Brush glue on cardboard and lay on fabric scrapsWhite glue in a dish, a glue brush, cardboard, big fabric scraps. The child brushes, then presses scraps down.
Walk toy animals through paint to leave tracksLarge plastic animals, a thin tray of paint, a long strip of paper. The child walks each animal down the strip.
Chalk a fence, then wash it off with waterSidewalk chalk, a fence or a wall you own, a wet sponge. The child chalks it, then washes it clean.
Chalk on a big sheet of black paperBlack paper taped to the floor, three pieces of sidewalk chalk. The child draws, smudges with a hand and draws again.
Cover a cardboard box in stickersA box with a lid, sheets of large stickers with the backing edges peeled. The child covers every side.
Crayon the walls of a box fort while sitting in itA box big enough to sit in, laid on its side, chunky crayons. The child climbs in and marks the walls.
Dab a tall pale ghost on a dark sheet for HalloweenA big sponge, white paint, black paper. The child dabs a tall shape, the adult adds two eyes with a marker.
Dab color from a palette of large watercolor cakesA watercolor set with large cakes, a cup with a little water, a fat brush. The child wets, rubs a cake and dabs.
Dab paint with a big bath spongeA plate of paint, one large sponge, paper taped to the table. The child presses down and lifts to see the print.
Dab pink blossom along a drawn branch with a paper towelA branch drawn in brown marker by the adult, pink paint, a scrunched paper towel. The child dabs spring blossom.
Darken fence boards with a wide brush and plain waterA cup of water and a wide house-painting brush. The child paints the boards dark and watches them dry.
Dip a cup upside down and leave wet loops on the pageA sturdy plastic cup, a plate of paint spread thin, paper. The child dips the rim and prints circles anywhere.
Dot rows of paint with the bumps on a toddler blockLarge toddler bricks, a plate of paint, paper. The child presses the studs in the paint, then stamps dots in rows.
Drive chunky cars across a page from two paint puddlesA tray with two puddles of washable paint, chunky toy cars, big paper. The child drives through and across the page.
Fill a sticky-film heart with torn red and pink paperA heart of clear sticky film taped to the table, torn paper in a bowl. The child presses pieces on for Valentine's Day.
Flatten play dough with a small rolling pinPlay dough balls, a child-size rolling pin. The child rolls each ball flat and peels it off the mat.
Leave tire treads in soft dough with a wide-wheeled truckA slab of play dough, a toy truck with wide wheels. The child rolls it back and forth to lay tracks.
Mark a roll of paper taped down a hallwayA long strip of paper taped to the floor, crayons in a pot at each end. The child crawls along and draws.
Paint at an easel with one stubby brush and one colorPaper clipped to an easel or a wall, one pot, one short thick brush. The child covers as much as they want.
Paint stones with water to change their colorA tray of dry stones bigger than a fist, a cup of water, a brush. The child wets each stone and watches it darken.
Peel big stickers onto one thick linePaper with one thick marker line across it, a sheet of large stickers. The child peels and sticks along the line.
Press dot markers onto a sheet of big ringsPaper with large rings drawn by the adult, two dot markers with the caps off. The child presses a dot in each.
Press tissue pieces onto sticky film on a windowClear self-adhesive film taped sticky side out to a window, big tissue pieces in a bowl. The child presses them on.
Press toy animal feet into a slab of play doughPlay dough rolled flat by the adult, large plastic animals. The child walks them across and looks at the prints.
Pull painter's tape off a trayA tray crossed with strips of painter's tape, one end of each folded up. The child finds an end and peels.
Push big cookie cutters into flat doughPlay dough rolled flat, three large plastic cutters. The child presses, wiggles and lifts each one.
Rip newspaper into strips and fill a boxA stack of newspaper and an empty box. The adult starts each tear, the child rips to the end and drops it in.
Roll water onto the pavement with a paint rollerA paint tray of water, a small roller, a dry patch of pavement. The child rolls stripes that fade in the sun.
Scrape a line of paint across the page with stiff cardboardA strip of stiff cardboard, dots of paint along one edge of the paper. The child drags the strip to pull the colors.
Scribble all the way around a papered-over coffee tablePaper taped over a low table, a few chunky crayons. The child walks around the table and marks every side.
