Post by Colleen of Lemon Thistle

I’m such an advocate for children creating art – no matter how young. My kids started finger painting when they could sit up (I use a recipe that’s edible) and now that they’re officially toddlers, they’ve graduated to real paint. I love having their artwork in our home, but there’s two of them – and that would mean a lot of paintings on the wall. I was wanting to have some more art in our house when I thought of this idea and I’m so glad that I did.

This toddler finger painting geometric art is made by combining two finger paintings for a big impact. You need to get up close to even realize that it’s made by toddlers.

The first step is getting your toddlers, kids, or babies creating. I like to tape down my paper (this time I used poster boards) and put them in a seat they can’t get out of on their own (save the couches!). Since I wanted two distinct paintings, I gave them each different colors. This time I gave them some paint brushes and then showed them that they could also use their hands. They were really excited when we showed them they could use their hands so I would probably skip the brushes next time.

 

I use the tape that the poster boards are taped down with to hang them high on a wall to dry (anything to save the couches, I tell ya!). When they were dry, I used a craft knife on a cutting mat to cut the painted area into 5 cm strips (about 2.5”). I then, using my straight edge, cut my strips into triangles. I cut them on an angle 2.5 cm between the top and bottom lengthways, so my triangles were as tall as they were wide.

When my triangles were all cut, I took a piece of yardstick cut to 8×10 (the size of my photo frame) and played out the pieces in a geometric pattern, alternating the blue and purple designs. When it was all laid out, I took one piece at a time and adhered it to the paper with double sided tape.

I’m so happy with how it turned out! It adds such a fun pop of color to their bedroom, I’m already dreaming up what other patterns I could create! I’d love to hear if you do art with your children and any tips you might have!

Colleen is a wife, mama to 20 month old twins, and the DIY and lifestyle blogger behind Lemon Thistle where she shares printable art and hands on tutorials for DIY home decor, parties and gifts. Colleen believes you can have a beautiful life, home, and party without spending a lot- we’re keeping it real on a budget so everyone can join in on the fun. Find her on Pinterest & Instagram.