Totally Mess-Free Art Products for Kids

As parents, we always want to encourage our children to express themselves and be creative. But sometimes, our kid's beautiful works of art can have not-so-beautiful consequences. Believe me - as the mother of a one-year-old girl and seven-year-old boy who both love art, I've been through it all. From crayon eating to wall colorings in every possible medium, I've learned the hard way how to encourage creativity without sacrificing my house, car or sanity.

Crayola Color Wonder Pad & Markers (Crayola - $10.99)

This is the ultimate must-have starter kit for mess-free works of art! Crayola Color Wonder markers look like regular markers - with the various colors on the cap. But the felt tip of the marker is white, and the ink is completely clear. The color of the marker only shows up when used on Crayola Color Wonder paper. If you child attempts to draw on your day planner or library book, nothing happens. Pretty cool, huh? It's quite the money maker for Crayola, but well worth the cost. The down side: it takes a few seconds for the chemical reaction between the clear ink and paper to kick in. (Example: if you draw a triangle It might frustrate some kids, depending on their temperament.

Water Wow Doodle Book (CreateForLess - $6.19)

Want an even simpler solution for toddlers or car rides? The Water Wow Doodle Book uses water and only water to create colorful works of art in character-themed pads. The pads come with a refillable water brush pen. As you child sweeps water over the uncolored page, a colorful scene from your child's favorite cartoon or movie is immediately uncovered, stroke for stroke. The best part? After a few minutes, the masterpiece dries and the color disappears, ready to be "painted" again. The down side: kids tend to lose stuff, and the same goes for the water brush marker included with the pad. If this happens, the water can be applied with a paintbrush or even by hand.

Aquadoodle Mats (Aquadoodle Toys $6.99-$29.99)

A well-known favorite, Aquadoodle products are a perfect combination of the Crayola Color Wonder and Water Wow Doodle Book concepts. Children color with included, refillable water pens. Whatever creations they draw are up to them; there are no pre-colored works to be uncovered. And, just like the Water Wow Doodle Book, creations dry and disappear within a few minutes time. Mats range in size from big floor mats to foldable travel mats. Down side: if your child is really averse to their creations disappearing, then the Aquadoodle Mats could leave them frustrated.

There are several different other variations and types of mess-free art, like the Color Wonder Finger Paint. Which type of mess-free art you choose depends on your budget, your needs and your child's temperament. Unlike our moms a generation ago, we have several different ways to let our kids create art without the seemingly inevitable mess. Kids get to express themselves and flex their artistic muscles, and the artwork stays on the page.