If you are setting up a work space for painting in a main area of your home, you may want to move out any items that you do not want to see painted on. Children will often get lost in their creativity and this may mean trying to paint on every surface or item available, or getting messy with paint and not paying attention to where it lands. Rugs, couches, chairs, and anything made of fabric should be covered or moved, as it can be difficult to get paint out of these items.Good work areas for painting with children include garages, basements, and outdoor patios. These are often areas with lots of empty space for painting and getting messy.;
, Get the work space/painting area ready by putting down newspapers or other paper on surfaces where you know your child will be painting. You can also tape down garbage bags to tables and chairs if you really want to protect your furniture from any paint splashes.Some parents suggest setting up a small easel for your child to paint on. You can buy child sized easels at your local toy store or create your own using an easel stand and a piece of plywood. You can then attach a piece of paper to the easel or prop up canvas on the easel for your child to paint on.
 You should dress your child in paint friendly clothing, such as an old t-shirt and pants, and tie up her hair if necessary so it does not get in the paint. It’s a good idea for you to also change into paint friendly clothing so you can assist your child as she paints and not worry about ruining your clothing., If you are painting with a child under 12 years old, you should only be using paint that conforms to ASTM D-4236. This specification means the paints are not hazardous to children and safe for children to handle. Child friendly paint will have this specification printed on the label.Try to get at least four to five colors of paint to give your child some choices when it comes to mixing colors. Start with the primary colors (red, yellow, blue) as well as some secondary colors (green, orange, purple) so your child has options when she paints.


Depending on the art project, you may use water based paints or house paint. Just make sure the paint is ASTM D-4236 specified and it should be fine for your child to use.
Never use adult grade paints when painting with children as they contain hazards pigments like lead, cadmium, and formaldehyde. You should also avoid using acrylic paint unless your child is older and more confident mixing paints, as it can be very expensive and run out quickly.
 Depending on how much money you want to spend on the painting project, you may go for simple white art paper or a plain canvas. You can find art paper and small plain canvases at your local craft store.Many children enjoy the freedom of having big sheets of white art paper to paint on as they play around with color and texture. Canvas will be a more expensive option but can be good if you intend to hang your child’s painting once it’s done.
 Unless you are going to encourage your child to do finger painting, you will need to provide at least one to two paint brushes. You will also need to provide a plastic mixing palette so your child can mix her own colors, with your help. Empty egg cartons work well as do it yourself mixing palettes, as well as baby food jars, as you can put the lid on the jars to save any leftover paint.It can also help to put the paint in squeeze bottles so it is easy for your child to squeeze onto the mixing palette as she paints.
Popsicle sticks are ideal as mixing tools, as this will discourage your child from using her fingers to mix the paint.
 To prevent your child’s painting from having patches of bright white between colors, you can provide a base color on the canvas or piece of paper. This will then allow your child to paint over the base color and layer paint in a creative way.


If you do provide a base color, choose a light color like light orange, yellow, or blue. Your child may tell you what color she would like as her base color or that she would prefer not to have a base color. Be open to her suggestions; this is her paint project after all!

, If your child has never used a paint brush before, you may want to demonstrate how to dip the brush in paint and apply it to the paper or canvas. Start with a small amount of paint and show your child how to paint straight lines, circles, and how to cover a small area of the paper or canvas.


Allow your child to try to use the paint brush on her own after your demonstration. If she is familiar with numbers and letters, you may help her to paint the first letter of her name or her favorite number. This will help her get used to using the paint brush.
 Get your child’s creative juices flowing by suggesting she draw what she sees outside the window, such as trees, the sun, and grass. You can also suggest she paint the members of her family or use her favorite color to paint her best friend.


Often, children will come up with their own images and themes as they paint and play around with being creative. Encourage your child to express herself as she sees fit and avoid correcting her painting. She should feel free to explore different representations and images and have fun as she paints.
 Depending on how old your child is, it may be appropriate to show her how to mix basic colors so she does not end up with a mud painting, where every color is mixed together to form a brown shade.Start with the primary colors and show her how to mix the primary colors together to make different colors using a popsicle stick. For example, red with blue to make purple, yellow and blue to make green, yellow and red to make orange. Once your child seems confident with mixing colors together, you can introduce white so she can make lighter shades like pink or light blue.
 To up the creative ante, you can give your child different painting materials besides a paint brush. Marbles and feathers dipped in paint can be fun to use against paper or canvas to create some fun textures. Yarn can also be a good way to create shapes and images against a painted background. Be open to letting your child play around with different materials and textures.If you have a bigger paint area, you can lay down plastic table cloths or paint cloth and show your child how to do drip painting, where she holds the popsicle stick of paint over the paper or canvas and lets the paint drip onto the surface. She can then rotate and move the popsicle stick to make different drip patterns. This can be another fun way to paint without a paint brush.
Move any items you do not want exposed to paint.
Lay down newspaper in the work space.
Make sure you and your child are wearing paint friendly clothing.
Choose child safe paint.
Set up paper or canvas.
Provide paint brushes and a mixing palette.
Paint over the blank canvas or piece of paper to give your child a base.
Show your child how to use a paint brush.
Suggest a theme or image.
Explain how to mix basic colors.
Provide creative painting materials like marbles, feathers, and yarn.
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