Messy Fun Toddler Art Projects!

This past week has been a crazy-busy one at our home. I taught another art camp- Messy Fun Toddler Camp. I am ready to show you what we did! I didn't get pictures of everything- teaching (7) 2-5 year olds is hard enough without bringing in a camera, so I don't have many pictures of the kids working on the projects, but I'm sure I'll do lots of these projects again with my two little ones, so I may snap some pictures later and add them. I made each child an apron with their name on it (stenciled it on with fabric markers) so they wouldn't get their clothes dirty and would have something to take home and do art in.

Here's the list of projects we did and some accompanying pictures:

Texture Painting- I found some awesome textured rollers and unique brushes at our school supply store and I had the kids experiment with mixing colors and noticing texture. We used tempera paint and watercolor paper.

I always put out only primary colors (red, yellow, blue) for projects like these so I can show the kids the magic of mixing colors and learning how to make the secondary colors (orange, green, purple).

The finished product would be great to cut into postcard size paper and write a note with sharpie. Or frame them and hang them up in a playroom. I think these turned out so fun.

Fruit Stamping- We cut up fruit and veggies- apple, oranges, lemons and potatoes, stamped them in paint and stamped on the page.

Once again, I let them mix from primaries and we talked more about which colors to mix together to make secondaries.

I think these turned out beautiful! and would make some great framed art.

Another fun painting project we did was bubble art: I filled the pans with water and mixed in some dish soap ( a couple squirts) and tempera paint and mix together with a knife or popsicle stick.

I gave the kids straws (and make sure you review how to blow OUT, not IN!!!!) don't want any of them swallowing paint! Blow bubbles in the paint/bubble mixture and then press cardstock paper on top of the bubbles.

Another version of this project (not pictured) is to dip the tip of the straw in paint and have them blow out onto the paper. This would create a darker splatter of paint-- a bit messier, but also a cool design.

Our outside projects were also super fun!

I traced their body on butcher paper with sharpie and let them color in their face, skin and clothes. I loved doing this and thought it was so funny that some kids refused to lay down to get their body traced (like my 2 year old) and some kids spent tons of time on it. Luckily I had so many things planned that I could let them work at their own pace or not even do it at all. (yes, we used toy cars to hold the corners down!!)

We made sidewalk chalk paint,

and bird feeders,

salt designs and shaving cream art.

(all these outside projects have links with recipes and instructions)

Sharing my projects here: