure tidy-up?
