To continue with my preschool art series…
Yes, kids’ art can be messy sometimes.
Especially when the art doesn’t happen on paper.
Pens and markers on the wall? We’ve gotten lucky so far. To be honest, though, I have sometimes allowed my kids to draw on the walls.
I’ve even encouraged it on a couple of occasions!
I’ve learned that messy art can still be easy to clean up. It’s also a great way to keep kids distracted for a while.
That lesson started once upon a time . . .
A couple years ago, we decided to drive across the country with a toddler. A toddler who hated car rides. That trip took us several long days of driving, split up over several weekends.
Yes, we let him play with a tablet on the drive.
We also found a miniature whiteboard with dry erase markers for him to play with in the car.
Toddlers don’t generally have a long attention span, so I still had to wipe the board clean every 2-3 minutes. Then there was the day the toddler managed to sit on a red marker for half a day. I don’t recommend trying that!
The markers definitely kept him happy, though. Even the big red splotch on his jacket rinsed off fine.
After that success, we decided to try a set of washable crayons.
(Just a note here—not all crayons will be ‘washable’ to the same degree. In my experience, the washable Crayola crayons wash off the best. You may want to double-check before turning a toddler loose with any crayon or marker!)
Soon after we got the crayons, I needed to keep my kid busy while I finished a project. So, I encouraged him to draw on the wall. Oops?
Or, not really oops?
He loved it, of course! He also loved helping me clean up afterwards. Toddlers think playing with water and a washrag is almost as fun as playing with crayons.
So, try some messy project occasionally! And then let your kids help with the clean up as well. (Again, just be sure to check how well the paint cleans first!)
5 ideas for messy activities:
Marker tattoos. Let kids draw on themselves with washable markers. (For easy clean-up, plan this activity right before bath time.)
Kids’ watercolors. Since the paint is water-soluble, it washes up nicely even it dries onto clothes or other surfaces.
Melissa & Doug Water Wow books. These books have paintings which change colors when kids brush them with water. They’re hardly messy at all–unless your kid is learning to unscrew lids. Each brush only holds a couple tablespoons, so doing that once isn’t a big deal. Five times in a row? Nope. Not doing that!
Finger paints. This is one of the messiest options, since the paint can smear everywhere. I manage the mess by squirting small blobs of paint directly onto the paper. Wait until your child has spread those around, and then add some more blobs. Avoid open containers of paint at all cost.
Anything with Crayola washable crayons or markers. A mini whiteboard, scrap paper, a spiral notebook (younger kids don’t care if it’s lined or not). We’ve even used the blank side of junk mail letters. Not to mention walls!
Bonus ideas:
We also recently tried window markers for the first time. They were a hit—especially with our full-length glass door. (I still need to check whether the markers wash off the wall, since they didn’t stay exclusively on the windows.)
Wipe-clean books are another great option as well! We use dry-erase markers on them, but even washable crayons will work.
What are your favorite messy art activities to try? I’d love to hear what works best for you!
And let me know if I’ve given you any new ideas for playing with messy art!
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