Art Projects for Two Year Olds

Painting

• Paint on paper. Simple finger painting can provide your 2-year-old with hours of fun. You can add interest (and increase fine motor skills) by offering brushes and other objects to paint a picture. Try using feathers, grass, plastic spoons and even spaghetti instead of a traditional paint brush. Have your child color in shapes you have painted to help with fine motor skills, identify colors and name shapes.

  Paint on a variety of objects. Explore painting on surfaces other than paper to create new types of art. Help your child paint rocks to give to friends and family as gifts. Paint a shoe box to hold art supplies. Decorate a chair or other furniture for your child's room.

  Use straws to blow paint around on paper. Spread a puddle of paint onto your paper, and then help your toddler position the straw at the edge of the pigment. Have her gently blow through the straw to push the paint around.

Drawing

• Trace hands, feet and even her whole body. This helps your toddler learn to name body parts, while also learning patience as she waits for you to trace each piece. Encourage your child to draw her eyes, nose, mouth and ears.

  Outline shapes and letters. Draw your child's name to help him start to become familiar with the letters in it. Draw shapes and encourage your child to trace the outline. While he may not have the fine motor skills to do it now, your child will learn the names of letters and shapes and also gain valuable practice holding a pencil or crayon.

Stamping

• Cut sponges into different shapes and use them as stamps. Help your child identify the shapes and ink colors he uses. You can also buy ready-made stamps, including alphabets, shapes and animals.

  Turn ordinary kitchen utensils into stamps. Cookie cutters, potato mashers and a variety of utensils all make great stamping tools. Consider buying kitchen gadgets specifically for creating art (try thrift store and garage sales for inexpensive options), so you do not ruin your everyday utensils.

  Use a variety of office supplies for printing. You can use bubble wrap, cardboard and plastic wrap to create textures. Encourage your child to feel each object before you apply the paint to stamp with it. Describe the texture (for instance, rough, smooth or bumpy) to help familiarize your child with the feel of different surfaces.

Other Ideas

• Create a hand- and footprint shirt. Cover your child's hands and feet with fabric paint, and then help him press each body part on to a clean T-shirt. These make great gifts for grandparents or other family members.

  Make food collages using finger foods, a glue stick and paper. Use a variety of cereals and popped popcorn to create designs on your paper. You can leave the collage plain or added paint and glitter.

  Paint your child's shoes. Help your toddler use fabric paint to make a design on their sneakers. Encourage your child to make choices about color and designs. Also add your child's name, so they become familiar with the letters in it.