Today, I want to share tips for beginners starting to paint with children at home or in the classroom. If you’re considering starting painting, it can feel a bit overwhelming. But don’t worry, I have some tips to help you get started on the right foot. I also offer many art guides, videos, and supplies that can further enrich your experience, which you can find on my website. Throughout this blog, I’ll list resources. I can’t wait to share some easy painting ideas for children that you will surely appreciate.
Painting is truly loved by children of all ages—even toddlers enjoy it! When children join my art workshops, their smiles and excitement are joyful. Even teachers who have never painted before have smiles on their face! Plus, painting can be a calming and relaxing activity for all.
I know there’s a concern about how messy painting can become. But I’ve developed key lessons that demonstrate how to paint without making big messes. Painting can be set up properly to support children while keeping the environment tidy. Once you understand the basics, how to set up, and how to support painting sessions, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner. While I can’t teach you everything in just this blog, I offer plenty of resources so you can further deepen your learning. Let’s start with the painting basics.
Painting Basics
Lets start with understanding what painting means. Painting is the action of making brush strokes marks with a paintbrush, hands, sponges, paint rollers, or stampers.
Preparingfor Painting
Before painting starts, designate a painting area for children to work in. Think about this areas like you do for food prep. You need to be near a sink and use tables that can get messy.
Manage Painting Messes
If you don’t want large messes, shrink down the paints and paintbrushes. Use the smallest available size of paintbrush and put paint into small containers (as opposed to giving students the entire bottle). This is one of the major tricks I share in my books and guides Kids Painting.
Paints Easy to Use
These are the best choices for painting with children. If you want to learn more about what paints to use on specific paint projects, check out this blog, Kids Painting Book or any of my Art Guides early childhood or elementary.
- Dry watercolor cake palette, 36 colors – best for ages 5+
- Watercolor finger paint – best for ages 3+
- Acrylic paint (kids/student-grade only) – best for ages 5+
- Watercolor pencils – best for ages 5+
- Watercolor Crayons – best for ages 5+
- Tempera paint sticks – best for infant & toddler
- Dot Paint Stampers – best for infant & toddler
- Paintless Wood Painting Board 3+
Process-Based Painting For Beginners
If all this seems hard, start with process based painting. This means your students do not have to follow directions to get a specific result. Process-based painting gives children the freedom to explore. Giving them the freedom to experiment with paint mediums any way they desire. Start painting projects by creating in process-based and open-ended lesson
Staging Painting Trays
Learning to stage paint activities can engage children and make art exciting. Over the years, I have developed systems and processes for staging painting activities. If you would like to learn how to stage an art shelf, check out the Art Shelf Staging Video training here.
Kids Painting Book
Kids painting book describes the paints to use with children. It includes materials & set-up advice. You will get a good understanding of how to quickly set up for painting with children, plus tips. This is a beginner guide for someone new to working with children and painting.
Painting Works – Art Album for elementary grades
This art album provides comprehensive guidance on teaching painting to children, offering insights into the most suitable paints for various projects. It encompasses essential information about the basic painting materials and tools required, along with key lessons and principles to start with. The album elaborates on key lessons in detail, featuring beautiful pictures of painting lesson ideas and examples of different techniques to effectively teach students.
Additionally, it includes references to artist techniques and insights into best practices for choice, process-based, and guided instruction. This art album serves as a companion to the “Kids Painting – Brushstrokes Curriculum,”
No prior painting experience needed!
Art Album Features:
- Features
- Printed version comes in spiral comb binding.
- Full color pictures
- Painting key lessons included
- Paint facts
- Painting techniques
- Featured artist and paint history
Painting Curriculum – for all grades
- Get 57 sequential, step-by-step art lessons that are easy to follow in scope and sequence.
- Save time with prepared lessons
- Children will love these fun painting lessons while building foundational skills and techniques.
- You don’t have to be an artist to teach these lessons!
Order Painting Materials
Premium painting materials I use for all my classrooms can be purchased at my website. Every paint is safe and non-toxic. I have used all of them and love the results. You will be able to find all age range. I’m happy to answer any questions about all paint products.
Painting Video Training
I have two types of training. I recommend both to hone your painting skill sets and teaching.
Painting Key Lessons 101
Color Mixing basics (Free)
Watercolor Joy (Free)
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