Learn how to paint butterflies with this fun and easy symmetry method. A perfect process art activity for kids of all ages! Updated March 2024 We all love symmetry painting, right? Kids love it. It’s easy, fun, and the result is unique every time. These symmetry paintings are also known by many other names. Some people call them inkblot prints, blotto painting or prints, smash art, smush art, squish painting, and more. Regardless of the name, what could be more perfect for painting butterflies?! They turn out beautifully every time! Here’s a video of the butterfly painting art activity in acti ..read more

Here are some of our favorite watercolor ideas for kids. These projects are easy, fun for a variety of ages, and produce lovely works of art! Updated April 2024 Watercolors are easily one of our top favorite art materials for little kids! We use liquid watercolors and watercolor palettes. We also love these tempera paint pods that act like a watercolor (they’re pricey but the pods are large and last forever!). See also: The Best Paints for Kids For paper, we like watercolor paper, which is thick and doesn’t warp with the watercolors. If you want to get fancy, try this circular pad of watercolo ..read more

How to make clay leaf prints with air dry clay. This easy nature craft project is fun for kids and creates a beautiful ornament or pendant to hang. Updated April 2024 We love making leaf prints, whether on fabric, paper, clay, or even plaster of paris. The process is so satisfying, and the results capture the natural beauty of leaves. One of the easiest and most lovely ways to make leaf prints is with air dry clay. You can use these clay leaf prints for ornaments, pendants, or as gifts. Here’s how we made these beautiful prints. First, here’s a video tutorial, then we’ll give you the step-by-s ..read more

Are you looking to get outside and make some art? Here are some ideas for nature art for kids, inspired by nature or using natural items. Updated March 2024 Nature is the original paintbox. All the colors we use can be found in the natural world and all paint pigments and inks were initially made from natural materials, such as plants and stones. Nature also provides the light that informs how we see the world. And it is the primary source of artistic inspiration from time immemorial. We’ve shared outdoor art ideas for kids and our favorite garden craft ideas. But this list is all about n ..read more

Here are our favorite creative activity books for kids and families! Explore, tinker, and create with these fun books. Updated April 2024 Looking for some inspiration when it comes to making art at home? Tired of scrolling through pinterest trying to find creative activities for your kids? We’ve got just what you need! Here are our favorite activity books for kids and families, guaranteed to provide you with tons of fun and easy activities related to art, science, and more! Some are written by friends of the blog and others are personal favorites of ours. Activity Books for Kids and  ..read more

Try oil pastel painting for a fun and easy process art activity. Combine the vibrant colors and smooth application of oil pastels with baby oil for a painting effect. Updated April 2024 Painting with oil pastels and baby oil is an Artful Parent classic. It’s one of our favorite invitations to create because it’s simple to set up, relatively mess-free, and kids love it! They draw with pastels and then use a bit of baby oil to blend the colors together, creating a cool painted effect. Kids can try blending colors together, making patterns, or even drawing pictures and turning them into ‘painting ..read more

Try these 10 simple invitations to create for kids. They are easy to set up ahead of time and encourage kids to let their natural creativity flourish. Updated April 2024 Invitations to create are great for all kinds of kids, both those who are constantly making and creating and those who are less likely to make art unprompted. An invitation to create is both an opportunity to entice a child to make art, but also an opportunity to introduce a new material, technique, or activity. Art invitations are obvious and clearly defined, unlike strewing, which is a more ambiguous and subtl ..read more

Here’s our favorite arts and crafts supplies based on years of experience. The best art supplies for painting, drawing, sculpting and more! Updated October 2023 We get asked for recommendations for kids art supplies all the time. Questions such as, “What paint should I buy?” “What are the best watercolors for kids?” “What markers do you recommend?” and “Where do you get your paper?“ We have done so many different art activities and used so many different art supplies over the years with family, friends, and all of the different kids art groups and classes we’ve attended and taught. So, we’ll ..read more

Easy and fun space art ideas for little space explorers! These out-of-this-world projects are perfect for kids and astronauts of all ages. Updated April 2024 We don’t know about you, but our kids are into space right now! Pretending to be astronauts, reading and learning about space and NASA, you name it and they’re into it! And of course, you can’t explore space without creating some really cool art along the way! Here are some of our favorite space art activities. These projects are open-ended and great for a wide range of ages. Plus, they provide the opportunity for kids to learn about spac ..read more

Learn how to use paints and rubbing alcohol to make beautiful watercolor planets. Create your own mini universe with this fun art activity! My family has been on a big space kick, ever since we visited the Kennedy Space Center this winter. My kids already loved stargazing, but our visit took things to the next level. Now we are deep into all things space. Naturally, we’ve also done lots of art exploration to go along with this newfound interest and this was easily one of our favorite space art projects. If you’ve never added rubbing alcohol to a watercolor picture, you’ve got to try it! The al ..read more