**Important note** If you’re here looking for perfect precise photos of projects to do with your toddler…you will not find those pictures. If you’re looking for ideas for your little one with photos of art made by a little one, you’re in the right place!!

As parents, we often find ourselves looking for ways to stimulate our little ones’ developing minds, and process art is a journey that not only sparks creativity but also fosters essential developmental skills.

This may be unpopular opinion, but I love painting projects with my one-year-old.

My little dude is 14 months old and while my other boys were just barely learning to take their first steps at this point in their lives, my youngest sees the paint come out and I swear he is at a full-blown sprint to the table.

After I get him secured in the booster seat with his paint shirt ready to go, he is already reaching for his tools and knows exactly what to do…

One hand holding his paint brush or painting utensil, the other hand straight to the paint.

Understanding Process Art:

Unlike traditional crafts where the end result is predefined, process art is all about the experience and exploration. It’s a hands-on, sensory-rich adventure that encourages toddlers to revel in the joy of creating without the pressure of a predetermined outcome. The emphasis here is on the process itself rather than the finished product.

For years at my in-home childcare, I would take hours of my time searching Pinterest for adorable projects for the kids to make. I would get all the supplies and pieces ready. I would show them what to do and where to put things. They would take home these super cute projects to hang on the wall that was a mixture of created by them and created by me.

It never crossed my mind that this is not their project, it is our project.

Process Over Perfection:

This is a tough one, I get it. Everyone wants their child to make beautiful fancy art that looks like something.

Process art encourages toddlers to explore and experiment. It values the unique experience, creativity, and self-expression that occur during the artistic process.

This approach recognizes that each brushstroke, finger painting, or collage is an opportunity for a toddler to engage with materials, develop fine motor skills, and express their budding imagination.

Next time your child colors a picture or brings home some messy looking art project from childcare, take a closer look. Can you find their fingerprints? Can you tell what tools they were using. Can you see the growth from the last project they created?

Importance of Process Art for Toddlers:

1. Encourages Self-Expression: Toddlers are bursting with creativity, and process art provides a safe space for them to express themselves freely. Through open-ended activities, they can experiment with colors, textures, and shapes, letting their imagination run wild.
2. Develops Fine Motor Skills: Engaging in process art activities involves a myriad of movements – from squishing paint between fingers to tearing paper and using various tools. These activities contribute to the development of fine motor skills, an essential foundation for later skills such as writing.
3. Fosters Cognitive Development: Process art prompts toddlers to think critically as they make choices about colors, materials, and techniques. This cognitive engagement stimulates their brain, helping them understand cause and effect, problem-solving, and spatial awareness.
4. Builds Confidence: There’s no right or wrong in process art, which means there’s no room for mistakes. This freedom helps toddlers build confidence in their abilities, boosting their self-esteem and instilling a positive attitude towards creativity.

Can a Toddler as Young as One Do Process Art

Absolutely! Toddlers as young as one can definitely engage in process art. In fact, introducing them to the world of process art at an early age can be highly beneficial for their development. While their fine motor skills and coordination might still be developing, process art provides an opportunity for them to explore and interact with various textures, colors, and materials in a sensory-rich environment.

For one-year-olds, it’s essential to choose age-appropriate materials and activities. Finger painting, exploring with non-toxic edible paints, or simply squishing paint in a sealed plastic bag can be great introductory activities. Additionally, activities involving safe, large objects like soft sponges, big brushes, or oversized crayons can make it easier for their little hands to grasp and manipulate.

The key is to focus on the experience rather than the end result and to closely supervise the activities to ensure safety. Process art at this age is all about fostering a positive relationship with creativity, encouraging sensory exploration, and allowing toddlers to express themselves in a way that feels natural and enjoyable for them.

Getting Prepared For Process Art

Cover your workspace and cover your child. One of the best things you can do is let your child explore the materials you present to them, and the best way to do that is if you aren’t worried about the mess. **Number 5 below is particularly important**

Preparing for process art with toddlers involves a combination of thoughtful planning and flexibility to adapt to the spontaneous nature of the activity. Here are some steps to help you get ready:

1. Select Age-Appropriate Materials: Choose safe and non-toxic materials suitable for your toddler’s age and developmental stage. This may include washable paints, large brushes, safe glues, and age-appropriate tools.

2. Designate a Workspace: Set up a dedicated art space where your toddler can explore freely. Consider using a washable tablecloth or spreading out newspaper to protect surfaces.

3. Choose a Suitable Time: Pick a time when your toddler is typically alert and in a good mood. Avoid scheduling process art activities during naptime or when they might be too tired or hungry.

4. Dress for Mess: Put your toddler in comfortable clothing that you don’t mind getting a bit messy. You can also use an art smock or an old shirt to protect their clothes.

5. ***Have Cleaning Supplies Ready: Keep wet wipes, paper towels, and a basin of water nearby for quick cleanups. Being prepared for messes ensures a stress-free experience.

6. Set Up Activity Stations: If you’re planning multiple process art activities, set up different stations with materials for each one. This allows your toddler to move between activities at their own pace.

7. Introduce Materials Gradually: Start with a small selection of materials and introduce new ones gradually. This helps your toddler focus on the process without feeling overwhelmed.

8. Follow Your Toddler’s Lead: Process art is all about your toddler’s exploration, so be flexible and follow their lead. Allow them to choose materials and guide the activity based on their interests.

9. Supervise Closely: Stay close to your toddler to ensure their safety. Even non-toxic materials may not be suitable for ingestion, so close supervision is crucial.

