Let Your Toddler Express Themselves {And Create Some Mother's Day Gifts in The Process!}

*Mommys Craft Obsession did not receive any compensation for the brands mentioned in this post*

Being at home 24/7 with a toddler is truly a blessing, although some days it feels like can feel like being in a cage with a small rabid animal. Okay maybe not rabid, but man do these little ones have energy! Little Mister and I love spending our mornings being lazy together, eating breakfast and watching a Mickey Mouse or two before mommy's game show (the Price is Right, yes I am an old lady in training) comes on. Obviously every day isn't spent lounging around, but on the days that we do have nothing planned I really strive to give Little Mister some creative stimulation to help with his development whether it's working with him on with homemade flash cards, working with him on colors, counting various objects, or our newest favorite venture, expressing ourself through painting!

For a while now I've been wanting to get Little Mister into painting but he was never really interested in it (trust me, I had tried multiple times) and then all of a sudden one day I asked "do you want to paint" and he said "yes!". At that point I don't know how was more excited, me or him! Within the hour we were headed to Walmart to go buy some paint, all while I was trying to get him even more excited about painting.

Once I found the art section I grabbed a pack of Crayola Washable Kids Paint, a package of Crayola paint brushes, and a 2 pack of 8X10 canvas. I got the idea of using canvas from my friend who always lets her children paint on canvas so that she can hang their art in the play room once it's dried! I love that idea - so many pictures are thrown away over time because really, who hangs onto pictures painted on printer paper? I know my mom didn't keep all of my art work! But the idea of painting on canvas really sat with me because not only is it a keepsake, but it makes your home brighter and your child will love that they're art is showcased for everyone to see!

Before I left the store, the lightbulb went on and I realized that not only could Little Mister make beautiful works of art for me, but he could make them for the whole family as well! Mother's Day is right around the corner after all! So I picked up a few extra packs of canvas and went home to get Little Mister started.

He was so jazzed about making art that he ended up finishing three pictures in one sitting! He was having a blast and I adored watching him. Rather than giving Little Mister the entire canister of paint I decided it was a wiser choice to limit him to the caps that way mommy's OCD like behavior wouldn't kick in if he mixed the colors! (I seriously can't stand that!) As Little Mister was painting I could really see the wheels in his head turning as he was deciding which color to use next and where on the canvas to put it. He was expressing himself through the paint and learning in the process! Little Mister loved to tell me what the colors were as he dipped his paint brush into the paint cap and he was tickled when I would rinse off his paintbrush so that it was clean again to dip in a new color. 

Seeing Little Mister so happy while he painted and watching the concentration on his face gave me such joy as a mom. I really strive to work with him daily and interact with him in different scenarios all while teaching him different things, but allowing him to take the reigns and focus on something in a semi quiet manor was really interesting to experience. 

Since our initial painting session Little Mister has completed several more canvas's and three of which have been sent out as Mother's Day gifts to some very special grandma's/nana's in our lives. Out of the five ready to go canvas's that we had I let Little Mister choose the two that he wanted to be hung up in his bathroom and he also picked out which canvas was sent to which grandma/nana.

If your toddler has not yet experienced painting, I highly recommend that you head to your local Walmart or Target and pick up a few things to get them started! It has been such a rewarding experience for both Little Mister and myself and I really love allowing him to paint on canvas rather than regular paper! Whether you're letting your little one express themselves through painting or some other form of art, consider letting them express themselves on something that can later be treasured as a beautiful gift - it's perfect for Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Birthdays!