Arts and crafts is a really fun activity to do with your toddler, and by the age of two they will probably be getting more and more interested in it. But, with so many different art supplies out there, how do you know which to choose? Here we have picked some of the best products for doing toddler crafts so you can find something to entertain your 2 year old on a rainy day at home.
So what are the best arts and crafts for toddlers aged 2? At this age, simplicity is best. You can’t expect your little one to be a proficient artist and follow your instructions just yet! Letting your toddler use their supplies however they wish is usually fun and is the least stressful way to craft with your toddler. You might wish to try some seasonal activities, perhaps painting with dried leaves in fall, or creating hand-made Christmas cards can be a lot of fun. Those lucky enough to receive one will be thrilled!
Considerations When Choosing Art Supplies for 2 Year Olds
When buying art supplies for younger toddlers, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure you choose something they will enjoy. The most important thing is to ensure to product is age-appropriate, which will make sure it’s safe for your toddler to enjoy. All the products featured here are suitable for a toddler aged two, so by choosing one of these, you can be sure they are safe. Also think about the craft you might like to do – would you like to make models with clay or Play-Doh, or would you prefer to paint your own pictures with your toddler? This will help guide your search towards something suitable. Be sure to choose easy crafts for toddlers so they don’t get frustrated by something they can’t use.
Top Art Activities for 2 Year Olds 2019
Now we know how to pick the best art supplies for toddlers, let’s move on to review some of the different possibilities. We have something here for everyone, whether you’re looking for a painting set, Play-Doh or perhaps an easel for them to draw on, you can find it all here.
1. Crayola Fingerpaints
Fingerpainting is one of the classic crafts for toddlers, and is loads of fun! This kit is from top brand Crayola, so you can be sure it’s high-quality, and the colors and bright and vibrant. It comes with three colors – red, yellow and blue, and they are in easy-to-squeeze tubes. The kit also comes with 10 large pieces of paper so toddlers can start painting straight away. The included paper is designed so the paints won’t seep right through. The paints are washable, so there’s no need to worry if it gets on clothing or furniture, and it’s easy to clean up your little one’s hands afterwards too.
2. ALEX Button Art
These simple crafts to do at home involve matching colors to complete the pictures, and there are 10 different pictures included. There are over 40 buttons to snap into place, as well as a storage tray to keep them handy when kids are making their pictures. Some of the designs include a ladybird, a dinosaur, an umbrella and a truck. Toddler can use this set to improve their hand-eye coordination skills and fine motor skills, and it’s also useful for helping them learn to name and match colors. The great part about this game is, it can be used over and over again!
3. Aqua Doodle Mat
If you’re looking for mess-free crafting fun, you can’t go wrong with this water painting mat. It can be reused over and over again, as it dries out after 5 – 10 minutes. The included pens are simply filled with water, and as the mat gets wet it reveals the colors underneath. There are some ideas for what to draw around the sides of the mat, perfect for as your toddler gets a little older. The mat is a great size to spread out on the floor, at 40″ x 28″. In fact, it’s also great for more than one child to draw on thanks to it’s larger size. Parents will love this activity because it doesn’t matter if the pens are used on the walls or the floors – they will quickly dry out without causing lasting damage.
4. ALEX Giant Busy Box
This box has a whole range of art supplies which can be used to complete 16 easy and fun crafting ideas. This makes an excellent birthday present, as toddlers can share out the supplies with their friends and everyone can make a craft to take home. Or, the Busy Box can be used at home with mom and dad on a rainy day at home. Some of the supplies included with this set are dough to make animals, plastic frames to display finished artwork, paper bags to make puppets and much more. There are also stickers, tissue paper, glue and instructions to follow for each project.
5. Melissa & Doug Clay Activity
This bundle comes with loads of pieces and accessories to use with clay or Play-Doh. In the set, you’ll find rolling pins with different patterns, dough cutters, patterned wheels, scissors and more! There are also four tubs of colored dough to get started with. Toddlers will love spending time with mom and dad making models of animals, pretend food, or anything else they can think of. Parents will enjoy rolling and cutting the dough just as much as the little ones!
6. Dauber Dog Markers
These markers are much like bingo dabbers, and they are a great size for toddlers to grasp. They come in a pack of eight different colors – pink, purple, red, blue, yellow, brown, orange and green. So, toddlers can make just about any picture they like with this great range of colors. The pens don’t leak or spill, and they are washable and quick to dry – what more could you want from toddler pens?! The set also comes with 10 coloring pages to work on, and there are 100 different pages which can be downloaded and printed, so it’s sure to keep toddlers busy for hours. These daubers make fun art activities for toddlers, and they are really easy to use.
7. KidKraft Art Table
If you need a place for your toddler to work on their art, this little table from KidKraft is simply perfect. It comes with everything needed for various types of crafting, including cups for paint, various storage compartments and a holder for a roll of paper. It’s made from composite wood and is very sturdy and durable, so it’s perfect for toddlers and will last well. The table even has a drying rack at one end, so it can be used to hang wet paintings until they’re ready to be stuck on the fridge. The art table is just the right size for a two year old to sit at with a chair, and the surface is around 24″ x 31″, so there is plenty of space to get crafting! It’s the perfect way to keep all your toddler’s crafting supplies neat and tidy.
8. Play-Doh 36 Colors
Play-Doh is a classic toy which is perfect for toddlers aged 2. This bumper pack has 36 different colors, so there are endless possibilities for models to make! This set makes a great birthday gift, and they are ideal for giving in party bags, as well as for using on playdates. The dough is non-toxic, and combines will with the accessory pack at #5 in our list above.
