• 100 ideas

Easy Painting Ideas for Kids, Sorted by How Much Help They Need

Three ideas, each a project, the colours to put out and the household tool that does the hard part.

Easy Painting Ideas for Kids, Sorted by How Much Help They Need

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  1. Water painting on the patioWater only. Bucket and a decorating brush: paint pictures on dry paving and watch them vanish in the sun.
  2. Cardboard-tube firework burstsRed, yellow, white, blue. Cardboard tube: an adult snips one end into a fringe; fan it out and stamp on black paper.
  3. Fly-swatter splat painting on the grassRed, yellow, blue. Fly swatter: an adult dollops paint on a big sheet outdoors, the child splats it.

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All 100 ideas

An adult sets it up 32

  • Apple-half prints in a row Red, green, yellow. Apple cut top to bottom by an adult: press it in paint, print, then add a stalk and a leaf.
  • Bat shapes left behind by paper cut-outs Orange, purple, yellow. Paper bats: an adult cuts them out, the child sponges over them and lifts them off.
  • Card-stencil ghosts White, black, orange. Cereal-box card: an adult cuts a ghost-shaped hole, the child sponges white through it.
  • Cardboard-box rocket painted with a roller Red, white, grey. Big cardboard box and a small roller: an adult cuts the door, the child paints the rocket.
  • Cardboard-tube firework bursts Red, yellow, white, blue. Cardboard tube: an adult snips one end into a fringe; fan it out and stamp on black paper.
  • Crinkled cling-film ice cave Blue, turquoise, purple. Cling film: lay it over wet, watery paint, scrunch it up and leave it on until dry.
  • Doily-stencil snowflakes Pale blue, white, silver. Paper doily: an adult holds it flat while the child dabs through the holes with a sponge.
  • Drip flowers on kitchen roll Pink, yellow, blue. Teaspoon and kitchen roll: an adult thins the paint, the child drips it and watches it spread.
  • Fish with celery-print scales Blue, green, orange, yellow. Celery stalk cut by an adult: the end prints a U shape, and rows of them make scales.
  • Fly-swatter splat painting on the grass Red, yellow, blue. Fly swatter: an adult dollops paint on a big sheet outdoors, the child splats it.
  • Ice-cube paints on a hot day Red, yellow, blue. Ice tray and craft sticks: an adult freezes watery paint and says it is not food; draw as it melts.
  • Mummy wrapped in masking-tape bandages Black, white, yellow. Masking tape: tear strips and stick them across a black head shape, leaving a gap for eyes.
  • Potato-stamp pumpkin patch Orange, green, brown. Half a potato: an adult cuts it flat, the child stamps pumpkins and paints the stalks.
  • Poured puddle painting in a tray Pink, turquoise, yellow, white. Paper cups and a tray: an adult thins the paint, the child pours and tilts.
  • Rainbow scraped with an old plastic card Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. Old plastic card: dot the colours in a row and scrape them across.
  • Rolling-ball painting in a baking tray Blue, green, white. Baking tray and a bouncy ball: blob paint on paper in the tray and tilt the ball through it.
  • Salad-spinner swirl circles Red, yellow, blue. Salad spinner: put a paper circle inside, drop on paint, close the lid and spin.
  • Salt-sprinkled night sky Blue, purple, black. Table salt: sprinkle it on a wet, watery wash and brush it off once everything is dry.
  • Snowman in a toothbrush snowstorm Blue, white, orange, black. Old toothbrush: paint the snowman, then flick white snow over the whole page.
  • Sponge stamps: a star, a heart and a fish Red, yellow, blue. Kitchen sponge: an adult cuts the three shapes, the child stamps them in a pattern.
  • Spray-bottle sunset outdoors Yellow, orange, pink. Spray bottle: fill it with watery paint and mist a big sheet pegged to the washing line.
  • Sticker-resist starry sky Navy, purple, black. Star stickers: stick them down, sponge the sky over the top, then peel to find white stars.
  • String-pull flowers Pink, purple, blue. String and a heavy book: loop painted string on paper, press under the book, pull it out.
  • Sunflower as tall as you are Yellow, brown, green. Roll of lining paper: an adult tapes it to a door, the child paints the stem up to their height.
  • Tape-resist city skyline at sunset Orange, pink, purple. Masking tape: an adult tapes the building shapes, the child paints a sunset over them.
  • Tape-resist name on a canvas Red, yellow, blue, white. Masking tape: an adult tapes the letters, the child paints over the lot, then peel.
  • Tape-resist spider web Purple, orange, black. Masking tape: an adult tapes crossing lines into a web, the child sponges colour over it.
  • Toy-car tracks along a painted road Black, red, blue, yellow. Toy car: an adult sets out plates of paint, the child drives the wheels through them.
  • Tray print with a cotton-bud drawing in it Blue, green, yellow. Baking tray: roll paint over it, draw in the paint with a cotton bud, press paper on top.
  • Treasure map on tea-stained paper Brown, black, red, blue. Cold tea and a sponge: an adult helps stain the paper, the child paints the island once dry.
  • Waves dragged with a cardboard comb Blue, turquoise, white. Cardboard comb: an adult snips teeth into card, the child drags it through wet paint.
  • Whole-family mural on a roll of paper Red, yellow, blue, green, white. Roll of lining paper: an adult tapes it along a fence, each painter gets a stretch.

