Picture this: It’s a cold winter day, your toddler has eaten every snack in the house, and the Paw Patrol song is now permanently embedded in your brain. You have to find something else to do before you all go stir crazy, STAT. At Sawyer we have just the solution - a painting class!

Whether you’re heading out to a painting class, joining virtually, or teaching your child to paint yourself, painting classes for kids offer a wide range of benefits. Here’s why we love them so much!

1. They’re fun for all ages.

From babies to teens and everywhere in between, there is a painting class to fit your child’s age and stage. 

Babies and toddlers can enjoy the sensory experience of sticking their fingers and toes in paint (hand print art is the cutest) and older children can express themselves with new techniques. There is no age limit and you don’t need a natural talent to get started.

2. They encourage creativity.

Don’t get us wrong, there is nothing wrong with children sitting down with some cartoons while you get work done. However, there is something to be said for turning off the screens and engaging the right side of the brain with a blank piece of paper and endless possibilities.

Try letting your child paint with different size paint brushes, their hands, and objects from around the house. Q-Tips, apples cut in half, and toy cars can make great painting tools and will help your child think outside of the box (but hopefully inside the edges of the paper).

3. They are great for developing fine motor skills.

Younger children especially can benefit from painting classes that teach them how to hold a paint brush, use a tool to make a stamp, or finger paint. An added benefit of bringing your little budding artist to a painting class or attending one online is that the instructor will help you learn the right ways to encourage these developmental skills and you can all have fun in the process. Teachers rock.

4. They can be done anywhere.

Have paint? Will travel! Or not! You can paint anywhere, and the younger children will certainly try to paint anywhere so keep a watchful eye.

In person painting classes give children the opportunity to explore new materials and meet new friends. Virtual painting classes turn “screen time” to “learning time”, and can be a fun way to engage in artistic fun with the whole family. If you’re teaching your child to paint at home — whether that’s on the kitchen floor, in the backyard, or even in the bathtub — all options are versatile!

5. The cleanup isn’t as bad as it sounds.

I know as a parent you hear “painting with kids” and immediately picture your house and child turning into a live production of Blue Man Group. But there are a few ways you can make painting cleanup much more manageable. 

First, make sure to buy washable acrylic paint, especially for the little ones. Next, lay down a tablecloth you don’t mind getting dirty before you get started so you aren’t scrubbing paint off your countertops. Or you can try the bathtub trick mentioned above to make this even easier. Also, think about some mess free ways to lay out the paints. One of our favorite painting with children hacks is to get a plastic deviled egg tray and fill the egg spots with paints. Find one at your local market and you’ll get more than your money's worth out of it!

Ready to get started? Check out painting classes for kids near you!