Fun and Easy Painting Ideas for Kids

Ready to let loose and get creative with your kids? We've got 30 super cool painting ideas for kids lined up for you. The ideas are bright, colourful, and fun and are a great way to pass the time during school holidays or on a rainy day. 

Painting ideas for kids
 


From trying their hand at recreating some famous works to making up their very own masterpieces, these painting ideas will keep them busy, happy, and totally engaged. 

Now, painting with your little ones is fun, but it's got some serious perks too! Here are some of the many perks of breaking out the paintbrushes and getting a little messy:

 

Benefits of Painting with Kids


Painting goes beyond just giving kids something to do. Here are some of the many benefits of painting for kids:
  • enhances fine motor skills
  • boosts creativity
  • increases concentration
  • helps them express their feelings
  • improves visual-spatial understanding
  • builds problem-solving skills
  • promotes relaxation and stress-relief

For more benefits of painting check out our ultimate guide to painting with kids


painting for kids




Painting Ideas for Kids


We have loads of painting ideas for kids here at Messy Little Monster, but for this list of kids painting ideas, we'll focus on some of our favourite painting ideas that use different media and painting techniques. 

If you have young children you might also want to check out our lists of baby painting ideas and painting ideas for toddlers that focus more on process art. We also have a list of mess free painting ideas for those days when you don't want a big clean up! 

For lots more painting ideas check out our book, 'Fun Painting Projects for Kids', which is filled with 60 fun painting ideas for kids to enjoy. 

If you are looking for easy painting ideas that are ready to go then check out our pack of printable painting prompts. There are lots of fun painting ideas to get children's imaginations going included in this pack. 

Our list of canvas painting ideas is what you need if you are looking for a special painting idea to hand on the wall! 


Painting projects for kids



 

Scream Painting for Kids

Recreate Edvard Munch's famous Scream painting with a personalised twist. Kids will have a blast painting the dramatic backdrop using the template provided, then adding a snapshot of their own "scream" to the figure. 

The Scream painting for kids



 

Easy Heart Painting for Kids

This easy heart painting activity is all about colour. Using oil pastels, kids create concentric outlines of hearts and then fill in between with vibrant watercolours. It's a fantastic way to experiment with bright and bold colours.

Easy heart painting for kids



 

Paul Klee Magic Scratch Art Project

In this unique fish painting, kids will explore the magic of scratch art. Underneath a layer of black acrylic paint lies a vibrant canvas of oil pastels waiting to be revealed. This technique encourages fine motor skills and opens up a world of creative possibilities inspired by artist Paul Klee.

Paul Klee magic fish painting for kids -scratch art project



 

Easy Tree Painting for Kids

Create a beautiful tree painting against a colourful backdrop on a simple circle shape. By using paint sticks in circular patterns and black paint for the trees, children can bring a piece of the great outdoors into their art. This activity helps develop hand-eye coordination and introduces the concept of silhouettes in art.

Easy tree painting for kids



 

Claude Monet Inspired Art Project 

Introduce young painters to the world of Impressionist art with this Claude Monet-inspired painting. The bridge-over-a-pond with water lilies scene is recreated using a tape-resist technique. This project familiarises kids with Monet's iconic style and teaches them about different painting techniques.

Claude Monet painting for kids



 

Superhero Rock Painting for Kids

Transform simple rocks into superhero symbols with this fun superhero rock painting activity. From Captain America's shield to Hulk's fist and Spider-Man's symbol, kids can show their admiration for their favourite superheroes. They'll make great paperweights or decorations for the kids' rooms.

Superhero rock painting for kids



 

Bubble Painting Activity

Young and older kids alike will love this exciting bubble painting activity. By blowing air into a colourful bubble solution with a straw, kids create unique bubble spills on the page. This method gives each creation its own unique texture and design. Plus, it's loads of fun and perfect for sensory play!

Bubble painting for kids



 

Water Pistol Painting Idea

Water pistol painting is an exciting, outdoor art project for a sunny day. Fill water pistols with paint (thinned with water, if needed) and let the kids create their own explosive masterpiece on a canvas. It's a blast of fun that encourages creativity, outdoor play, and gross motor development.

