15 Easy Ideas To Introduce Art To Your Baby

15 Easy Ideas To Introduce Art To Your Baby

Are you looking for some easy ways to introduce art to your baby or toddler? Or maybe you like art, but you’re not sure where to start with your own child? Check out our list of colourful ideas, from fun days out to relaxed play sessions at home. 

1. Do Some Messy Painting At Home – Baby Art Ideas

introduce art to baby ideas - the photo shows a child's hands pressing down into a saucer of paint

Use washable paint for finger, hand-printing and footprinting or use paint dabbers. You can also make edible paint using cornflour, water and food colouring so that if little babies put it in their mouths it won’t harm them. You can be as messy as you like with this sort of paint! Some babies/pre-walkers may like to dab their knees and feet in paint and crawl or toddle across a big sheet of paper – you could do this outside if you have paving slabs.

2. Check Out Pictures And Postcards In Friend’s Houses

If your friends and family have children, chances are they’ll have some art work lying around or up on the walls, often done by children! See if your baby responds to particular styles and colours while admiring your friend’s children’s creations.

Most homes are also good places to see artwork, postcards and magnets on the walls and cupboards.

3. Experiment With Water Painting – Baby Art Ideas

introduce art to baby ideas - the photo shows a baby with their hand catching water from a watering can

Help develop your baby or toddler’s gross motor skills with a large block brush dipped in water. Just use a brush designed for sheds and fences. If you are  indoors, find a cardboard box or shoebox for you and your child to ‘paint’. If outdoors, you can use whatever surface will dry quite quickly – a shed, fence, wall, treehouse, paving slab, driveway or path.

4. Play With Playdough

introduce art to baby ideas - the photo shows six balls of playdough in different colours

Playdough is such a sensory and textile material. It’s great for baby to prod, push, squash and squish in their hands. And it’s really easy to make your own playdough as well using edible ingredients that’s extra safe for babies. Just mix plain flour with salt, warm water, food colouring and a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Toddlers can help with the mixing and kneading too. 

5. Go To A Café Or ShopIntroduce Art To Baby Ideas

Much like window shopping, you can go shop front art hunting with your baby in the pram or carrier. Tourist offices often display art by local artists, while cafés have art on the walls to sell. Once you start looking around, you’ll see art everywhere you go. You can hold young babies up or walk around with them so the art is more at eye level. The bigger and bolder it is, the better – babies will see contrasts in colours and shapes. 

6. Dabble In Chalk Painting – Introduce Art To Baby Ideas

introduce art to baby ideas - the photo shows a chalk rainbow on the floor

Your baby may have developed a palmer grip in which case they can begin to hold on to chunky pavement chalks. Scribble on paper, the floor, a shed or a fence, depending on what you have to hand! The local park can be a good place to try for pavement art – use a safe path. And it will wash away afterwards as well!

7. Go To A Messy Play Or Arts & Crafts Baby Class

Class providers recognise how valuable art and messy play can be for baby’s early development. So search here for an art or messy play class to suit you, and have fun meeting other parents as well. 

8. Paint Or Draw In Front Of Your Baby

If you enjoyed drawing, painting and colouring before having your baby, why not continue it as a hobby now your baby is here? Sketch something in the room that both you and your baby can see, or continue with an art project you’ve started. Even a mindfulness colouring book is great for sharing different colours, shapes and patterns with your baby. Geometric patterns help introduce your baby to very early maths concepts as well.

9. Look At Art And Posters in And Baby Group Venues, Libraries and Bookshops

Community centres, libraries and other common baby group venues all use posters as a way of advertising. Luckily for us, these posters are usually bright and colourful – perfect for stimulating your baby’s sense of vision.

10. Make Oobleck – Introduce Art To Baby Ideas

introduce art to baby ideas - the photo shows Oobleck (cornflour and water mixed) in a child's hand

Oobleck is a very fun gloopy substance that acts like both a liquid and a solid. Push it with your finger and it will feel hard to move. Pick it up and it will drip or run down like water. Your baby can really get their hands stuck in. It’s simple to make Oobleck by mixing water and cornflour together. Hours of fun experimenting- and we can guarantee parents will love this one as well!

11. Go For A Wander At A Modern Art Gallery Like The Tate Modern

introduce art to baby ideas - the photo shows a man with a baby in a pushchair pointing at something in a modern-looking building

Explore the free galleries at the Tate Modern, Tate St. Ives and Tate Liverpool –  or you can venture into a paid exhibition if you’re a member. The Tate Modern often has interactive art and activities for toddlers and children, so you can wander into that bit as well. Even very young babies who still see the world in black and white should respond to big geometrical shapes like circles and squares. Modernist paintings like Henri Matisse’s The Snail is particularly bright and colourful. Many towns have local art galleries to explore as well.

12. Get Arty With Dry Ingredients From The Kitchen

Dry rice, pasta, spaghetti, oats and flour are all safe ingredients you can have easily to hand in the kitchen for your baby to play with. Your baby can start to learn how different materials feel and act. If you use bowls for different ingredients they can mix and tip them out, swish them with their hands and even (with some help) stick them together if you want to make a dry pasta and spaghetti ‘sculpture’! See here for more sensory play ideas. You can also add water if you want to get really messy.

13. Check Out Your Local Town Museum

The museum round the corner from you may be more about local history or something else. However, many museums will often have free temporary exhibitions of local art, or travelling artworks and illustrations. Quentin Blake’s pictures have been touring recently, as well as artwork from The Snowman. You and your older child or toddlers should enjoy this art as well.

14. Find A Local Sculpture Park or Garden

For those of you living in or near Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Sculpture park is a huge area to wander around for a family day out, with lots to see outdoors as well as some inside space and a cafe. There are also Henry Moore’s gardens in Hertfordshire, Dartington Estate in Devon and loads of other sculpture parks around Britain. 

