25+ Fun Art Activities for Kids Using Few Ingredients

Inside: Art activities for kids using few ingredients – that’s just what this collection is all about! A variety of ideas that use only a few materials you probably already have on hand.

You know those art activities that look so nice online, but once you actually try to put them together, they require too many different materials?

Yeah, that’s not what this collection is.

Thank goodness, right?

We love art activities for kids that are easy.

Art activities that require stuff we already have at home, like paper tubes, foil, corks, and Q-Tips.

Ideas that don’t take a lot of steps to complete.

These art activities would be perfect for the last-minute planner, or for a parent whose kids are stuck indoors and they need something now.

Over 25 different ideas you can do at home or in the classroom.

Check them out!

Water

• Fill containers with water, freeze, and paint on them.

Paper Tubes

• Stamp paint with paper tubes.
• Turn paper tube rolls into different shapes and stamp. (Crafty Morning)

Paper Towels

• Squeeze watercolors onto paper towels.
• Make a colorful paper towel garland and decorate your house. (The Craft Train)
• Create different textures during this cardboard roll printing activity. (Teach Me Mommy)

Paper Plates

• Make a colorful suncatcher.
• Create a paper plate sculpture. (Kids Activities Blog)
• Design a paper plate crown. (Where Imagination Grows)

Baggies and Plastic Wrap

• Paint a colorful flower inside a baggie. (Toddler Approved)
• Press plastic wrap onto puddles of paint and move around.

Contact Paper

• Press paper onto contact paper. (Fun window display!)
• Press pieces on contact paper to make a colorful collage. (Art Bar)
• Create a big, beautiful butterfly. (I Heart Crafty Things)

Q-Tips

• Download the free butterfly printable and paint with Q-Tips.
• Make a watercolor garland with Q-tips and watercolors. (Art Bar)
• Bundle Q-Tips to make a tree. (The Pinterested Parent)

Foil

• Paint on foil using Q-tips or brushes.
• Put together sensory paint along with foil. (FSPDT)
• Tear foil and create a collage. (Laughing Kids Learn)

Sponges

• Add clothespins to sponges for some fun fine motor painting. (Busy Toddler)
• Make your own shape stamps using sponges and paint. (Powerful Mothering)
• Try a tape-resist method with paint and sponges. (Crafty Kids at Home)

Shaving Cream

• Download the free printable and make muddy pigs.
• Make colorful prints with shaving cream and watercolors. (The Artful Parent)

Corks

• Recycle your wine corks and paint with them.

Rubber Bands

• Snap paint onto paper for some fun action art. (Craftulate)
• Combine cardboard and rubber bands for some fun print making. (The Artful Parent)

More collections:

How to Create Recycled Crafts

10 Ways to Use Stickers to Build Skills

Using Household Utensils with Easy Activities