10. Celebrate the Experience, Not the Result: Encourage your toddler throughout the process, emphasizing the joy of exploration rather than focusing on creating a specific end product.

Remember, the goal is to create a positive and enjoyable experience, having yourself as prepared as possible helps this process.

Process Art Project Ideas for Toddlers

I have three super simple projects you can do with your little one right away. Most likely you have all the materials needed or something you can easily substitute.

Depending on your child’s age, you may want to give a quick example if you have never used some of these materials before. Example: Show putting paper on the glue dot or using a Q-Tip for glue. Show using the cookie cutter as a stamp one time. Then let them at it!

These all have a heart theme as were coming up on Valentines Day.

Heart Collage

• Materials: Paper, Glue, Q-Tip, Scissors
• What To Do:
  • Cut one paper into a shape
    • we made a heart collage
  • Use old scrap paper in many colors and cut or punch out small shapes.
    • Allow older toddlers the opportunity to practice cutting or tearing pieces of paper.
  •  Glue
    • Add multiple dots of glue to the paper
    • Give your child a small bowl with glue and a q-tip to add their own glue
  • Allow your child to pick their paper and add to their collage.

Keep in mind your child’s skill level. Where process art is about their decisions, you may need to do a little prep like cutting.

Cookie Cutter Painting

• Materials: Paper, Paint, Cookie cutter
• What to do:
  • Cover your child’s workspace…and probably your child.
  • Place paint on a paper plate with a cookie cutter.

Coloring (with the option for a finished project)

• Materials: Paper, crayons (markers etc), paper punch (optional)
• What to do:
  • Let your little one color a picture!
• …optional ‘process to project idea’
  • Use the paper punch to punch out shapes from the paper your child colored. Arrange them on a piece of black paper for a new piece of art.  

More Process Art Ideas

1. Finger Painting: Materials: Non-toxic finger paints, large sheets of paper.

2. Bubble Wrap Printing: Materials: Bubble wrap, paint, paper.

3. Nature Collage: Materials: Glue, paper, leaves, twigs, and flowers.

4. Sponge Stamping: Materials: Sponges, paint, paper.

5. String Painting: Materials: String, paint, paper.

6. Ice Cube Painting: Materials: Ice cube tray, water, food coloring or liquid watercolor, paper.

7. Vegetable Stamps: Materials: Cut vegetables (e.g., celery, potatoes), paint, paper.

8. Color Mixing with Ziploc Bags: Materials: Ziploc bags, paint, mixing colors.

9. Collage with Torn Paper: Materials: Magazines, colored paper, glue, large paper.

10. Cotton Ball Painting: Materials: Cotton balls, paint, paper.

11. Shaving Cream Marbling: Materials: Shaving cream, food coloring, paper.

12. Stamping with Household Items: Materials: Items like sponges, toilet paper rolls, dipped in paint.

13. Feather Painting: Materials: Feathers, paint, paper.

14. Sticker Collage: Materials: Stickers, paper.

15. Spray Bottle Art: Materials: Water, food coloring, spray bottles, paper.

16. Exploring Patterns with Stamps: Materials: Stamps, ink pads, paper.

One day I had a little boy getting picked up, I handed him his art from the day and he asked me where was his other project. We had one item to go home as the rest was us simply trying out paper punches. He could not get the paper properly lined up, he could not push hard enough to fully punch out the shapes, so all his paper was ripped and crumpled. He was having a blast trying out all these punches though. Something new!

Right then I realized what a mistake I made. When the children left the table I put away the punches and threw out all the scraps of crumpled paper. All his hard work.

Thinking quick on my feet I asked him if he had fun doing that activity and if we should do it again tomorrow. He thought that was a good idea and he put his coat on to leave.

The next day, after he finished punching out all the odd shapes, I gave him a piece of colored construction paper and a glue stick. He glued all the pieces he wanted to keep on that large paper.

Then I had him throw out anything that was garbage. He could make that choice this time.

I think we learn just as much from these little kids as they do from us.

Tools to use in process Art

One of the best parts of experimenting with process art is getting to experiment with an array of tools. Think outside the box. Next time you paint, try giving your child a shower loofa instead of a paint brush. How about a fork or a feather.

Make paintbrushes out of leaves and grass tied to a stick.

Our favorite, little fingers!

More Tool Ideas for you to try with paint

• Sponges
  • Try cutting them in different shapes
• Bubble Wrap
  • Notice the textures
• String
• Cotton swabs
• Toothbrush
• Q-tips
• Squeeze bottles
  • Great with a little liquid watercolor mixed with water
• Rolling pins
• Playdough tools
• Cardboard scraps
• Loofas
• stencils

Why Does Process Art Have to be so messy?

This is one of the best parts about process art, it doesn’t have to be messy!

There are countless ways to engage toddlers in process art using a variety of materials that suit different preferences and settings. Here are some non-messy alternatives:

Closing The Paint Lid

If you really want to see the magic of process art unfold…try the same project every few months and watch how they develop. How their ideas come to life. How they begin thinking about what they’re doing-the process.

Remember that the key is to encourage creativity, experimentation, and self-expression, and it can be tailored to fit your child’s interests and your comfort level with messiness. Always supervise toddlers closely during these activities, especially those involving small objects or substances that could be harmful if ingested.

I would love to know what you think about process art. Are you cool with the mess or prefer to keep things a bit more under control? What is your favorite type of process art and what are you wanting to try out?