Gift-giving is a great way to celebrate traditions as well as show your love and appreciation for those you care about. Love, gratitude, and generosity are amazing values to pass down to your children. So, getting your toddler involved with card or gift-giving is a great way to get started early.
How do you get your toddler involved with gift-giving in a meaningful, yet developmentally appropriate way?
Process art is one fun way.
If you are wondering what process art is, if it is like a craft, or how it can lead to a beautiful gift make sure you read my post “How to use Process Art with Children.”
In true process art fashion, I will focus more on the process than the actual product. How you use the process is up to you.
Some ways you can turn these processes into gifts include:
- Use cardstock paper and fold into a card
- Cut up and collage the art to make cards or other gifts
- Collage onto a jewelry box, frame, or other gift
- Photocopy the art to create cards
- Glue a photo on top of artwork to make a frame
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1. Shake Painting
Shake painting is a fun mess-free option for toddlers. There are many variations to this process. You can use various boxes or containers, then add paint and balls (or other items to roll around inside the container), and let your toddler shake and roll away.
You can make it a freeze dance game by adding music while you shake. You can roll a cylinder container down ramps. You play catch with the container. Lots of ways to play and create a beautiful end product.
We did this around Easter with a wooden egg. Ruby was only about 9 months and she loved it!
We did it again when Ruby was 16 months and she still enjoyed it.
2. Paint and tape resist
Tape resist is using tape to create an abstract design or words, then painting over it, and finally taking the paint off to reveal the design.
We took a fun spin on painting this by using sensory balloons. It was a great way to cover a large amount of space easily and it gave some more interest to the activity.
You can also use sticker words to paint over to add a cool personalized effect to your gift.
You can use some fun Washi tape like these from The Planner Supplies.
They could even make a fun tape collage.
Rainbow Masking Tape
Or you could personalize a gift by putting a custom sticker onto something (mug, frame, cup, canvas, etc.), painting over it, and then removing the sticker.
Check out these personalized stickers from 85th Adventure Designs.
A mug would make a great personalized gift. Just stick the sticker on, paint, take the sticker off and then heat in the oven to cure.
3. Pour Painting
Pour painting is perfect for toddlers because they love pouring things. I would suggest using small plastic shot glasses. This allows your toddler multiple opportunities to pour the paint instead of finishing after pouring out one large cup of paint.
Materials needed:
- Plastic shot glasses
- ½ water ½ tempera paint mixture
- Item to be painted
- Large shallow plastic bin
Process:
- Fill shot glasses about half full of watered down paint
- Place paint and item to be painted in shallow bin
- Allow Toddler to dump the paint onto the item to be painted
4. Car Ramp painting
This one is fun for car-loving toddlers. You can roll cars dipped in paint down a ramp or simply let them roll them around. If you do use a ramp, you can also vary this activity by using different textured balls instead of cars.
Using textured tires would make a really fun print on a card for the car lover you need to get a gift for.
You could also color with these awesome car crayons (or make them if you are super crafty).
Crafty Crayons Shop Car Crayons
Mold POP Silicone Car Mold
5. Stamps and Stickers
Stamps and stickers are another fun mess-free toddler process art activity. Making cards or gifts with the randomly placed stamps and stickers of toddlers is a great way to easily get toddlers involved with the creation of gifts or cards.
Stickers have the added benefit of providing a fine motor workout while creating.
6. Sponge Painting
Sponge painting is really fun and covers a larger space more easily for toddlers. Just a warning on this one, it can get really messy so just prepare for the mess and you will be ok.
This can also be a taste safe option for very young children by simply adding food coloring to water and having them stamp the sponges with that. Just know there may be a little staining and if you use paper it could get very soaked.
Another variation on this process is to soak sponges in watercolor or watered down tempera paint and then let your child smash the sponges with a spoon or spatula.
We did this art process on canvas and added a picture to make a beautiful frame. The receivers of this gift loved it!
I added the picture with some Mod Podge and did 3 layers so it would stay on with a nice seal.
This same gift idea could be done with many of the processes mentioned in this post.
7. Ripped Paper Collage
Young children love to rip paper. There is something so satisfying about ripping paper. So this art process is great for satisfying that desire to tear. A bonus on this process is it is a great fine motor activity that uses both arms in opposing directions.
Some paper to try ripping and glueing are:
- Tissue paper
- Scrapbook paper
- Plain paper
- Colored paper
- Gift wrap
- Previous paintings no longer wanted or needed
- Newspaper
8. No-mess painting
If you are looking for another no-mess option you can try putting paper, cardboard, or canvas into a sealed plastic bag with some paint and let your child smoosh, push, and poke away. You can also add some texture into the bag for added interest.
We have done this with some interesting packaging paper we received, but you could also put in bubble wrap, leaves, fabric, or anything else that is flat enough with some texture.
9. Nature Paint Brushes
I love to include nature whenever I can in art and activities. Nature provides so many fun and free loose parts. The beauty of these loose parts are the various textures they provide.
Read more about loose parts for infants and toddlers HERE.
These textures make for some great painting opportunities. So instead of painting with the paint brush once again, try mixing it up with some nature items.
Some items you can try:
- Flowers
- Sticks
- Rocks
- Pine Cones
- Leaves
10. Paint with Unique Items
If your little one loves to paint, but you are ready to mix it up, try painting with something unique. Trying a new tool will get them thinking creatively and will help them break any habits in their art. They have to think critically and involve more problem-solving when using a non-conventional painting tool.
Painting with string is much different than painting with a paint brush. Talk about the differences to add even more learning through this activity.
Some items to try to paint with are:
- Balls
- String
- Kitchen Utensils
- Legos
- Blocks
- Toy figurines
- Bubble wrap
- Feathers
Check out these fun art supplies:
Creative Play Kits Art Box
Junebug Essentials Plant-based DIY Finger-paint
A Good Life Products Toddler Art Smock
You might also find these posts interesting:
How to use Process Art with Children
Unique Gift Ideas for Toddlers
Unique Gift Ideas for Baby’s First Christmas
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