Scribble with a chunky crayon in each handBig paper taped down, two chunky crayons. The child holds one in each fist and scribbles with both.
Squish paint sealed in a bag taped to a windowA zip bag with two blobs of paint, sealed and taped on every side to a window. The child pushes the colors together.
Stamp stars with a big cookie cutter for gift wrapA large star cutter, a plate of paint, brown paper. The child stamps all over to make Christmas wrapping paper.
Stand jumbo craft sticks in a ball of doughA big ball of play dough, jumbo craft sticks. The child pushes them in upright and pulls them out again.
Stick big stickers around a paper band to wearA paper band cut to fit the child's head, large stickers. The child decorates it flat, the adult tapes it into a ring.
Stripe a big paper egg with a wide brushA large egg cut from paper, three watery colors, a wide brush. The child paints bands across it for Easter.
For 3 year olds 41
Bandage a teddy drawing with strips of paper tapeA big teddy outline drawn by the adult, strips of paper tape on the table edge. The child sticks one on each paw.
Brush glue on cardboard and lay on fabric scrapsWhite glue in a dish, a glue brush, cardboard, big fabric scraps. The child brushes, then presses scraps down.
Brush paint all over an appliance carton they can climb intoA box big enough to climb in, two pots of washable paint, wide brushes. The child paints every wall they can reach.
Brush water over chalk marks to make them runDark paper, chunky chalk, a cup of water, a brush. The child scribbles in chalk, then paints water over it.
Build a caterpillar from paper rounds stuck edge to edgeLarge paper circles, a glue stick, a long strip of paper. The child glues them edge to edge like a caterpillar.
Burst fireworks onto dark paper with a splayed cardboard fringeA cardboard tube snipped into a fringe and splayed by the adult, paint, dark paper. The child stamps bursts for July.
Chalk a fence, then wash it off with waterSidewalk chalk, a fence or a wall you own, a wet sponge. The child chalks it, then washes it clean.
Cover a big paper pumpkin in torn orange paperA pumpkin shape cut from cardboard, orange paper, a glue stick. The child tears and sticks until it is covered.
Cover a taped-up sheet in color and pull the strips awayPaper with strips of painter's tape laid by the adult, paint, a wide brush. The child paints over all of it, then peels.
Dab red through a heart-shaped hole in a sheet of cardboardCardboard with a heart cut out by the adult, taped over paper, red paint, a sponge. The child dabs for Valentine's Day.
Decorate a standing grocery sack on all four sidesA large paper bag stood open on the floor, chunky crayons. The child walks around it and marks every side.
Drip paint from a spoon onto paper on the floorRunny washable paint in two cups, two spoons, big paper on a mat. The child drips and dribbles from above.
Drop torn paper onto a page brushed with glueCardboard brushed with white glue by the adult, colored paper. The child tears pieces and drops them on.
Fill every cup of an egg carton with a rolled ball of play doughAn empty egg carton, play dough. The adult rolls the first ball, the child rolls one for each cup and drops it in.
Glue big paper feathers behind a brown circleA brown paper circle, large paper feathers, a glue stick. The child fans the feathers around for a Thanksgiving turkey.
Lay strips of masking tape on dark paperDark paper, short strips of masking tape hung ready on a table edge. The child sticks them down in any direction.
Lie under a low table and color the sheet fixed abovePaper taped to the underside of a low table, crayons. The child lies on their back and draws above them.
Make double lines with a taped pair of crayonsTwo chunky crayons taped side by side by the adult, big paper. The child draws and gets a double line.
Make long dough snakes under flat palmsA ball of play dough on a mat. The adult rolls one snake, the child rolls more and lines them up.
Paint a paper tree, then add big sticker ornamentsA tree cut from paper, green paint, a sponge, large round stickers. The child dabs it green, then sticks.
Paint on foil taped to the tableA long sheet of foil taped flat, two colors, a soft brush. The child paints on the shiny surface and it slides.
Paint over a taped heart, then peel itA heart outlined in painter's tape by the adult, pink and red paint, a sponge. The child dabs all over, then peels.
Paint with both hands on a floor sheet, a pot beside each kneeBig paper on the floor, two brushes, two colors. The child paints with both hands at once.
