My youngest is now 20 months old and he always wants to keep up with the big kids. When they are painting, he wants to jump in as well, however I’m not quite fond of the huge mess that a toddler and paint can bring! I remembered a trick that I learned when I was teaching preschool before kids on how to paint with a toddler without the mess. Painting with toddlers doesn’t have to be a disaster! If you don’t mind a little water, they can have fun, too.
First you need a piece of colored construction paper. Pretty much any color will do and the brand doesn’t matter. The darker the color, the more your toddler may enjoy watching the transformation.
After you have your construction paper, also gather a paintbrush and a shallow container with just a little bit of water in it. Know that the water will likely get spilled, so I recommend keeping the water to the bare minimum. For my son, I used about 1/4 inch or so.
Next, let them have at it! When the water hits the construction paper, it makes the paper a little darker! This gives your toddler the illusion that they are “painting” without actually using paints! It’s a win for the toddler and a win for easy cleanup!
Afterward, you can even give your toddler a rag and encourage him to cleanup any spills. Easy Peasy! I’ve done this trick will all 5 of my kids and numerous kids that have been in our kid and they all love it! You can set the paper outside to dry and then even reuse it a time or two.
This is how our family conquers painting with toddlers. Do you have any other tips to add? Leave me a comment and let me know
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