Water pistol painting - easy painting ideas for kids



 

Van Gogh Sunflower Painting for Kids

Create a vibrant (and great-smelling) sunflower painting inspired by Van Gogh's famous art piece. Using the printable template, kids paint sunflowers in a vase, but here's the twist – they'll use colourful spices! This unique painting activity is a great sensory experience.

Van Gogh sunflower painting for kids



 

Flower Fork Painting for Kids

Who knew that a fork could be an amazing painting tool? In this flower fork painting activity, kids use forks to make beautiful tulip prints. Experimenting with new tools in art is a terrific way to encourage creativity and thinking outside the box.

Flower fork painting - painting ideas for kids



 

Pointillism Leaf Art Project

Learn about pointillism with this leaf art project. Make beautiful, dot-filled leaf designs using a cotton swab and a small paintbrush. This technique helps develop fine motor skills and introduces children to this classic art form. 

pointillism leaf art - painting ideas for kids



 

Pour Painting for kids - Flower Pot Art Project

Upgrade your flower pots with this exciting pour painting activity. By squeezing various colours of paint over the pot, kids can see the magic of colour blending and create stunning, one-of-a-kind designs. It's an excellent project for outdoor fun this summer.

Pour painting for kids -flower pot art project



 

Salt Painting for Kids

Have you ever tried salt painting? It's a fun technique that involves tracing a design in glue and then applying salt to the glue. Once that's dry, you can use a paintbrush to apply watercolours, which the salt absorbs, creating a beautiful, textured autumn tree painting.

Salt painting for kids



 

Painting with Coffee

Add a fresh aroma to your painting session with this fun coffee painting idea. Using coffee instead of traditional paint provides an interesting sensory experience for kids while introducing them to unconventional painting mediums. It's a stimulating, educational, and fun way to explore art.

Painting with coffee - painting ideas for kids


Blow painting with Straws

Put the paintbrushes down and paint using a straw instead! Blow painting with straws is so much fun. You can either have fun with the process and create a piece of abstract art or follow our directions to make a flower painting like the one below. 

Blow painting with straws - painting ideas for kids



 

Rainbow Cork Painting Activity

With a printable rainbow template and some paint-dipped corks, kids can create their stunning rainbow cork painting. It's a terrific way to encourage reuse of materials while exploring the colour theory of rainbows.

Cork painting - painting ideas for kids



Colour Wheel Painting Activity

If you want to learn a little about the relationship between different colours then have a go at making this turtle color wheel for kids. Paint the primary colours onto the turtle colour wheel template and then mix the primary colour paints together them to make the secondary colours. 

colour wheel painting activity for kids




 

Painting for Kids


Need more painting inspiration? Check out these beautiful and inventive ideas for putting paint to paper.

 
Kids painting ideas



Sunset Silhouette Watercolour Painting for kids

Capture the stunning colours of the sunset with this silhouette watercolour painting from Projects with Kids. Paint a beautiful watercolour sunset as the backdrop, then add silhouettes of buildings, palm trees, or hot air balloons in the foreground. Use this activity to explore contrast and learn about creating depth in a painting.

sunset silhouette watercolour painting for kids



 

Leaf Printing with Watercolour Paints

Let nature inspire your child's creativity while making this leaf printing with watercolours from The Best Ideas for Kids. Paint the back of a leaf with watercolours, press it onto the paper, and voila! You get a beautiful, organic print that's perfect for turning into greeting cards or wrapping paper.

Watercolour leaf printing - painting ideas for kids



 

Sponge Painting Elmer the Elephant Activity

Celebrate diversity and individuality with this sponge painted Elmer the Elephant craft by Buggy and Buddy. Just like Elmer's unique patchwork colouring in the popular children's book, kids can create their own vibrant and diverse patterns. This activity offers a creative and fun way to discuss themes of acceptance and uniqueness with children.

Sponge painting for kids



 

Seashell Painting for Kids

Bring the beach to your home with this seashell painting activity from Fun-a-Day. Using watercolours, kids can decorate seashells with beautiful, vibrant hues. Work on blending colours and using different painting techniques. The shells will make beautiful keepsakes of your beach vacations (or you can use craft shells instead).

