Do you have babies or young toddlers at home? Guest author Sylva Koloska shares about first art activities for toddlers and infants.
Updated July 2025
If you’ve got a baby or young toddler at home, you might be wondering how to begin the process of making art with them. Art and sensory play with little ones often begins with simple, hands-on exploration. It’s less about making finished art and more about experiencing materials—touching, tasting, even sitting in them!
For the first art or sensory experiences, you can basically use anything you find in the kitchen (at least that’s taste safe). This allows babies and little kids to put their hands in all kinds of materials and explore! These early activities are a fun way to connect and enjoy creative time together as a family.
Activities for Toddlers and Infants
Sensory Play Ideas
The best first art materials are safe, easy to use, and open-ended. Think textures, colors, and things little hands can squish, smear, scoop, or stir.
Some great early materials to try include:
- Homemade edible finger paint (yogurt + food coloring)
- Aquafaba (whipped chickpea water) as a sensory foam
- Oobleck (equal parts cornstarch + water)
- Rainbow rice or pasta (for dry scooping)
- Ice cubes with food coloring
- Washable crayons and chunky chalk
Add some bowls and spoons and your little one will have fun for longer than you expect. Especially when you sit beside them and play along.
If you really want to have fun, add water! Every kid loves water play!
And remember, every child is different. What might be a favorite activity for one child may only hold another child’s interest for five minutes. And that’s okay.
Art Activity Ideas
Looking for ways to get started? Try these simple art activities that are perfect for curious little hands.
- High Chair Painting: Tape paper to the tray and offer a bit of finger paint.
- Stomp Painting: Let little ones walk through paint on paper with bare feet.
- Painting with Cars: Dip toy cars in paint and roll across paper.
- Paint in a Bag: Add paint to a sealed zip-top bag and tape it to the floor or window—great for mess-free color mixing.
When and Where to Play
We do our sensory activities whenever we have (or make) time. But always with a full belly and not right before bedtime.
I find good preparation is half of the success. More preparation before = less stress during and after!
We don’t have a dedicated art space, but we do our sensory activities literally everywhere we can. It depends on the activity and weather but the balcony, kitchen, living room are all possibilities, as long as you have a tray and/or a drop cloth to work on!
More Toddler and Baby Art Ideas
- 6 Baby Sensory Play Activities
- Baby Painting Ideas for Littles
- Sensory Play for Babies & Toddlers
- The BEST Baby Art Supplies
- 7 Simple Arts and Crafts Ideas for Toddlers
- 7 Sensory Bins for Toddlers
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