“Cleaning with children in the house is like brushing your teeth with Oreos in your mouth”. I’m not sure who said this, but I do know I relate to this sentiment. Many mamas feel that too much of their day is spent cleaning. It is for this reason, this mama loves arts and crafts to do at home that involve fewer messes. Let little hands create and limit the mess with these fun arts and crafts activities.
Chalkola Markers
Chalkola chalk markers are the latest addition to our art supplies and they have truly been a smash hit. Every morning, Wesleigh perches at our kitchen island and draws while I prepare breakfast. The bundle we were gifted has been perfect – Wes practices writing W’s and shapes and has loved getting creative with each of the 30! colors provided. Suitable for non-porous surfaces, Chalkola’s markers are dustless, non-toxic and created with a water based ink formula making them super easy to clean up. Trust me, Wesleigh got a bit carried away drawing on herself and even on our counters so I was thrilled to see the chalk wipe off with just a wet towel.
For more products by Chalkola, visit their website here (use code: LINDSEYp0 for 10% off) or via their Amazon store (use code: CHALKOLA10)
Dab and Dot Markers
I always encourage Wes to express herself through art and find that items such as these Doodle Hog markers (they come with a simple twist cap and easy grip feature) have continued to support learning (color names) and development of her fine motor skills. For extra measure, I’ve been able to contain some mess, the markers are water-based, washable and non-toxic, items this mama will consider before purchasing.
Kinetic Sand
Soft, stretchy and squeezable, Wes has a lot of fun playing and creating with Kinetic Sand. It’s a wonderful sensory activity and good alternative to play doh. We simply dump the sand into a plastic bin, our ‘sand box’ and let her focus on running the sand through her hands, scooping it up with shovels, creating castles, and even dropping in plastic animal figures. Wesleigh’s Barbie has even been known to take a trip to the beach once or twice. Because the sand sticks to itself it’s relatively easy to clean up – even when tossed around by a toddler. Safe for kids, it is non-toxic, gluten and casen free and bonus, it never dries out.
Magic Doodle Paint Mat
Wes received this Magic Doodle Mat as a gift for her birthday this year. The water paint pad is large enough for more than one child to paint at a time and because it does not require actual paint, the toy is nearly mess free. The additional stencil tools provide a fun educational component that Wes can use for years to come.
Paint in a Bag
This simple, mess free painting requires little prep. Simply grab a Ziploc bag, your child’s finger paint and add the paints into the bag – you can sort into ROYGBV to create a rainbow, whatever your child’s preference may be. We used four colors and placed them in the bag horizontally. I cannot emphasis this next step enough – make sure to seal the bag properly. Once the bag is sealed tightly, tape the bag down onto a flat surface. We use Wesleigh’s kitchen table (currently on sale!). Encourage your child to blend the colors with their fingers (you can put a white piece of construction paper down beneath the bag so serve as a canvas). Enjoy what beautiful artwork your child creates with paint – mess free!
Pottery Painting
Another fun art activity we’ve enjoyed lately is painting pottery. If you’re local to Fairfield Country in CT, a favorite pottery studio of ours is Hands On Pottery in Darien that I’ve mentioned previously here and here. Their to-go kits include pottery of your choice, a selection of 3 paints along with paintbrushes. The custom pottery has offered a special, DIY alternative to holiday gifting. It’s been gratifying to watch Wesleigh paint, see the finished product after firing and ultimately, gift the piece to a loved one. To keep this activity relatively mess free, we use a drop cloth under Wesleigh’s craft table and she wears an apron. I also limit the amount of paint she’s given and provide her with one paintbrush at a time to contain any mess. If you don’t have a pottery shop nearby, check out this kit to order online.
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Note: Affiliate links may be used in this post. I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you if you use my affiliate link. Full disclosure policy here.