Seashell painting for kids



 

Patriotic Smush Painting Activity

Go crazy with red, white, and blue with this patriotic smush painting activity from Our Kid Things. By smushing red, white, and blue paint beneath a layer of plastic film on black cardstock, kids can create their own abstract celebration of the stars and stripes. It's a fun, tactile way to explore colour mixing and patriotic themes.

smush painting for kids



 

Balloon Splatter Painting for Kids

Make a big, colourful splash with this balloon splatter painting idea from Hello, Wonderful! This activity involves filling balloons with paint and popping them over a canvas for a spectacular, splatter effect. It's a thrilling, hands-on way to create abstract art, and it's sure to get plenty of giggles too.

Balloon splatter painting for kids



 

Salt Paint Mermaid Tail Art Project

Go on an under-the-sea adventure with this salt paint mermaid tail craft from Our Kid Things. The salt gives a glittering, magical texture to the mermaid's tail, making this a dreamy art project for any mermaid-loving kid.

Mermaid tail salt painting - painting ideas for kids



 

Van Gogh Starry Night Fork Painting

Get inspiration from the masters with this Van Gogh Starry Night fork painting from Projects with Kids. Use forks to recreate the iconic swirling patterns of Van Gogh's masterpiece. It's such a creative way to put your own spin on a classic work of art.

Van Gogh Starry Night fork painting - painting ideas for kids



 

Scrape Painting Lion Art Project

Kids will have a roaring good time with this majestic scrape painting lion craft from Kids' Craft Room. Paint the lion's head by scraping paint across the page, creating a vibrant mane in the process. 

Scrape painting lion art project - painting ideas for kids



 

Pom Pom Painted Rainbow

This cheerful pom pom painted rainbow craft from Fantastic Fun and Learning is a great way to brighten a rainy day. Dip pom poms into various paint colours and dot them onto a paper plate to form a beautiful, vibrant rainbow. Painting with pom poms is a great way to improve fine motor skills.

Rainbow pom pom painting for kids




Sponge Painted Train Craft

All aboard for this fun and creative sponge painted train by Buggy and Buddy! Each sponge print becomes a train car, forming a colourful locomotive when completed. 

Train sponge painting for kids



 

Germ Blow Painting Art

Learn about germs in a fun and visually appealing way with this germ blow painting art from Simple Everyday Mom. Blow watercolours across the page using a straw and spread the paint in a pattern that ends up looking like germs under a microscope. It's a fun blend of art and science!

Germ blow painting for kids



 

Mandala Painting for Kids

Try making mandalas with this simple mandala painting activity from Woo, Jr. Starting with a basic pattern, kids can explore their creativity and focus while crafting their very own mandala. It's a great introduction to creating balanced, symmetrical designs.

Mandala painting for kids



 

Field of Flowers Painting

Paint a beautiful field of flowers using acrylic paints (or watercolours, if you prefer). This landscape art by Projects with Kids shows step by step how to make the grassy field using a combination of painting with paintbrushes, forks, and straws. 

field of flowers painting for kids



 

Handprint Rainbow Painting

For this handprint rainbow from Kids' Craft Room, kids will paint their hands in a range of rainbow colours, from fingertips to palms, then press their handprints onto the page to create a pretty rainbow. Isn't this one of the cutest pieces of keepsake art you've ever seen? 

rainbow handprint - painting ideas for kids





Kids Painting Ideas



If you are on the look out for even more painting projects then check out these lists of painting ideas for kids.  We also have a list of homemade paint recipes



Baby Painting


In our list of baby painting ideas we have included simple painting activities that are suitable for babies, as well as including lots of baby safe paint recipes for you to try. 

baby painting ideas



Toddler Painting Ideas


Our list of toddler painting ideas includes lost of simple painting ideas that are ideal for toddlers and preschoolers. Lots of these painting activities focus on the painting process rather than what the final painting looks like. 

toddler painting ideas



Watercolour Painting for Kids


If you love using watercolour paints then you will love this list of easy watercolor painting for kids. There are lots of fun painting techniques to try.

Easy watercolour painting ideas for kids



Q Tip Painting Ideas for Kids


If you have some spare q tips lying around you must give some of these q tip painting ideas for kids a try. Q tip painting is so simple, but it can look so effective! 

Q tip painting ideas for kids



If you enjoyed looking at these painting ideas for kids, pin the post to come back to anytime you're looking for a fun painting activity. 

Easy painting ideas for kids



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