When springtime approaches, it’s always exciting to watch how the seasons have changed.  From those harsh winter months to sunnier days, you and your kids may be inspired to create beautiful artwork. Along with the seasons, your child is changing and hitting major milestones as a toddler. Artwork is a great way to commemorate those milestones and get their creativity flowing – especially after a few months indoors because of winter. Here are some of our favorite springtime craft ideas for toddlers. 

Importance of Crafts for Toddlers

A toddler’s self-expression is so important as they learn what inspires them and what fuels their creativity. Arts and crafts are a great way to tap into their minds and let them fully express how they feel and think. They can learn how to use glue, kids’ scissors, and paint correctly and responsibly. You’ll be surprised by how quickly their skills advance as craft time goes on! Let your child show you how they see the world and you’ll be amazed by what you see.  

1. Painting with a View

Find a special place near your home to use as inspiration for a painting. This could be your backyard, favorite park, or an open field near your home. Any place with colorful scenery will work perfectly so they can work with a variety of colors. As the flowers bloom, you can set up a painting station with washable paint, a few paintbrushes, a paper plate to pour the paint onto, and paper. You can choose to do the same view or pick different views to paint. With the Voyager Blanket, you can sit comfortably outside and paint your captivating landscape. If paint gets on the blanket just machine wash with cold water and it’ll be good as new! 

2. Planting for Summer Harvest

Depending on the weather where you live, planting a fast crop for a summertime harvest is a great way to get resourceful in your backyard. You can plant beautiful native flowers and even some food in a flower bed to enjoy in just a few months.  It only takes a good fertilizer, gardening gloves, seeds, and a flower bed to get started with this activity.  Research native plants in your area that are easy to grow and fairly low maintenance and shop at your local gardening center to find the best seeds. Your toddler will watch the dirt bed will quickly turn into a small botanical sanctuary and even learn how to care for plants.  

3. Paint Rocks

Painting rocks is a very popular craft that seems to have taken the internet by storm. Though it may seem odd at first, smooth and flat rocks are the perfect canvas for your child. It’ll be a different experience than painting a piece of paper or an actual canvas which is why we suggest it. Changing the routine of craft time is another way your child can learn to love art in all places. Once the rock paintings are finished and dried, spread them out in your garden or at your favorite park. Add a little note with the date and you may even see it on your local social media pages. You can go back to these places to see if they’re still there after a while or if someone was inspired to pick it up and take that piece of art home!

4. Create a Rainbow

With a pack of pom pom balls, a paper plate, and glue, you’ll have everything you need to create the perfect rainbow. Teach your child the colors of the rainbow and allow them to separate a handful of pompom balls into the right categories. Your toddler should start learning their colors around this age and what better way to incorporate it than using arts and crafts? Cut a paper plate in half to create the perfect semi-circle and use one half as the rainbow. Once the colors are separated, use toxic-free glue to attach the pompoms to the rainbow and let it air dry for at least 30 minutes. Add white pom poms to the ends of the rainbow to add the cloud effect and you’ll have the perfect masterpiece in under an hour.

Tips for Staying Clean During Craft Time

It’s no secret that crafts cause the most mess in your home. From running around to find the right supplies to measuring it all out and having extras of everything take up more space in your area. To keep your home clean during craft time consider some of the following tips. 

• Be as prepared as possible with your crafts. To minimize your mess, you can cut out paper, set up paint by portioning it out, and prepare the canvases. Trying to get things set up with your toddler can be a hassle and turn into more of a mess than it needs to be. Prepping your crafts will ensure quick and easy cleanup. 
• If your toddler loves to paint then washable formulas should be your go-to. If paint gets on clothes, blankets, or the floors then it’s an easy cleanup. Washable paint is usually safer for toddlers to use so it’s a win-win situation for everyone. 
• Amp up your child’s wardrobe with a designated craft apron. Aprons are easy to slip on and off while remaining durable in any situation. If your child spills anything on the apron, it can easily be cleaned and won’t ruin their clothes underneath. You can make a craft with the apron by letting your child decorate it how they would like with fabric paint. It will quickly become a staple for their craft time and they’ll love using it. 

Final Thoughts

Craft time is a great way to bond with your child and learn more about how they see the world. As parents, it can be difficult to understand how they see things but through art you can see how truly talented and creative your child is. Use that time to feed their imagination and teach them how art can be an extension of themselves.