Easy Indoor Art Activities with Kids for Springtime Rainy Days

When it is raining outside kids can get ants in their pants. However a few fun art projects can put a smile back on your face. Here are some fun ideas for low mess, affordable indoor art that kids will love.

1. Building With Sponges – The simple square kitchen sponges have a new use. Have kids use the sponges as stamps with acrylic paint to create the building blocks of their own city or home. It is easy and fast to have entire cities of skyscrapers printed before their eyes. They can then add windows, doors and people with markers on the dry paint.
2. Contact Paper Art – Using a large piece of contact paper, sticky side out, have kids collect and stick different items. This can be a science project of sorts to see how heavy an item will stick. Or have them create art with one color using things they find around the house. A fun way to keep kids busy and you can use the paper again and again.
3. Custom Stickers – A fun and simple art project for kids is making custom stickers. Buy some plain white stickers at an office supply store and let kids decorate them with markers and stamps to crest their own artistic stickers.
4. Giant Dot to Dot – Lots of kids love dot to do books, but did you ever think about making up your own. If you are a very visual person you can create an actual shape just like the books, but even if you are not kids will love to connect the colors or numbers (depending on their age) in this giant version. Use office supply marking dot stickers in different colors to create a giant dot to dot on butcher paper. Lay it out on the floor and let kids go crazy. Or draw on numbers to add in math skills.
5. Glitter and Glue Snowflakes – A fun way to get kids involved in art is to use glitter. Wax paper and some white glue is all that is needed to create fun snowflakes. Add glitter for extra color and then let dry for fun window clings. Or use glittery fabric paint on the wax paper instead for more control and less glitter mess.
6. Kid Creations T-Shirts – If your child likes to make a fashion statement, why not let them make their own t-shirt designs? Clip a plain white shirt to cardboard to help it to stay taut and then give them fabric markers. Make sure they only draw on the shirt! Everyone gets the shirt they really want.
7. Leaf Wreath – A fun activity for fall or any season, have kids collect leaves from outside or use fake flowers and leaves to make a simple wreath. Cut out a wreath shape from card stock or poster board and have kids glue on the leaves for a pretty project.
8. Magnet Art – For older kids only! Magnets are dangerous if ingested! For a fun science experiment slash art project, try painting with magnets. First start out with a thin plastic tray. Put the drawing paper on top of it. Get a strong magnet that will work through the plastic tray. Apply paint to some various metal bits like nuts and bolts, washers, or other shapes that magnets work on and drop onto the paper. Then have kids pull the metal across the paper with the magnet from underneath to paint. Fun!
9. Marble Painting – For a fun way to paint with marble give this idea a try. Lay a thick piece of paper in the bottom of a cake pan or other pan with sides deep enough to keep marbles in. Cover the sheet with a thick layer of paint. Then have kids dip marbles in a contrasting color and roll them across the paper. They can create zig-zags and crazy patterns by tilting the pan. Kids love to see what their marbles will leave behind. You can also do this a different way. Using a disposable container with a lid, cover the side of the container with paper cut to fit. Then drop in marbles dipped in different colors of paint. Put on the lid and let kids shake to create fun art!
10. Postage Stamp Bookmarks – A fun art project and gift idea in one is the postage stamp bookmark. Have your kids grab hold of some junk mail or save some envelopes from birthday cards and such for their stamps. Have the kids cut out the stamps and glue them to card stock or construction paper cut into a bookmark shape. A one of a kind bookmark is then ready to give away.
11. Salad Spinner Art – It is best to buy a cheap salad spinner at a thrift store or other location for this one. You definitely won’t be able to use it for food again. However this fun art tool will get kids involved and active in making art. Place a paper cut in a shape to fit the center of the salad spinner. A cut down paper plate works great for this. Then blob on different colors of acrylic paint. Put on the lid and spin away to create one of a kind works of art.
12. Seashell Art – A fun way to use those shells your kids picked up at the beach is to make art out of them. One way to do that is by having the kids trace the shells and then mimic the natural patterns of the shells on the paper. They can also use paint and ‘stamp’ with the shells to see how the texture works.
13. Stained Glass Window – Using washable paint (important!) have kids paint your windows! Start out by taping off blocks in attractive patterns with painters tape. Then have kids fill in each block with a different color. Red, blue, and yellow work well. Remove the tape before the paint dries completely and then paint in the blank spots with black to accent the colors. Kids love to paint on the windows and it is a snap to get them to wash it off so that they can paint all over again. You can leave some squares unpainted for a cool effect.
14. Sticker Painting – This fun kid activity will take a while. First have kids apply shaped sticker to the white paper. Large stickers or ones that are easy to remove are best. Then kids can paint over the stickers and create a fun color and shape combo. When the paint dries they can remove the stickers to reveal the white paper underneath for a fun effect.
15. String Art – Using yarn or other thick string, have kids cut and glue to their heart’s content. It is fun to see what shapes they can come up with in this three dimensional art form.
16. Swirly Shaving Cream Painting – This fun art project starts with a can of shaving cream! Spray the cream in a thick layer on a cookie sheet or other shallow tray. Then drizzle in different water colors. Swirl with a paintbrush or wooden utensil until the right swirly color combination is achieved. Then press on a sheet of water color paper or other thick white paper. Remove and let dry for ten minutes before scraping off the excess shaving cream. A beautiful swirly work of art will be left behind!
17. Zentangles For Kids – Zentangles is a method of drawing with essentially no rules. The first step it to divide the paper into shapes, usually with a thick black marker. Then each shape is filled in with different shapes. It is repetitive and calming, a great combo for kids. Better yet it looks great no matter what talent level your children have and they can feel free to use whatever shapes they are happy drawing. From squares to spirals to scribbles, it is up to your kids how to fill in the blanks. 

These easy and fun art ideas are sure to keep your kids entertained even on the rainy days they are stuck inside. Have fun learning and exploring with your children and see what fabulous works of art you can create together.

Rachael Cherry is a wife, mother, and writer who is passionate about helping connect families in need with high quality caregivers. She has taken that passion and put it to work through NannyPro, a respected online nanny referral service. Learn more by visiting @NannyPro on Twitter.