Art Adventures for Your Grandkids

Doing art with your grandchild makes for a lot of fun and lasting memories. And once you’re finished with all of the fun you’ve got a great piece of artwork to remind you of how much fun you just had. Below we have some great art ideas that can are super fun and can be done on a shoestring budget.

Art Ideas for Preschoolers

Boxville - This is one of our most popular ideas. Every kid likes to play with cardboard boxes. This project takes that fun to a whole different level. You and your grandchild can build an entire card board box city. You can cut out windows and make the buildings colorful by covering them with wrapping paper and drawing on them with markers or crayons.

Supplies you’ll need:

  • Cardboard boxes of various sizes
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Crayons/markers
  • Wrapping paper

Kitchen Kritters - This project is super easy and inexpensive, but your preschool age grandchild will love it. Take some safe kitchen utencils like wooden spoons and spatulas and turn them into goofy or cute hand puppets.

Supplies you’ll need:

  • Spatulas, wooden spoons
  • Sheets of construction paper
  • Glue stick
  • Stick-on eyes
  • Buttons/ribbon/other craft type stuff
  • Markers or crayons

Reindeer Treat holder – this Christmas activity is easy and fun. Reindeer treat holders are perfect for storing candy or party favors.

Supplies you’ll need:

  • Scissors
  • Terracotta clay pots 2”-5”
  • Stick-on eyes
  • Red pom-poms
  • Brown construction paper

*The pots are used as the reindeer’s face. To make the antlers have your grandchild cut out an outline of their hands and glue them to the top of the pot. Place the red pom-pom for the nose and stick on the two eyes and your ordinary pot just turned into an awesome Christmas decoration.

Hand and Feet Reindeer - Another Christmas decoration that’s easy for your preschool age grandchild. Every young toddler likes tracing their feet and hands. Draw an outline of their foot to serve as the reindeer face then have them trace their hands as the antlers.

Supplies you’ll need:

  • Stick-on plastic eyes
  • Glue
  • Red pom-pom
  • Brown construction paper

Tie-Dye Color Explosion - Kids love color! This easy art project can be done with some coffee filters, small brush, medicine dropper, and some food coloring. Lay the coffee filters out on the table and mix the food coloring in water. Don’t dilute it too much as you want the colors to remain vibrant. The grandkids can then use the dropper or paint brush to make a colorful tie-dye scene right on the coffee filter. It’s fun to watch the colors mesh and super easy to clean up with no stains.

Supplies you’ll need:

  • Coffee filters – Large
  • Paint brush
  • Medicine dropper
  • Cup for water

Art Ideas for K-5

Homemade Playdough - Play-dough has been around for years because it’s been a hit with kids since it was introduced. The only thing better than playing with playdough is making your own.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  •  4 cups flour
  • 2 cups salt
  • 3 ½ cups water
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon cream of tartar
  • About 4-5 drops of food coloring or an unsweetened packet of kool-aid (you choose the color)

*You mix all the ingredients into a sauce pan and cook over medium heat. Cook the mixture until it is fairly hard to move with your utensil. Remove it from the heat and let it cool in the pan until it can be taken out by hand. This playdough is fun, safe and can be stored in an airtight container for next time.

The Slimy Squeeze Ball - All kids like to play with slimy toys that feel gooey in their hands. This is a great way to make one of those toys.

Supplies you’ll need:

  • Strong latex balloon
  • Cornstarch

*Blow up the balloon just enough to make a small oval. Then use a funnel to pour the cornstarch in and tie the end. The more this is squeezed the gooier it gets!

Pine cone Bird Feeder - This all natural bird feeder looks cool and will attract those hungry winter birds.

Supplies you’ll need:

  • Pine cone
  • Butter knife
  • Regular peanut butter (not chunky)
  • Birdseed
  • String
  • Scissors

*You’ll want to attach some durable string to hang the birdfeeder with first. Then place the pine cone on a plate and use the knife to spread peanut butter all around it. Make sure to use a lot of peanut butter to cover the entire pine cone. Hang it outside and then sit back and watch the birds fly in for a treat.

Custom Placemats - This is the perfect art project! It’s a lot of fun and will prevent your table and kitchen counters from having food and drinks spilled on them!

Supplies you’ll need:

  • Construction paper or cardstock
  • Laminate sheets
  • Glue stick
  • Magazines
  • Photos
  • Stickers
  • Markers

* Your grandchild will love cutting out pictures and photos to make each member of their family a custom placemat. First you’ll want to cover the paper with the photos, stickers, etc. Then make sure they write down the name of who it is for. Let the placemat glue dry and then cover it in laminate.

Bathtub Fish - Instead of throwing out that plastic gallon milk jug you can make it into your grandchild’s favorite bath time toy.

Supplies you’ll need:

  • Plastic gallon milk jug
  • Permanent markers
  • Scissors

*First you turn the jug on its side so the handle is at the top. Using the marker draw a mouth and then cut along the lines with the scissors. Next draw a fin and some eyes. Make sure that there are no jagged plastic edges sticking up where you cut the mouth. No piranhas here!

These art projects will provide age appropriate creative fun for you and your grandchildren. Check back often for more ideas! If you have any ideas of your own we’d love to hear them!

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Publish Date: Tue, 02/08/2011 - 18:21
Categories: Grandparents