Something I didn't understand before I had a toddler was the value of process art. As a teacher and perfectionist in general, I am all about the end product. If I'm going to do an art project with kids I want to have something cute and polished at the end to show for it. There
are a couple of issues with that when you have a two year old: first of all, two year olds don't always want to sit and do an activity exactly like you think it should be done. My son often has his own way of looking at something I've set up and while I used to resist this and try to show him the right way of doing things, I now realized this process is so important for his development and his self-esteem. If you are constantly correcting your kid, especially when they are supposed to be doing a creative project, they are going to get frustrated and not want to try. They will also be less likely to try out their outside the box ideas in other areas and look to the parent for the "correct" way of doing things. All of this to say, process art is so great for young kids. It can feel like such a mess and a waste but when I watch closely I see my son:
figuring out new colors and patterns
problem solving
testing out his ideas and changing things if it doesn't work out how he planned
focusing on the motor skills he is using on whatever the project is
getting messy and having lots of great sensory input as a result
This toilet paper process art is so easy. You can use any colors or type of paint you have around the house, and you can use whatever paper (or a cardboard box). My son recently has been very into colors and color mixing, so I opted to give him the three primary colors - red, yellow, and blue. I find that giving kids ALL THE COLORS to start out can be overwhelming, so for a super little one you could even just start with one or two colors and build from there.
I set out some paper on a table (a very easy to wipe clean table (; ) and put a toilet paper roll
in each color. If your little one has trouble getting started, you can stamp a couple of times with the toilet paper roll. Avoid doing anything elaborate as an example because the idea is for this child to explore and get creative, and it is hard to do that when trying to emulate an adult's work.
My son LOVED this activity. He went back to it a few times throughout the day. He was able to do this pretty independently which is always a plus when you have another child or things to do around the house.
Does your child like to paint? What is your favorite way to get creative in your home?
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