The Poor Mom Revolution

There are so many times that we are all home as a family… doing separate things, doom scrolling, or video gaming it up and simply wasting the little time I feel like we have together. With my kids being as creative as they are, we’ve always leaned towards artistic projects to keep us all smiling, happy and off the technology. With so much time juggling life, parenthood, sports and chaos it is nice to have meaningful moments with the kids that don’t break the bank.

All we have used over the years is a canvas, paint brushes and paint and or any cute items at a discount. We’ve recycled old artwork if needed, but we’ve been able to find it all at the dollar store, five below and on sale at craft stores, Ross and TJ Maxx. Nothing fancy, just 6 ideas we’ve tried and loved to let the creative vibes flow!

1. Handprint or Footprint Paintings

Using little hands and feet allow for a fun project and awesome keepsake. When the kids were little we traced their hands and painted around them for a fun COVID project, but honestly it’s super fun and easy to paint their hands and feet for a cute animal canvas for the wall or a little ornament to hang around the house. They are only little once right? Be creative and have fun! Plus when they are little, it helps teach fine motor skills.

2. Tape‑Resist Abstract Art

This is one of the cutest and easiest ideas you can do. Letting kids paint freely, then peeling off tape to reveal fun patterns. We’ve done this for a painting party when the kids were little. They all had a mini canvas with their names taped on and they were able to paint, play, have fun and we hung out and played while it dried. Once we were ready to leave, the tape was peeled off and they created their own take home party favor. Simple and fun from babies to teenagers. It takes nothing more than adding tape to your shopping list.

3. Flick painting

One of my favorite type of paintings is the one where you get to throw paint at the canvas and see what happens. There is no rhyme or reason, but it’s fun and looks awesome. I’ve seen ones that have paint filled balloons and you throw darts, or simply using a water gun with paint in it. My all time favorite is the flick method. Putting a large amount of paint on you brush and flinging it at the canvas to see what happens. We had seen an Instagram reels and decided to make our own version of it and we had a blast! It’s colorful, you never really know what you’re going to get, and is one of a kind!

4. No‑Mess/Ziploc Squish Painting

This is an incredibly easy, clean way to have fun with paint. You simply need a ziplock bag, paint and a hard surface. I did this all the time when the kids were little because it let them experiment, practice mixing colors, and they always loved how it felt. As they got older, we used plastic wrap as an alternative to mixing with no mess. The last project we made was for Earth Day! Kids mixed blue and green to display for a school project.

5. Tracing an online photo

A while back we had found a few frames when cleaning out our main closet. We had the idea to print out some photos we found online and to trace/paint onto the glass part of the frame. As we were tracing it, we knew it would look pretty awesome. We had some beautiful additions to the wall and the kids each got to pick a custom project.

One of my favorite gifts to give family and friends are items made with love. Since the kids were little, they enjoyed making cards and/or projects to let others know how much they care about them. We found these adorable frames at the dollar store that allowed them to create whatever they wanted. This one had a picture of the family in them for the living room, but have used it for Father’s Day. We also found mugs there as well, which allowed for a cute Sharpie project. I’m all for cheap, meaningful projects that last! I can’t wait to see the projects you guys come up with. Allowing your kids to be creative doesn’t have to be pricey. These projects help to build unforgettable memories while ensuring family time.