Do you have a toddler at home? Maybe your days are full of tantrums and burgeoning independence from your little guy or gal? It can be a hard age for parents as they want to do everything by themselves, but still don’t quite have the skills to do it without lots of spills and tears. While the days may feel long, the years truly are short. I have collected a few fun and messy (they will love these!) ideas for unleashing the creativity and embracing the mess and chaos that is art with a toddler!

1. Shape painting – Grab a few household items that you have laying around: a plastic cup, paper bowl, sponge, Q Tip, a Popsicle stick or a Pom-Pom to name a few. Grab whatever paint you have on hand and head outside! I love art projects with my toddler outside on the porch because the mess doesn’t need to be as contained and clean-up is so much easier! As you let your little one use the various shape objects you have collected, talk about the colors and shapes they are choosing. Count the sides, count the number of times they are using the circle, etc. to add even more learning into the fun!

2. Tape Name Art – Working on letters and name recognition can never start too early! Grab a large piece of construction paper or a canvas, tape, and paint. Parent can pre-place tape in various formats: first letter of name, full first name, shapes, patterns, etc. If you want the activity to last longer, have a paper/canvas ready all of the above so you can easily move to the next template without losing interest from your toddler during set up! Once you have your art supplies handy and toddler ready for fun, let him/her paint in whatever fashion they want. Once dry, remove the tape and discuss the letters/shapes again! Thanks for this great idea happyhooligans.ca!

3. Yarn Painting - Yarn and noodles always seem to elicit a giggle from my toddler and we love discussing that they look like snakes or worms! What a better way than to include this in an art activity with your toddler. Grab some paper, paint, and yarn (or cooked noodles if you have leftovers from lunch or dinner!) and head outdoors for a fun way to make art. Allow your toddler to mix the colors if he’/she wants! If you want to make this activity last a while longer or your toddler loves worms/snakes as much as mine, make this into a 2 part activity. After he/she is done with yarn shapes on the paper and it has dried help him/her draw things they may see outside around snakes/worms. Create an outdoor scene with a sun, trees, dirt, grass, etc. and talk about all of the things you find outside while you create alongside them! If you really want to make this a total home run, end the activity or day with a worm hunt of your own. Finding a worm in the back yard is always extra fun at our house!

At Romp n' Roll, we offer classes that are chock full of exploration and sure to develop a love for the arts! From Art Explorers to Crayons to Canvas our classes are perfect ways to help your toddler unleash their creativity while having fun, and the best part is, we clean up the mess!

Share your art creations with us on social media, we can’t wait to see what you create at home or with us!