Keeping toddlers entertained can be tough. Not only do toddler crafts have to be fast-paced and interesting, they also have to be easy enough for them to accomplish without frustration. Fear not; we've rounded up some colorful, creative crafts for 2- and 3-year-olds the little ones in your life are sure to love. Whether you're looking for an art activity for one toddler or crafts for a big group for preschoolers, here are 15 crafts for toddlers they're sure to love.
This heart craft for toddlers by Kim from The Best Ideas for Kids makes a wonderful gift for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day or for grandparents. Place a piece of paper in a plastic freezer bag with a few drops of washable paint and seal. Tape the bag to your toddler's work surface, then let them press and run their fingers over the bag to move the paint around. When they're all done, carefully remove the paper from the bag and lay flat to dry. Meanwhile, cut a heart shape out of a blank piece of paper and write a message or to/from on it. When the paint is dry, glue the heart sheet over the painted sheet and frame.
Photo: The Best Ideas for Kids
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Introduce toddlers to the world of gardening with this pint-sized personalized planter by Anne from Upstate Ramblings. Paint the rim around a small terra cotta pot using a sponge brush and your favorite acrylic colors -- or entrust your toddler with this task if you're not worried about crooked lines and drips. Squeeze some paint onto a paper plate, then dip your toddler's thumb into the paint and have them press it onto the pot four times, re-dipping as needed, to make a butterfly shape. Once the paint dries, use a permanent marker to draw an antenna and body, then fill with soil and your favorite flowers or herbs and watch them grow.
Photo: Upstate Ramblings
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Lauren from Daisy Cottage Designs came up with this cute under-the-sea montage perfect for toddlers (and much easier than buying a real goldfish ;-)). Cover a paper plate with shades of blue and green paint using a sponge brush until it resembles water. While it dries, cut pieces of green and yellow tissue paper for the seaweed, bunch together at the ends and glue to the plate. Spread glue across the bottom of the plate and drop dried white beans to resemble the sea floor. Cut out a fish on cardstock using this free template, or draw your own. Attach a googly eye, then coat the back with glue and stick it onto the plate, swimming in and out of the tissue paper seaweed. Allow everything dry thoroughly.
Photo: Daisy Cottage Designs
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Melissa from My Mommy Style turned kitchen scraps into cute toddler art with this clever ladybug craft. First, cut a potato in half and let it dry out a bit. Dip it in red acrylic paint, then stamp onto a piece of cardstock, re-dipping as needed. Once dried, draw a black line down the middle of each stamped area with a black permanent marker. To finish, dip littles' thumbs in black paint and have them press down on the top of each bug for the head and then use their pointer finger to create the lady bug's dots.
Photo: My Mommy Style
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Stacey from Glued to My Crafts developed an easy, straightforward craft that comes with a free printable. Simply print onto cardstock, set out an assortment of craft paint, and let toddlers create thumbprints to their hearts' content. (PS: Stacey suggests having some baby wipes nearby for quick cleanup.)
Photo: Glued to My Crafts
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Merge nature and creativity with this pinecone and buckeye toddler painting by Emma from Kids Craft Room. Start by taking a trip outside to round up buckeyes and/or pinecones (or grab this set). Place a piece of paper in the bottom of a cardboard box or old baking tray, provide several colors of paint, and let children decide how they want to make their craft -- rolling buckeyes or pincones through paint and then onto the paper, dipping and then pressing onto paper, putting paint-covered items into the box and then shaking, using many colors or just one -- allow each kiddos' unique approach to shine!
Photo: Kids Craft Room
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This cotton ball painting activity by Bekki from Domestic Mommyhood is similar to fingerpainting but minus the mess -- well, as much as you can minimize messes with a toddler. Take a treat pan with several small sections (such as this one) or a set of small bowls) and fill each with a different color of washable craft paint. Clamp a cotton ball with a clothespin, and set one out for each color. Place a piece of paper in front of your toddler, then let them dot and smear the cotton balls onto the paper.
Photo: Domestic Mommyhood
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This craft by Shauna from Ella and Annie requires a bit of prep from you -- but the surprise is totally worth the work! Draw a design using school glue on a white canvas and let dry. You can let older toddlers do this, too, but make sure they don't cover the entire canvas. Once dried, provide your toddler with a watercolor paint tray and let them paint the canvas. They'll love watching the paint separate and your secret glue design appear. Hang your co-created masterpiece when dried.
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Create wearable art with this painted pasta jewelry by Kate from Picklebums. Simply pull a box of tubular pasta out of the pantry and provide a set of brightly hued watercolor paints and brushes. Cover your work surface and let kiddos paint, then lay pasta flat overnight to dry. Once dried, have them thread pasta onto yarn then tie into a necklace.
Photo: Picklebums
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Sheryl, creator of Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds and longtime preschool teacher, says one of her all-time favorite toddler crafts is painting on foil because of the way the paint slides across the foil and reflects light. To begin, lay a piece of construction paper down and staple the foil to it for easy hanging on the wall post-painting. Pour tempera paint into a tossable container and add a squirt of dish soap, which Sheryl says keeps the paint from flaking once dry. Provide brushes and cotton balls for painting (but be prepared for toddlers to use their fingers) and let the painting begin! Allow paint to dry thoroughly before hanging.
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If you and your toddler know exactly what happens when A tells B and B tells C, "I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree," this Chicka Chicka Boom Boom-inspired craft by Rachel from I Heart Crafty Things is perfect for you. The palm fronds are actually green cupcake liners -- begin by folding and cutting them per the instructions. Cut a trunk out of brown paper and glue it to a full sheet of blue paper, which will serve as your background. Glue on your cupcake-liner leaves, followed by a few coconuts cut from your extra brown paper. To complete the tree, cover it with alphabet stickers.
Photo: I Heart Crafty Things
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Add a creative component to your Saturday morning donut run with this sparkly craft by Melissa from Kids Activities Blog. Before you begin, cut a hole in the middle of brown construction paper to make a donut shape -- the easiest way is to trace a plate then trace a cup or bowl in the center, then cut. Set out an assortment of jewels, sequins, stickers, glitter and glue, then let kids create their one-of-a-kind donut toppings. (PS: This would be a great craft to go along with a donut-themed birthday party!)
Photo: Kids Activities Blog
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Meri Cherry developed this fun, easy toddler activity using plain white tissue paper fans set up on an easel. Fill several plastic spray bottles with different colors of liquid watercolor or watered-down tempera paint, and let littles spray until the fans are fully covered. Once dried, hang with string or a chenille stem. If you're worried about a mess, this activity would also work well outside.
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This aquarium craft by Becky from The Crafting Chicks comes with a free printable, and best of all, minimal prep and clean-up. Begin by printing the free template on cardstock, then give toddlers a set of ink pads to press their fingers into and then onto the paper. Once they've covered their seascape in fingerprints, provide fine-line markers so they can add faces, tentacles and fins to create cute little sea creatures.
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A few toddler-friendly supplies are all it takes to create a wall-art worthy craft, designed by Becky from The Crafting Chicks. Take a doily (cut extra holes if you'd like) and help your child use a glue stick it to attach it to a canvas or watercolor paper. Note that you will be removing this once painting is complete, so only use a small amount of glue. Have your toddler use a set of watercolor paints to cover the canvas/paper, making sure to fill in all the holes in the doily. Carefully remove the doily and allow the paint to dry before hanging.
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