Friday Finds: Toddler Art Materials

Wednesday I shared our first official art project that we did with Sage.  I also talked about the dilemma of finding appropriate art materials and projects to use with babies.  I wanted to highlight a few of my favorite baby and toddler art materials and tools in Friday Finds.  So here we go.

 

Crayons are a great art tool to use with toddlers, start at around 18 months.  Using crayons to scribble with introduces them to art and improves hand coordination.  To start with try the large, fatter crayons they will be easy for their little hands to grip and hold on to.

I love crayola kids' paint, it is washable and non toxic.  Try a few painting projects with your baby/toddler it will be messy but allow them to explore the materials.  Finger painting is a good project to start with and as they grow you can move onto using paint brushes.

Look for children's paint brushes like those pictured above, with a wide handle to make it easier to hold on to and control. And wide paint bristles to paint with.  A tip for painting with young children tape the paper to the surface you're working on to prevent it from sliding all over, and use a thicker paper like watercolor paper so they don't go right through the paper and make holes.

I haven't used these, no spill paint cups, but I've seen them around and they look like a great idea for young children.  The whole in the top is just big enough to get the paint brush through and this type looks like you could put the lid on to save the paint from drying up.  

DIY paint holder I found this on pinterest and marked it to try with Cy sometime.

Chalk is another great everyday art material for toddlers to use.  The size of this type of chalk is perfect for those little hands and the colors will really show up on blacktop.  Or try an indoor project using a large piece of black poster board of them to color on.  Get even craftier and make a chalkboard wall in your house for endless chalk fun.  DIY chalk recipe.

And last but not least some of my favorite project ideas are from using found objects as art tools.  This is perfect for young children it teaches them how art can be fun, incorporates play and allows them to express themselves.  Last month I posted an everyday objects as art tools and featured the balloon painting, credit card painting and pedulum were both featured on The Crafty Crow blog.

Friday Finds: DIY homemade art materials

DIY Homemade Art Materials:

Crayon Molds-
This is one of my all time favorites.  Not only do you get neat crayons it's a great way to recycle all those broken crayons you have all over your house.  Use a muffin tin and melt them in the oven like in the example; it makes great crayons for toddlers. Or you can melt them in a metal can in a water bath on the stove and pour into plastic molds.

(Ice cube) Watercolors- whether you freeze them to make ice cube watercolors or just use them as watercolors, adding water to your tempera or acrylic paints will stretch your paints even further.  Using an ice cube tray add paint to each section and mix with a little bit of water.

Sidewalk Chalk
chalk can entertain your children outside for hours.  It offers endless possibilities and a large work space depending on the size of your sidewalk or driveway.  Not sure if I'll get to this before the colder weather sets in but this will be a must for next summer. 

Bath Crayons-  art can go anywhere, even the bathtub.  Here's  step by step instructions using gylcerin soap base, food or soap dye and molds (optional ice cube tray).  This might be the only time children will get clean making art.

Playdough- My four year old loves playdough.  But in the same day he gets it he also manages to mix every color together and then leave out about half of it around the house or in the carpet.  Here's an easy recipe for playdough, the will last a few days when covered.  It will save you on the cost of continually buying playdough, the recipe includes items you already have it your kitchen. 

Enjoy getting your little helpers involved in making their own art materials!  Have fun, be creative and explore art!