A child can do it alone 44

  • Blob monster with painted-on eyes Green, purple, white, black. Folded paper: squash a blob inside, open it and turn the shape into a friendly monster.
  • Bubble-wrap beehive Yellow, orange, black. Bubble wrap: paint it yellow, press it down for honeycomb, then paint the bees.
  • Building-brick print wall Red, blue, yellow, green. Toy building brick: dip the bumpy side in paint and stamp a wall, brick by brick.
  • Candy floss dabbed with a bath puff Pink, pale blue, white. Bath puff: dab a fluffy cloud of pink, then paint the paper cone beneath it.
  • Cardboard-tube circle caterpillar Green, yellow, red. Cardboard tube: dip the round end, print a wiggly line of circles, then add a face.
  • City at night printed with a card edge Black, white, yellow, blue. Strip of card: print building outlines with the edge, then dot the yellow windows.
  • Colour clouds on wet paper Blue, pink, yellow. Wet sponge: wet the paper first, touch watery colour in and watch it spread.
  • Cork-print ladybirds on a leaf Red, black, green. Cork: print red circles, then add a head, a middle line and spots with a cotton bud.
  • Cotton-bud dot tree in the colours of one season Brown, pink, green, orange, white. Cotton buds: paint a trunk, then dot the leaves in one season's colour.
  • Cotton-wool clouds on a blue sky Blue, white, pale grey. Cotton-wool ball in a clothes peg: paint the sky, then dab the clouds on top.
  • Cratered moon dabbed with kitchen foil Black, grey, white, yellow. Ball of kitchen foil: dab grey and white inside a circle for a cratered moon.
  • Feather-painted long grass with bugs Green, yellow, red. Feather: drag it upward for the grass, then dot the bugs with a cotton bud.
  • Fold-and-press butterfly Red, yellow, blue. Folded paper: blob paint on one half, fold, press, and open it to find two matching wings.
  • Fork-print hedgehog Brown, cream, black. Fork: print the spikes in rows from the tail end toward the nose.
  • Fork-print lion mane Yellow, orange, brown. Fork: press the back of it in paint and print the mane all round a yellow circle.
  • Frog on a lily pad in a sponged pond Blue, green, yellow, white. Kitchen sponge: dab the pond, then paint a pad, a frog and two big eyes.
  • Ghost family from fat white brush blobs Black, white, orange. Wide brush: one fat upside-down U per ghost on black paper, then eyes with a cotton bud.
  • Heart stamps from a pinched cardboard tube Red, pink, white. Cardboard tube: pinch one side into a point and a dent into the other to make a heart.
  • Jellyfish with tentacles that run Blue, pink, purple, white. Tilted board: paint a dome, add watery blobs beneath it and tip the board so they run.
  • Leaf-print forest with painted trunks Green, yellow, orange, brown. Real leaves: paint the veiny side, press it down, and add a trunk under each print.
  • Octopus with cotton-bud suckers Purple, pink, blue, white. Cotton buds: paint eight wiggly arms, then dot a row of suckers down each.
  • Overlapping biscuit-cutter outlines Red, yellow, blue. Biscuit cutters: dip the rim in paint and overlap the outlines, then fill the gaps.
