🎨 7 Must-Haves for Painting with Kids at Home

I’m Radha, psychologist, mom, and founder of Little Makers, a process art studio inspired by Reggio Emilia, created in 2015 in Amsterdam. After years of exploring art with kids in our creative workshops and artistic extracurricular activities, I’ve learned that you don’t need to fill your house with expensive materials or buy the latest trendy supplies for kids to have fun painting. With the right materials, they can spend hours creating and experimenting with ease!

So, if you want to foster creativity for kids at home, here are 7 essentials I always recommend having on hand. 🎨🖌️

And if you want to see how we use these materials in action, join us at Little Makers in our art workshops in Barcelona, Madrid, and Amsterdam! We always have new ideas that inspire families and educators. 😊

1️⃣ Small Brushes… and Hands Ready to Explore!

Let’s be real: the best brush is a child’s hands. I know it might feel scary at home, but with the right paint and setup, nothing bad will happen, I promise! 😆 Let your little one get messy, explore, and feel the paint’s texture with their fingers.

That said, once they develop a good grip, brushes become a magical tool. You don’t need to buy hundreds of them: one flat and one round brush are enough. And for extra fun, a large painter’s brush will be a total hit. Just skip the flimsy plastic ones—they bend at the first stroke!

👉 In our art workshops in Madrid and Barcelona, we always combine brushes and hands to give kids full creative freedom.

2️⃣ A Wooden Board (or a Tray) for the Perfect Art Station

Wooden boards are great for protecting your table, but they’re also fantastic for creating a painting station anywhere. Place it on the floor and voilà! You can also use a simple, inexpensive wooden tray.

💡 Tip: I always prefer neutral elements without flashy colors or patterns so the focus stays on the artwork, not distractions.

3️⃣ Rollers & Sponges (Check Your Kitchen! 🍽️)

If you open your kitchen or bathroom drawer, you’ll find tons of unexpected painting tools. Sponges are a must-have because:✔ They’re easy to wash.✔ They change shape over time.✔ They’re perfect for exploring textures.

Having a collection of different types of sponges is one of the simplest, most affordable ways to add variety to your child’s painting experience.

👉 At our summer camps in Barcelona, kids use rollers and sponges to create amazing backgrounds. You’d be surprised at what they can do with such simple tools!

4️⃣ White Paper and… NO Coloring Books! 🚫

If there’s one thing I don’t recommend, it’s pre-drawn coloring sheets. They limit kids' creativity and don’t allow them to create from scratch.

Always opt for white paper in different sizes so they can experiment with various surfaces and dimensions. And if you want to take it a step further… a good recycled cardboard box is the perfect canvas for an aspiring artist.

5️⃣ A Tabletop Easel (Because It’s Not Just for Cute Photos 😆)

Yes, nothing looks cuter than a kid painting at an easel, but beyond looking Instagram-worthy, it has real benefits:✔ It gives them a different perspective on their strokes.✔ It helps develop motor skills.✔ It allows more freedom of movement.

👉 In our creative workshops in Barcelona and Madrid, we always switch between table work and easels. Kids love the change in perspective!

6️⃣ A Mixing Palette (And Resisting the Urge to Mix Everything! 😆)

The type of palette doesn’t really matter (wood, plastic, or repurposed egg cartons), but the challenge is resisting the urge to mix all colors into one giant brown mess.

😂 I’ll talk more about this in another post—trust me, kids and artists think VERY differently about mixing colors!

7️⃣ High-Quality, Washable Paints 🎨

This is one area where quality really makes a difference. My favorite brands for home use are:✔ Giotto✔ Creall✔ IKEA’s paints (surprisingly great and super easy to find! 😊)

Liquid and solid temperas work really well, and if you want to experiment, try watercolors. But remember: it’s not about having a million colors; it’s about how you use them.

Come Experience It at Little Makers!

If this post made you want to start painting, imagine how much fun your little one will have experimenting with these materials in action. At Little Makers, we create weekly workshops that inspire not only kids but also families and educators.

🎨 Join our workshops in Barcelona, Madrid, or Amsterdam and discover how process art transforms children's creativity. You’ll walk away with ideas to try at home… and maybe even the urge to get messy yourself! 😆

📍 Book your spot now and enjoy art without rules, without fear, and with lots of fun.