How to do art with a two year old?

[june202]

My son has just turned two and I want to do some art/craft activities with him at home. I've got some crayons, felt tips and those paint stick things. He's tried gluing bits of tissue paper before but I think he's too young for that really.

What sort of art materials appeal to kids my son's age? Also, do you use paper/card? Is it best to get big sheets, like A2 size? Would setting him up at the kitchen table work or is it best to do it on the floor?

I find it best to buy a roll of cheap lining paper and use that as it's a good size

IKEA do a big roll of paper which is good and cheap if you have one nearby.

If you don't mind mess then I would think about getting some actual paint and then dip things in to make a mark - think old school potato printing, cut up a sponge or use plastic toys (feet on animals/wheels on cars etc.)

My 2yo also loves Playdoh which I picked up cheaply at Argos

It's Play Doh and some scribbling with wax crayons at that age.

I've no idea whether or not this is recommended from a child development point of view, but one thing I love to do with kids that age is sit down with some paints and paper and get them started with mark-making, and then gently join in by asking them what they would like me to draw and then drawing that.

A car, a tree, a fire engine, and so on. Somehow this experience is enchanting.

Outside if you can!! Chalk on pavement. Or paints, those big rolls of paper people have mentioned, hands and feet (and bums and knees and faces and elbows! 😆) There are also some dabber type paints that my two entertained a bit at that age but I generally found that the mess wasn't worth it for the small amount of time it entertained them for!

We’ve always done stuff at the kitchen table. Big pieces of paper are great, but it doesn’t really matter. Those big chunky wax crayons or any kind of crayons really are best when they’re little. When I’m feeling up to the mess I also let him loose with poster paints because he’ll just enjoy the mess, demand every colour we have and paint the same bit of paper over and over until it’s got a hole in it but he enjoys it. I also do stuff like cutting things out of a catalogue or magazine and making a collage. He tells me what he wants me to cut out and then we have the kind of glue you can put in a bowl and he can use with a paintbrush to either dab onto the picture or onto the paper and make a picture out of it. And I say all of this is an absolutely non-crafty mum!! He also likes those water painting books. Look up the Galt brand ones that you can use over and over. Also, I only got round to making Play-Doh at home with my third child but I highly recommend it. It’s really easy and quite fun for them to help/watch and choose the colours and turns out quite a lot softer than the Play-Doh that you buy. And my three have all loved play-doh. Again, as a non-crafty mum it only comes out when I have the mental strength for the mess generated!

Get pasta and rice.

Mix them up with paint in trays. Let them do the mixing with their hands.

Let it dry.

Another day let them experiment with it with coloured paper. They may match colour or out bright on dark etc.

Another day put glue on paper and let them explore sticking it.
Or thread pasta onto string if they have that level of dexterity.

Get some water sprays. Make coloured water with paint and spray outside.

Another fun one is to squirt ova glue onto white paper. Then use very watery paint to paint over the whole piece of paper. You could even pre prepare some that have their name, mum, dad, Nan etc on them.

At this age it's all about developing fine motor skills, recognising colour and developing their sense of creativity and interest in what art materials do and how they can manipulated.

Play doh with cutters and basic tools like the knife, scoops etc.

Paint and sponge shapes to dip in.

Painting with water outside is a good mess free one.

The Works do loads of good, cheap craft stuff, including big rolls of paper.