  • Paint what the music sounds like Red, yellow, blue, black. Big brush and a playlist: fast song, fast marks; slow song, slow marks.
  • Peacock with a fork-printed tail Blue, green, turquoise, yellow. Fork: print the tail feathers in a fan, then dot an eye on each with a cotton bud.
  • Picture scratched through wet paint Yellow, orange, dark blue. Brush handle: paint thick blue over dry yellow and orange, and scratch a drawing in it.
  • Planet drawn round a jar lid Black, orange, red, white. Jar lid: draw round it, fill the planet with swirls, and dot stars with a cotton bud.
  • Pompom-stamped flower garden Pink, yellow, purple, green. Pompom in a clothes peg: stamp round flower heads, then paint a stem up to each.
  • Potato-masher waffle prints Brown, yellow, red. Potato masher: print the waffles, then paint syrup and a strawberry on top.
  • Rainbow in cotton-bud dots Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. Cotton buds: one bud for each colour, and dot each arch in turn.
  • Rainbow in one sweep of a wide brush Red, yellow, green, blue. Wide decorating brush: stripe the colours onto the bristles and sweep one arch.
  • Secret picture in white crayon Blue, purple. White wax crayon: press hard to draw, then wash watery paint over it to find the picture.
  • Sheep with a sponge-dabbed fleece Green, white, black. Kitchen sponge: dab a white cloud shape, then paint a black face and four legs.
  • Skeleton from cotton-bud bones Black, white. Cotton buds: on black paper print each bone as one white line, then paint a smiling skull.
  • Spider on a cotton-bud dotted web Black, white, purple. Jar lid and cotton buds: print a round body with the lid, add eight legs, dot the web.
  • Spiky sun from a washing-up brush Yellow, orange, blue. Washing-up brush: press and twist for the sun, then drag the rays outward.
  • Sponge-dabbed sunset with one black hill Yellow, orange, pink, black. Kitchen sponge: dab the colours in stripes, then paint one black hill.
  • Spotty dinosaur with cotton-bud spots Green, yellow, purple, blue. Cotton buds: paint one big dinosaur shape, let it dry, then cover it in spots.
  • Stick-painted animals on a torn paper bag Brown, black, red, cream. A twig: tear a paper bag open and paint the animals with the end of the stick.
  • Three colours make six: a mixing page Red, yellow, blue. Paper plate: mix each pair to find orange, green and purple, then paint a patch of all six.
  • Tiger with cardboard-edge stripes Orange, black, white. Strip of card: paint a tiger shape orange, then print the stripes with the card edge.
  • Tree crown dabbed with scrunched paper Brown, red, orange, yellow. Scrunched paper bag: paint a trunk, then dab the leaves on in three colours.
  • Trick-or-treat paper bag with a pumpkin face Orange, black, green. Paper bag: paint a big pumpkin face on the front and let it dry before filling it.
  • Water painting on the patio Water only. Bucket and a decorating brush: paint pictures on dry paving and watch them vanish in the sun.
  • Wrapping paper printed with a cork Red, white, green. Brown parcel paper and a cork: print a repeating pattern across the whole sheet.