15. Visit A Stately Home – Introduce Art To Baby Ideas

Going to a stately home may seem an unusual one for a young baby, but there will be plenty to help stimulate their senses. Think ‘square’ cows, pictures of horses, sweeping landscapes and well-known landmarks (which you’ll enjoy looking at too).

Want to get out and about, have fun with your baby or toddler, and meet other parents?

Search Happity to find everything that’s happening for the under-5s in your local area – from music and singing classes, to messy play, arts and crafts, baby massage, gymnastics and more. Simply enter your postcode and child’s age to search, and then book your spot in a few taps. Enjoy dedicated fun time with your little one, watch their skills develop, and make friends at the same time. Mums, dads, grandparents and carers will all find something to love!

Find a class today!

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10 Fun Ways To Spend Time Outdoors With Kids This Spring

10 Fun Ways To Spend Time Outdoors With Kids This Spring

Are you wanting to get outdoors in nature with your kids this spring and looking for some ideas of what activities to do? Join Cora Gold of lifestyle magazine Revivalist for ten fun ways you can spend time outdoors this season. 

Spring is in full bloom, and after a long winter indoors, everyone’s itching to enjoy the sun’s warmth. With the new season comes many ways for kids to engage in fun and educational activities. So here are ten exciting ways to celebrate spring this year.

1. Ride A Bike

outdoor spring activities for kids - the photo shows a child riding a bike with two adults

Bike riding as a family is a healthy activity that helps improve attention and strengthen bones. Teaching your little one to ride a bike can become a formative memory and a big step in growing up. It’s a great way to foster a love of physical activity and spending time in nature.  

2. Plant A Garden – Outdoor Spring Activities For Kids

spring activities for kids -the photo shows a girl crouching down in a garden next to some flowers with a bucket

Gardening is a fun educational experience for the whole family. Go to a local market and let children choose which fruits or vegetables to plant. Teach them how to plant, water, weed and watch things grow into something beautiful and nutritious. 

You can also introduce kids to regrowing vegetables using kitchen scraps. This is a no-cost, minimal-effort activity that teaches the beauty of recycling and planting simultaneously. Some things you can regrow include lettuce, celery, carrots and tomatoes.

3. Go Fishing – Outdoor Spring Activities For Kids

Get your kids hooked on fishing this spring. Choose the right lake, practise casting, let children reel it in and celebrate catches. Pack lightweight, kid-friendly fishing gear to make the activity easier for them. Always wear eye protection and bring snacks to keep energy levels high. 

4. Fly A Kite

Flying a kite is a simple but exciting activity for kids. Head to an open field and teach them how to fly it properly. Watch them as the sense of accomplishment washes over them — it’s a great way to relive your fun childhood memories.

5. Make Clay Flowers

After a nature walk outside, keep the fun going when you get home with some clay. Head out to a nearby park or garden and take photos of flowers your child finds. Use the photos as a reference to create polymer clay flowers. When your kids are done sculpting, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the clay on the sheet and pop it into the oven. 

6. Play In The Rain – Outdoor Spring Activities For Kids

spring activities for kids - the photo shows a toddler in wellies putting his hand in a puddle

Dress your child in a raincoat and rubber boots the next time it rains, and play with them in the rain. Jump in puddles, smell the rain on the grass and make mud pies for an ultimate bonding time this spring. Giving kids time to explore can spark curiosity, joy and a deeper appreciation for nature.

7. Walk And Take Pictures

outdoor spring activities for kids - the photo shows a family walking through a wood

Turn your usual walks into a creative experience. Give your kid a camera and go on a nature photography walk. Encourage them to take pictures of birds, flowers, trees and other things that pique their interest.. Walking can help strengthen immunity, which is essential to prevent seasonal allergies, and the added fun of the camera will make the activity more exciting.

8. Visit a Local Farm – Outdoor Spring Activities For Kids

spring activities for kids - the photo shows a child and parent holding chicks

Take a trip to a local farm to learn about animals, fruits and vegetables. This activity helps kids grow a deeper understanding of where their food comes from. Many farms offer spring-themed activities like petting baby animals and planting seedlings.

9. Go Camping – Outdoor Spring Activities For Kids

outdoor spring activities for kids - the photo shows two children sitting in a hammock together

Pitch a tent in your backyard or a campsite for a night under the stars. Tell stories, make smores and enjoy the thrill of sleeping outside the house. Check the weather forecast before going on a camping trip to know what to prepare and expect. 

10. Watch the Clouds

When your kids are little, the simplest things can keep them entertained. If you need an easy, no-cost spring activity, simply go outside and look at the clouds. Make a game of finding clouds that are shaped like animals or foods. You can also give them paper and crayons to have them draw the shapes they see. Spark their imagination and see where the creativity takes them. 

Have Fun This Spring

Make this season a moment to remember with these fun outdoor activities. As the weather warms up and flowers start to bloom, take the time to enjoy nature with your little ones. 

Thanks To Cora Gold – Parenting Writer And Editor Of Revivalist

Cora Gold is a parenting writer and editor of women’s lifestyle magazine, Revivalist. Follow Cora on LinkedIn, X and Pinterest

Want To Get Out And About, Have Fun With Your Baby Or Toddler, And Meet Other Parents?

Search Happity to find everything that’s happening for the under-5s in your local area – from music and singing classes, to messy play, arts and crafts, baby massage, gymnastics and more. Simply enter your postcode and child’s age to search, and then book your spot in a few taps. Enjoy dedicated fun time with your little one, watch their skills develop, and make friends at the same time. Mums, dads, grandparents and carers will all find something to love!

Find a class today!

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