Finger Painting for Toddlers

I love to go outside where I can play, run around, and have adventures. It’s unfortunate that there are times when going out is not an option, and I’m forced to stay indoors. If I have to be cooped up inside the house all day, I like to do a fun activity or project to pass the time. I have been drawing and coloring with crayons for some time, but recently I discovered finger painting.

Crayons are nice, but paint is better. Paint is wet, so you can dip a paintbrush into it or just go for it with your hands. You can carefully keep your colors separate or swirl them around to see what happens. There is an infinite combination of ways that you can get paint onto paper.

If you haven’t discovered the joy of paint for yourself, I highly recommend it. I’ve put together some tips based on my experience to get you started. With just some basic supplies, you can be well prepared for the next time you’re stuck indoors. You’ll have so much fun that you’ll almost wish you could stay in more often.

What You Will Need

A successful finger painting project requires some basic supplies. Here is your shopping list:

• Non-toxic washable paint
• Paint brushes
• Paper to paint on
• Disposable plates
• Large piece of plastic or drop cloth
• Tape
• Paper towels and wet wipes

Setting Up for Finger Painting

Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Keep this in mind when you’re choosing a location to set up your art studio. A room with carpet on the floor, upholstered furniture, and multiple paths of escape is a bad choice. A tile floor in the corner of a room is a much better option.

Begin by putting down your plastic or drop cloth to protect the floor and make cleanup easier. There are several options you can choose from. A plastic tablecloth would work well, or you could use an old sheet that you’re planning on retiring. You can also buy rolls of plastic designed for keeping paint off your stuff when renovating.

Whatever you decide to use as a floor cover, it’s a good idea to tape it to the floor to keep it in place. Once you have a nice space created, it’s time to set up your supplies. Take a sheet of paper and use tape to secure it to the ground right around the middle of your drop cloth. I like to use large sheets of paper for bigger paintings, but you can use standard white paper.

Use a couple of disposable plates to hold your paint. Pour small quantities of three to four colors on each plate. To start, it’s best to use one plate and then add a second with three to four different colors when the paint on your first plate begins to run low. Put some paintbrushes near the paint and keep your paper towel and wet wipes within reach for emergencies.

You’re ready for finger painting. Now all you need is a toddler.

Time to Make Art

Your experience may differ, but this is how my first painting project turned out. I started out strong with a large brush in hand. I dipped it into the paint and began making bold and colorful brush strokes on my paper. It’s a very satisfying feeling to see an empty canvas begin to transform into art.

I started out using individual colors one at a time, but soon I began to experiment with different color combinations. This quickly turned into a swirl of colors on my paper plate. It was so pretty, and the results I got were not always what I expected.

Soon my clean brush handle began to drip with paint. This accident led to inspiration, and I quickly began to use the brush to apply paint to one of my hands. With just a bit of guidance from Mommy, my paint-colored hand found its way to the paper, and so my painting project evolved to finger painting.

I quickly realized that I could be much more efficient by bypassing the brush altogether and dunking my hand directly into the paint. This was fun and highly effective, but I missed the feeling of the soft brush bristles on my skin. I went back to my brush and applied another coat of paint to my hand.

At this point, things were still well under control, and I was happily enjoying my painting experience. After all, finger painting is a perfectly normal toddler project. Then we experienced a bit of a derailment. I didn’t want my feet to feel left out, and so finger painting turned to toe painting, and this quickly escalated to whole body painting. These developments weren’t entirely disappointing.

Finger Painting Cleanup

I did end up with a true painting full of colors and textures. By the time it was all over, I had paint all over me, but this was simple to fix. After a quick removal of my paint-soaked clothes, Mommy carried me to the tub, where I enjoyed a relaxing bubble bath.

When they say washable paint, they actually mean it. My clothes looked good as new after a wash in the machine. The brushes I used also washed relatively well, and after air drying overnight, they were ready for another painting project.

The disposable plates smeared with paint easily found their way into the garbage. No washing required. Our plastic drop cloth did its job of catching the paint accidents as it was supposed to. Mommy folded it up and put it away for next time.

Painting was a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to do it again. Mommy said we would be revisiting my finger painting art soon because she has an idea on how to turn my painting into wall-worthy art. Check out how that DIY project turned out.

Finger painting has become one of my favorite activities, and I can’t wait to see where it will take me next. I love getting messy and creative with all the different colors. Mommy always encourages me to express myself through art, and I feel so proud of the masterpieces I create. I can’t wait to see how my finger painting skills develop and the beautiful artwork I will make in the future.