Needs a steady hand 24

  • Birthday card with a painted cake Pink, white, yellow, brown. Folded card and a cotton bud: paint the layers of cake, then dot the sprinkles.
  • Black cat peeking over a fence Orange, black, yellow, white. Ruler: rule the fence planks, then paint two ears and two yellow eyes above them.
  • Butterfly with wing patterns that match Blue, orange, black, white. Folded paper: crease the page down the middle and copy every mark onto the other wing.
  • Castle with a flag on every tower Grey, blue, red, yellow. Ruler and a pencil eraser: rule the towers, then print stone blocks with the eraser end.
  • Cat silhouette against a striped sunset Yellow, orange, pink, black. Sponge and pencil: sponge the stripes, then pencil a sitting cat and fill it in black.
  • Cotton-bud rings on a paper plate Turquoise, pink, yellow, white. Cotton buds and a paper plate: dot rings from the centre outward, one colour a ring.
  • Dragon covered in U-shaped scales Green, yellow, red, purple. Pencil first: draw an S-shaped body, then fill it with rows of little U shapes.
  • Friendly robot built from boxes and lids Grey, red, yellow, blue. Small box and lids: draw round them to build the robot, then paint buttons and dials.
  • Haunted house with lit windows Purple, black, yellow, orange. Strip of card: print walls and roof with the card edge, then paint the windows.
  • Hot-air balloons with striped patterns Sky blue, red, yellow, white. Cup: draw round it for each balloon, then paint the stripes and a tiny basket.
  • Name in bubble letters with a pattern in each Red, yellow, blue, green, black. Pencil and ruler: draw fat letters first, then fill each with its own pattern.
  • One fruit, four squares, four colour schemes Red, yellow, blue, green, black. Masking-tape cross: split the canvas in four and paint the same fruit in each.
  • Owl at night drawn round lids Navy, brown, white, yellow. Jar lid and bottle cap: draw round them for the body and the two big eyes.
  • Pair of odd socks Red, yellow, blue, green. Your own sock: draw round it twice and give each sock a different pattern.
  • Rocket blasting off on sponge flames Navy, red, white, orange, yellow. Ruler and sponge: rule the rocket, then dab the flames underneath.
  • Self-portrait from a hand mirror Brown, white, yellow, red, black. Hand mirror: mix the skin colour, paint the face shape, then hair, then features.
  • Snail with a spiral shell Green, brown, orange, yellow. Bottle cap: draw round it for the shell and paint a spiral from the middle out.
  • Stained-glass window in black lines Black, red, blue, yellow, green. Ruler: rule black lines that cross, let them dry, and fill each gap with colour.
  • Striped witch hat with a buckle Black, purple, orange, yellow. Ruler: rule a triangle and a brim, then stripe the band and paint the buckle.
  • Three pumpkins: happy, sleepy and surprised Orange, green, black, yellow. Jar lid: draw round it three times and give each pumpkin its own face.
  • Toucan with a rainbow beak Black, white, orange, yellow, green. Pencil first: draw the big curved beak and stripe it like a rainbow.
  • Toy shadows traced and painted in Black, grey, blue. Toy animals and a sunny window: stand the toys by the paper, trace the shadows, fill them in.
  • Unicorn head with a rainbow mane White, pink, purple, blue, yellow. Pencil first: a simple horse head, then a mane with one stripe per colour.
  • Watermelon slices in a repeating pattern Pink, green, white, black. Cup: draw half circles round the rim, paint rind and flesh, dot seeds with a cotton bud.

How it works

Easy painting ideas for kids depend more on the help at hand than on age, so these 100 projects are sorted by help: an adult sets it up, a child can do it alone, or it needs a steady hand.

Read the full guide

Pick by help needed, not by age

Thirty-two ideas sit under An adult sets it up, which means taping or cutting first: in Tape-resist name on a canvas an adult tapes the letters and the child paints over the lot. Forty-four sit under A child can do it alone, such as Fork-print lion mane. The 24 under Needs a steady hand ask for outlines, like Dragon covered in U-shaped scales.

Kids painting ideas start with the paint label

Choose paint whose label says it is washable and made for children. Poster paint, called tempera paint in the US, is the usual school paint. Acrylic, once dry, resists water. Fifty-five of the 100 palettes need only red, yellow, blue, black, white and the orange, green and purple found in Three colours make six: a mixing page.

  • Halloween painting ideas for kids stay friendly: Ghost family from fat white brush blobs is one of 14.
  • Fold-and-press butterfly rarely fails: the fold works as a mirror, so whatever lands on one wing prints on the other.
  • Tray print with a cotton-bud drawing in it is a monotype: a second press comes out fainter.

Questions and answers

What are good kids canvas painting ideas?

Under More filters, set Kind to Good on a canvas: 29 ideas. Sponge-dabbed sunset with one black hill and Spotty dinosaur with cotton-bud spots are canvas painting ideas for kids who want to work alone. Halloween sits in the same row.

What do these kid painting ideas need from the house?

Cotton buds appear in 15 ideas and a sponge in 13, so start there. Then a fork, masking tape, cardboard tubes, a jar lid, a ruler and strips of card. Add paper plates, one wide brush, one small one and newspaper.

Which ideas need no drawing at all?

Rainbow in one sweep of a wide brush is a single arm movement, and Colour clouds on wet paper is watery colour touched to wet paper. Water painting on the patio uses no paint: a bucket, a decorating brush and dry paving.

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