Print grass with the back of a forkA plastic fork, green paint on a plate, paper. The child lays the tines in the paint and presses rows along the edge.
Pull yellow and blue together on a damp sheet until green showsPaper dampened with a sponge, yellow at one end and blue at the other. The child brushes them together in the middle.
Put a large dot sticker on every drawn circlePaper with big circles drawn by the adult, large dot stickers. The child covers each circle with a dot.
Roll a tennis ball around a box dotted with paintPaper in a shallow box, three blobs of paint, a tennis ball. The child tilts the box and the ball lays tracks.
Rub a glue stick on paper and press on big shapesA fat glue stick, paper, large paper shapes in a tray. The child rubs glue, then pats a shape on top.
Rub sidewalk chalk on a path soaked by a watering canSidewalk chalk and pavement wetted with a watering can. The child draws and the lines come out bright.
Shut a page on wet color, rub, and open the surprisePaper folded in half and opened, paint blobs dropped on one side. The child closes it, pats and rubs, then opens it.
Slap paint with a clean fly swatter outdoorsBig paper on the grass, blobs of paint, a new fly swatter. The child slaps the blobs and they splat outward.
Snip dough snakes with child-safe scissorsPlay dough snakes rolled by the adult, child-safe scissors. The child cuts each snake into short pieces.
Speckle a page with crumpled aluminum foil dipped in colorFoil crumpled into a fist-size ball by the adult, a plate of paint, paper. The child dabs speckled prints.
Spin paint in a salad spinnerA paper circle in a salad spinner, drops of paint, the lid on. The child pushes the spinner, then looks inside.
Sponge a holiday wreath on a ring cut from a boxA ring cut from cardboard, green paint, a sponge, a paper bow. The child dabs the ring, the adult glues on the bow.
Squeeze play dough through a garlic pressSoft play dough, a garlic press. The child loads it with the adult's help and squeezes out strands.
Sweep a peeled crayon sideways across corrugated cardboardPaper taped over corrugated cardboard, a peeled chunky crayon. The child rubs sideways and stripes come up.
Tape paper streamers along the edge of a tableCrepe streamers cut to arm length, pieces of tape stuck ready on the table edge. The child tapes each one up.
Walk toy animals through paint to leave tracksLarge plastic animals, a thin tray of paint, a long strip of paper. The child walks each animal down the strip.
Wash watery paint across a page to find secret wax linesWhite paper the adult has drawn on in white crayon, watery paint. The child brushes across and lines appear.
Wrap a cardboard tube in bands of washi tapeA cardboard tube, three rolls of washi tape with the ends started. The child winds tape around until it is covered.
How it works
These art ideas for toddlers are set-ups for a child of two or three with an adult beside them. Each says what to set out and what the child does, and none uses beads, buttons or pom-poms.
Read the full guide
Art ideas for 2 year olds
For 2 year olds holds the set-ups with the fewest steps: press, peel, roll or scribble. For 3 year olds adds a step, such as fold and open, or paint and then peel. The ages are our own sorting, not a rule.
Painting ideas for 3 year olds
Choose Paint without a brush for cars, a fly swatter, a salad spinner and a tennis ball, or Brushes and water. Darken fence boards with a wide brush and plain water needs no paint at all.
Questions and answers
What are good art ideas for 3 year olds?
Set-ups with two steps. Shut a page on wet color, rub, and open the surprise. Cover a taped-up sheet in color and pull the strips away. Snip dough snakes with child-safe scissors.
What are easy arts and crafts ideas for toddlers?
Ones with one material and one action: Pull painter's tape off a tray, Dab paint with a big bath sponge, Scribble all the way around a papered-over coffee table. The adult's part is in the line under each idea.
What are some Valentine's Day art ideas for toddlers?
Through the year has three: dab red through a heart-shaped hole in a sheet of cardboard, fill a sticky-film heart with torn red and pink paper, and paint over a taped heart, then peel it.
What are some Christmas arts and crafts ideas for toddlers?
Through the year has a paper tree to dab green and cover in big sticker ornaments, a holiday wreath to sponge on a ring cut from a box, and stars stamped with a big cookie cutter for gift wrap.