Nurture the creativity of your little ones!

Celebrate and share children’s creative talents through fun and engaging art & craft activities for kids.

Inspired by Big Art at Camp Australia - Be Bold, Be Brave, Be You!

Encourage your young artists to dive into easy and enjoyable kids art and craft activities, perfect for sparking their imagination at home. And add a sprinkle of competitiveness with the Big Art Competition!

Inspire your aspiring artist to get hands-on and express their colourful side by trying these easy activities at home.

Here are our top 5 picks of art and craft ideas for kids:

Kids Art And Craft Ideas

Bubble Painting

What You Need:

• Non-toxic paint
• Dishwashing liquid
• Straw
• Paper cup

Take non-toxic paint and mix it with water. To this, add a squirt of dishwashing liquid. Use a straw to blow into the cup of paint to create bubbles. Then, quickly transfer the bubbles onto a piece of paper to create your own one-of-a-kind bubble painting!

This is a great indoor kids art and craft activity, and easy enough for kids and caretakers to do quickly. It’s not super messy either, which makes packing up and cleaning much easier. And you get beautiful paintings as keepsakes!

For a little extra magic, you can mix different paints and work with a unique shade. Or transfer the bubbles onto the paper, wait for them to dry, and then splash another round of bubbles on top to add to the painting.

TIP: Use child-friendly, non-toxic paint in case children suck on the straw!

Rainbow Rice

What You Need:

• Rice
• Food colouring
• Vinegar

This activity is brilliant for sensory play and so satisfying to make! All you need is rice, food colouring and some vinegar to help the colours set.

Pour a cup of rice and half a teaspoon of vinegar into a bowl, then add a few drops of food colouring and mix. Leave the mixture to dry, and then it’s time to play! You can encourage kids to mix food colouring to make different colour combinations.

You can use this rice to play or create textured art. Cover a canvas or a piece of paper in glue. Then, spread rice all over until there is an even layer. Let it dry, and you’ll have a unique piece of art right at home.

The biggest advantage of this activity is that all items are safe for kids, even if they accidentally end up putting something in their mouths.

TIP: Add some gel colouring to the mixture to make the colour as bright as possible!

Fake Snow

What You Need:

• 200g baking soda
• 2-3 tbsp hair conditioner
• 200g corn flour
• 2-3 tbsp shaving foam
• Water

It’s unfortunate there isn’t much snow during Australia’s winter season, but we can always make some fake snow at home. It doesn’t feel cold as the real thing but it sure looks very similar!

There are 3 methods of making fake snow. All you need is some baking soda, shaving foam, hair conditioner, corn flour and water. As all these items are easily available at home, you can choose whichever method you prefer.

Method 1: Baking Soda and Hair Conditioner Take the baking soda and mix it with hair conditioner. Stir the ingredients well and finish mixing with your hands until you get a fluffy texture. If it’s too runny, add more baking soda.

Method 2: Baking Soda and Corn Flour Take the baking soda and mix it with corn flour. Mix the ingredients and gradually add water. Don’t add water too quickly, or else the mix will become too runny. Keep mixing until the mixture has a crumbly, fluffy texture.

Method 3: Baking Soda and Shaving Foam Take the baking soda and mix it with shaving foam. Be careful with the shaving foam. You only need a little bit. Mix well with your hands until you get a fluffy texture.

TIP: Great sensory play idea for the Christmas season and perfect for snowball fights!

Hand Printing

What You Need:

• Non-toxic paint
• Water

A fun, easy way to express creativity, this hands-on (literally) activity is a classic favourite for all ages. No paintbrushes needed as you just need to use your fingers and the palm of your hand to create unique works of art! You can turn handprints into cacti, peacocks, crabs, and so much more.

Take your non-toxic paint and mix it with water to dilute it a bit. Dip your hands and fingers and get painting! Great activity for siblings to do together or for kids to do with their parents and caregivers.

TIP: Use child-friendly, non-toxic paint that’s easily washable.

DIY Rainbow Suncatcher

** What You Need:**

• Coloured tissue paper
• Card paper
• Sticky contact paper

Brighten up your windows with this colourful suncatcher that creates a beautiful stained window effect. You’ll need some coloured tissue paper, a black piece of card paper, and a sticky transparent contact paper to stick the rainbow coloured on top. For detailed instructions, please see here.

TIP: Adult assistance may be required to cut around the paper for a rainbow shape.

Why Should Kids Do Art and Craft Activities?

Art and craft activities for kids offer benefits that go beyond just fun and creativity.

Art and crafts activities help in the development of fine motor skills as children learn to manipulate painting brushes, scissors, and crafting materials. It fosters cognitive growth and decision-making through creative expression. Moreover, art and crafts provide a therapeutic outlet for emotions, promoting mental health and emotional well-being. Lastly, these activities boost self-esteem, as kids feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in their creations, encouraging a positive self-image.

Big Art 2024

Big Art is an immersive-year-round arm program offered at Camp Australia, designed to spark creativity and showcase the artistic abilities of children in our care. Central to this initiative are regular art-focused activities, major competitions aligned with topical themes, and a strong community connection through partnerships with local galleries and artists.

Discover a bigger, better and bolder Big Art for 2024 and help your child unleash their artistic potential with us! Find out more about Big Art and book your child in today!

*reference: gathered at https://www.gathered.how/