Mess-Free Painting with Your Toddler

Now that the weather is colder and wetter, I’ve been busy searching for indoor activities to do with my 18 month old son. That’s when I came across this easy, mess free activity for little ones with short attention spans – painting in a bag. 

I love artwork created by my little man; I have been waiting so long for a baby painting to hang on my fridge. The only problem is that my toddler inevitably gets bored after a few scribbles, deciding to crunch the paper into a ball or rip it in half. That’s what makes this project so great: he can interact with it creatively (he likes to dance on it) and can leave it for a while before returning to play.

Easy set up, easy clean-up, and a fun activity for your toddler – what more can a parent ask for? Not to mention that at the end of the day, you’ll have a pretty cool piece of art for your wall.

Supplies: Washable paint of varying colours, a large Ziploc bag, packing tape, and thicker ply paper.

Tips: If you’re planning on displaying the finished project as art, choose a thicker ply paper. Regular paper may absorb the paint and rip when it’s removed from the Ziploc.

Instructions:
1.  Place a sheet of paper in a clear Ziploc bag.
2.  Squeeze a few drops of paint into the bag on one side.
3.  Seal the bag shut, squeezing out most of the air. (Ensure that the bag is completely and properly sealed.)
4.  Tape all four sides of bag to the floor, table, or window.
5. Have fun!

A Few Extra Tips:
When removing the paper from the Ziploc bag, separate the plastic from the page using the end of a long paintbrush. This will help to prevent smearing.

Once you’ve removed the paper from the bag, your little one can add a few paintbrush strokes before it dries. This is an easy introduction to using a paintbrush as the toddler simply smears paint that is already on the page.

And Voila! Let it dry, throw it in a frame, and with just a little paint, some paper, and a ziploc bag, your toddler has created their first masterpiece!