Looking for something fun to do with kids on rainy days? We have prepared a roundup of creative finger painting ideas you can do with your toddler or child. In addition to having many developmental benefits, it’s also a lot of fun for both of you!
Here are some practical tips to get you started.
Finger paint is a great option for toddlers and kids of all ages as it helps to promote their motor skills and gets them interested in the arts!
If you’re crafting with your toddler, make sure to select an edible finger paint color or make one yourself at home – we have included a link to a recipe in this post. The last thing you want is for your toddler having a taste of the artificial color full of chemicals. If you make one at home, you can choose what ingredients to add and you know it’s perfectly safe to use for kids.
Finger painting crafts and activities are suitable for kids in a wide age range. You can start these creativity activities from an early age around 6-18 months.
Before you say, this is too early, think about the sensory development at this stage. These activities are great for fine motoric development and strengthen finger and hand muscles. Yes, they may make a lot of mess, but it should be easy to clean and you can protect most surfaces by flatting out cardboard boxes.
Happy crafting!
How to Do Finger Painting With Toddlers
Before you start creating your finger painting ideas, do not forget to use food paint when there are babies and toddlers around.
You can also use water-based, non-toxic, non-settling tempera paint that is safe for the baby’s skin and is easily washable. It is fast-drying and ideal for multiple types of material that you may want to put your baby’s feet or handprints on.
- Spread paint on a tray, piece of paper, or benchtop, and let your kids make different patterns with their handprints. Allow them to experience the sensation of the paint.
- Be part of the fun and join your kids while they are painting.
- Make it more educational, and try to use more vocabulary while painting. For example, describe how you mix primary colors so you can make orange, purple, green, etc.
- Play some music while you paint. Encourage your child to paint under the rhythm of the music.
- Make the paint more interesting- some of the coolest finger painting ideas include different textures, tools, and details. Add vegetable cutters to use as stamps, rollers to create new patters, stickers to decorate the art piece or different materials that can be pressed on the paper.
- Try making prints of the patterns by pressing clean sheets of paper onto the paint, using sponges or an old rolling pin to create a new pattern.
- Don’t forget it’s an art activity that should be mostly about fun – what you create doesn’t have to be perfect or display-ready.
Finger Painting Ideas for Preschoolers
DIY and craft projects are not only a fun way to spend some time with your kids but also a wonderful tool to teach them different things.
With these finger painting ideas, your little artists will:
- Learn how colors work, especially mixing primary colors
- Support sensory integration by using brush and other materials they can touch
- Improving fine motor development by strengthening finger and hand muscles
- Learning about color, shape, and spatial relationships
- Using hearing, touching, and smelling senses
Here are our favorite 20+ finger paint ideas from Pinterest, and you can find many more craft ideas on our board here.
1. Fall Tree
2. Family Fingerprint Idea
3. Footprint Rocket
4. Heart Tree Fingerprint Craft
5. Fingerprint Dandelion
6. Footprint Flowers
7. Monet Fingerprint Project
8. Fingerprint Bees
9. Fingerprint Animals
10. Fingerprint for Toddlers
11. Fingerprint Christmas Tree Card
12. Fingerprint Butterfly Mug
13. Fingerprint Christmas Lights
14. Fingerprint Snowmen
15. Fingerprint ZOO Animals
16. Winter Tree Finger Painting
17. Hand Print Flowers
18. Fingerprint Carrots
19. Edible Fingerpaint for Toddlers
20. Under the Sea Finger Paint Idea
21. Chicken Fingerpaint
22. Easy Finger Painting Ideas
22. Cool Drawings Techniques
23. Cool Finger Paintings Ideas for Kids
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