What parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle wouldn't love a handmade gift from the littlest member of the family? I love sending artwork to family for holidays and our family will be celebrating two soon - Mother's Day and Easter! So we're getting out our paints, rolling up our sleeves and making art!

It's important to remember that baby art is truly "process art" in which you have to focus on the experience of making and not so much on any anticipated outcome. Let's face it - most little ones don't even realize that there IS an outcome! Fun-A-Day offers a great explanation of what process art is and why it's important. But the beauty of baby art is that nearly anything made by that tiny human will warm hearts! Here's a mess-free painting project perfect for babies who can grasp with two hands.

Golf Ball Art

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Supplies Needed:

non-toxic paints (I chose spring colors in keeping with the season but you can customize based on the supplies you have or upcoming holidays)
paper
tape
1 or more golf balls (you can use other balls but golf balls give the painting nice texture and give the activity a great sound)
a lidded container, preferably with a clear top

The Process:

tape the paper to the bottom of your lidded container
add small globs of paint on different areas of the paper
add golf balls
close the container (tightly - add tape if it's not a 100% secure fit)
hand the container to baby - in Tummy Time, while seated, while standing at a low table - whatever position your baby is enjoying lately
if needed, shake the container to help baby understand the cause and effect of his actions and the noises and ball rolling inside
let the paint dry before removing from the container (the paint may make the paper soggy and prone to ripping as you un-tape it)
enjoy the painting "as is" or cut it into a shape and mount it on a larger piece of paper or cardstock

Even though baby won't be touching the paints, accidents happen and you may have plans to wash and re-use that container in the kitchen, so I recommend using non-toxic, washable paints. We used these Crayola neon washable paints {affiliate}.

Baby Not Interested In The Activity?

Don't sweat it! The first time I offered this activity, my guy took one look and crawled away. I reintroduced it later in the day when he was trapped - er, I mean safely contained - in the Pack 'n Play while I prepped dinner. He loved it! So keep trying and don't put too much pressure on yourself for a Pinterest-worthy museum quality work of art. Just have fun watching your little one being curious and exploring with his hands (or telling you with his actions what he's MORE interested in right now).

What Are The Benefits?

This activity is great for promoting two-hand use (bilateral coordination is the fancy word for this skill), which stimulates the two sides of the brain to work together. Two-hand use is important for later skills like catching a ball, pulling on pants, cutting paper, and daily activities in nearly every aspect of our lives.

This activity also offers novelty and the opportunity for new learning. Baby hears the balls rolling and feels their weight shifting in the container. If the lid is clear, baby can watch the effect of her movements on its contents.

Other Art Activities For Babies:

Tummy Time Finger Painting right here at CanDo Kiddo
Colored Rice Art from Fun At Home With Kids
Baby Drawing from Red Ted Art

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