Often, the best art ideas stem from recycled goods. This bubble wrap art does not disappoint! 

As my boys were thumbing through their book by The Best Ideas for Kids, they immediately froze singling out this idea. They were on a mission to make this happen, and I wasn’t going to stop them. 

Wait! Is painting messy? Not if you set the crowd up for success. You’ll see in this How to Paint with Kids post everything you need to get started. 

Here’s how I set my kids up for painting success. 

I line the table with brown paper bags. 

We talk ahead of time to make a plan. I remind the boys that paint goes on paper, and we touch base about how to switch colors in between uses. 

We also try to paint in the late morning when the focus is at its fullest potential. 

As the kids paint, I want to find ways to reinforce their painting skills as they work. I may say something like, “Look at you! That is such a great idea to show your brother how to make purple from blue and red. Way to be a helper!”

Painting with kids doesn’t have to be a disaster. We just have to set the stage before handing over the paintbrush. 

RELATED: Looking for a place to store all your art supplies? You will love our Art Cart for Kids. 

The visual arts are essential. Now is the time to get started. 

Did you know that allowing time for artwork also reinforces:

• Expressing emotions
• Dexterity and pencil grip 
• Creativity  
• Hand-eye coordination 
• Concentration 

Children not only benefit from painting! Remember, you can also include drawings, sculptures, and pottery! Having a few essential craft supplies on hand will help jump-start most art activities at home. 

Now that you are sold on visual arts at home let’s get Bubble Wrap Art set up! 

I lined my table with brown paper bags and taped them down using painter’s tape. 

I like to use egg crates for the paint and repurposed plastic containers for the water. 

The paper tubes were quickly wrapped in bubble wrap using a glue stick. 

Once the art table is set up, I called the boys over to get started. Away they went creating prints how they saw fit. We call this process art, which is allowing the young artist the decision on how the outcome will look. – This kind of art is a personal favorite of mine, and you can find an extensive collection of art ideas for kids on our blog! 

Here is what you need!

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You can find the full write up for this activity in Fun and Easy Crafting with Recycled Materials.

• Paper tube 
• Bubble wrap
• Paper bags or shower curtain to line the table
• White paper roll 
• Paintbrushes 
• Paint 

All three of my boys came in to create bubble wrap art, and all three conquered their wishes. 

The three-year-old mixed all of the colors onto the bubble wrap and stayed in one place. It wasn’t his first time painting. I began painting with him early on with a genius painting with a toddler idea. 

Our five-year-old carefully painted a rainbow pattern and then gently rolled it onto the paper. 

My 6.5-year-old painted his bubble wrap tube many times and created a collection of prints. 

Three very different techniques that helped each one explore color mixing and painting. 

Find this idea, plus 19 more on our BIG KID activity cards! 

Go ahead and dive in. This summer, let’s bring the arts into our homes!