The Messiest — But Coolest — Outdoor Art Projects

Three kids painting and making a mess outside doing a fun messy art project

Photo:

iStock

Get creative outside

If the thought of doing art with your kids makes you cringe (maybe because there’s still glitter embedded in the carpet from your last attempt), I get it. Kids are messy enough already — handing them cups of water and rainbow paint primed for splattering, spilling and staining everything within a 5-foot radius seems like a recipe for disaster.

The good news is that summer is here — which means my kids and I can take our art outside, where clean-up is as simple as turning on my garden hose (or waiting for the next summer rainstorm to blow through). So pack up your paint and head outside, because here are eight of the messiest art projects I love, perfect for the long hot days ahead.

Use the arrow above the image or the link at the bottom of the page to see all the cool projects I’ve rounded up. Or, use the list below to jump to the project you can’t wait to try:

Up first: Colorful squirt gun painting

Need more creative ideas to keep the kiddos busy?

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in May 2019, and updated most recently in July 2024 by associate editor Kari Hanson. New projects and images were added, and all other projects were fact-checked.