9. Crayola Mess Free Lighting Doodle Pad
If you need something mess-free for your toddler to get creative with, the touch light pad from Crayola is an excellent pick. It can be used over and over again and has 12 different colored lights to draw with. It also plays 6 fun songs for toddlers to dance to as they draw! The toy uses gel under the surface, which toddlers simply draw on with their finger. This drawing toy is also great for keeping your toddler entertained in the car or when out and about as it creates no mess and has no small parts which could get lost.
10. Art Smocks for Toddlers
Perhaps the most important art supply your toddler will need is a painting smock to keep themselves clean! This will make your cleanup job a lot easier at the end of the day too! This pack of two is excellent – they have long sleeves as well as pockets to store supplies in. They can easily be put in the wash when your project is finished, and there are two smocks so there’s always another ready to use if one is being washed.
11. Top Bright Art Easel
An easel is an excellent toy for toddlers and it will be used for many years even as they get a bit older. This one has three functions in one – it can be used as a chalkboard, whiteboard and for holding large sheets of paper. There’s a tray for holding supplies, and the easel is height adjustable so kids can always use it comfortably as they grow taller. Both sides of the board are magnetic for even more fun. Kids can draw with any medium they wish with this awesome easel! If you’re looking for summer crafts for toddlers, you can even take the easel out into the yard.
12. ALEX Tots Gallery
This set comes with over 300 pieces and is used to make 12 fun art activities. There’s also a portfolio to store the finished projects and look back at them. Toddlers can make collages, as well as enjoy sticker activities and drawing with crayons. The set comes with fun materials such as googly eyes, crinkly paper and much more, so there’s loads of different textures for toddlers to explore and experiment with.
13. Melissa & Doug Jumbo Painting Brushes
Paintbrushes are a necessity when it comes to starting a box full of crafts for 2 year olds. These jumbo brushes from Melissa & Doug are excellent because they are easy to grip and so allow toddlers more control over their painting. There are four different colored brushes in the pack, and the come with a storage pouch to keep them together when not in use. They’re easy to clean with water and soap if necessary, so they can be used over and over again, and should still be enjoyed by your toddler until they reach the age of 4.
14. Minnie Mouse Coloring & Sticker Book
Minnie Mouse is a really popular character amongst toddlers, so they are sure to love this coloring and sticker book set. There are two books – one with coloring and stickers and the other with coloring and activities. You’ll find more than 150 stickers with the set – toddlers love stickers so this is sure to keep them happy for a while! There are over 170 pages to color too. This is a great set for taking on vacation or when going out for dinner, as it’s relatively mess-free and will keep your toddler out of trouble!
15. ALEX Junior Animal Paper Craft
Our final pick is another set from ALEX Toys, and this one is used to make adorable animal collage pictures. There are four animal shaped boards and they have adhesive already applied, so there’s no need for glue. The paper simply sticks straight on to the board for mess-free fun. Toddlers can make a cat, a bear, a rabbit and a chick, and there are stickers included for decorating them. This is an easy and fun activity which won’t take too long, so it’s ideal for those with a shorter attention span.
Best Buy Overall
After careful consideration, the best product overall has to be the toddler art easel. We love how it can be used for drawing and painting with any type of media, and the height adjustment means it is long-lasting and will be enjoyed for years. The storage tray area is really useful too, and will ensure toddlers always have the supplies they need close to hand.
Best Budget Pick
The Busy Box from ALEX Toys is an excellent pick if you’re looking for something on the lower end of the price scale. It has loads of supplies which can be used for a variety of different projects – it’s sure to keep your toddler busy for hours! This is a great set for letting toddlers unleash their creativity, but there are instructions included for the various projects which they can follow too.
How to Make Simple Doll Crafts for Toddlers?
There are a few different ways to make dolls. Perhaps one of the most popular is the paper chain of dolls holding hands. To do this, fold a piece of paper into strips. Then, draw half a doll on the strip, and cut around, leaving the hands attached. After unfolding, you should find a chain of dolls all holding hands, which your toddler can then decorate with pens and stickers.
Alternatively, you can make a doll sock puppet if you have some old socks laying around. This is a little more complicated and probably won’t hold your toddler’s interest at the age of two, but they will love playing with it once it’s made!
How to Make Dinosaurs Footprints Crafts for Toddlers?
Painting with your toddler’s feet can be loads of fun – many of them love the sensation! There are loads of ideas online which show how you can decorate the footprints to make them look like dinosaurs. You can also use their hand prints to make different types of dinos! One of the easiest is to paint both feet and have your toddler stand on the paper with their heels apart and big toes together. You can then draw sharp teeth and an eye, to turn the footprints into a T-Rex’s face viewed from the side. This is such fun for parents and toddlers alike!
Christmas Crafts for 2 Year Olds: How To
There are loads of awesome Christmas-themed craft activities you can enjoy with your toddler! One of the most popular is making your own Christmas cards and gift wrap. To make cards, you can paint your toddler’s feet (like the dinosaur idea above) and add to the footprints to make various shapes such as penguins, mistletoe or a reindeer! For gift wrap, simply unroll a large roll of brown paper on the table or on the floor (with a protective cover down!) and get some Christmas stickers or stamps and let your toddler go wild! You could also get sponges cut into Christmassy shapes and dip them in paint and stamp these onto the paper. Your friends and family will be thrilled to receive a present wrapped in your very own custom-made gift wrap!
