Art Project Ideas for Toddlers

Looking for ideas for art projects you can do with your toddler? Art time can be a great time for learning things such as colors, shapes, sharing, and taking turns. Here are some fun art projects you can try out with your toddler.

Copy Me: For this toddler art project you'll need paint, paper, and two paintbrushes. Have your toddler copy what you do as you paint. Try different things like zigzagging the paintbrush across the paper, dabbing the paintbrush to make spots, or drawing circle. Also give your toddler a chance to do something and have you copy what she did. As an added challenge for an older toddler, see if she can copy the color you used.

Handprints: Finger paint is a favorite medium for budding little artists. For this art project, you'll need a big sheet of paper and some finger paint in a bowl or on a plate big enough for your child's hands and feet to fit in. Have him stick each hand in the paint and then on to the paper. Next have him put his footprints on the paper. Finally, you write your toddler's name and the date the prints were taken on the paper. You can also turn this into a family masterpiece by having all members of the family put their hand prints on the paper!

Colors Collage: This will help a toddler who is learning her colors. Before you start this project with your toddler, gather a bunch of magazines you no longer need. Find pictures of objects that are primarily one color and cut them out. Make sure to include all the colors of the rainbow as well as brown, black, white, and pink. (Include fewer colors for a toddler who's just learning.) After you've cut them all out, mix them up. Next, get a big poster board and divide it into a section for each color by drawing lines. Finally, write the name of each color in the boxes, using a crayon or marker in that color. For a young toddler, you can cut construction paper in each color to fit in each box. Now, sit with your toddler and together, find where each of the cut-out magazine pictures go. Glue them on to the board and you now have a color collage!

Sponge Shapes: This is a fun and easy art project for a toddler learning his shapes. Get some sponges in different basic shapes like circles, triangles, squares, stars, and hearts. Let him dip them in paint and then press the sponge on paper as you name each shape for him.

Paper Dance: For this fun project, you'll need finger paint (or some other washable paint), a shallow aluminum pan, a big piece of paper or poster board, and newspapers. Cover a big area of the floor with newspapers. Then put the paper or poster board on top of the newspapers. Fill the aluminum pan with about half an inch of paint. Now comes the fun part! Have your toddler step with her bare feet into the pan and then on to the paper...and let her dance! You can turn on her favorite song to help her out. Every so often have her step back into the pan to get more paint on her feet. You'll have a unique piece of art that shows your toddler's playfulness and cute dancing style.