4 painting activities for kids to do at home

Four painting activities for kids to do at home - A guide by Turtletot Childcare Bexley

There has never been a better time for kids to get creative and learn the different ways that they can express themselves creatively. Painting and art can be so much more varied than just using a paintbrush and paper, so here are some fun painting activities kids can do at home:

1. Cotton bud painting

Cotton buds make awesome painting instruments, and you likely already have them at home, so you don't need to go out and buy anything! Small cotton buds encourage fine motor skills because they require a different grip than a pen or pencil and because everything is smaller, it creates very little mess, which is perfect for kids!  

2. Cookie-cutter painting

For this one, you'll probably want more than just a standard-size piece of paper because the art your kids will create might be a little bigger than a regular painting. But you can tape your paper to the floor, give your kids paint and fun shaped cookie-cutters and let them at it! Animal shapes, hearts, stars - the possibilities are endless.  

3. Bubble-wrap painting

This one is a little more involved but well worth the fun. All you need is bubble wrap and some fun printed out shapes like triangles, squares, stars and moons. You can cut out the shapes on the paper, and then use those as stencils to cut out the shapes in the bubble wrap. You'll want to put several colours of paint in wide, flat trays and then all your kids need to do is lay the bubble wrap bubble-side-down in the paint and print it onto the paper!  

4. Melted crayon painting

Keep the shavings from your kids' crayon colouring, or grate crayons with a cheese grater, and let your kids use them to make awesome art! All they need to do is sprinkle the shavings on to a piece of paper, draw whatever they would like with their finger, and then put a piece of baking paper over it and iron the paper to melt the wax. Depending on your kids' ages, you will need to be the one who does the ironing, but it's loads of fun either way. If you need more inspiration, some other fun and unique tools to paint with include leaves, forks and toilet rolls. The possibilities for creativity around the house really are endless. At Turtletot, we incorporate art into our daily activities because we love encouraging creativity in kids! We are committed to giving kids a great start in life through educational practices and attention to emotional, social, self-help and physical skills. If you are looking for quality childcare in Bexley, get in touch with us today!