Christmas Bow Painting Process Art Project

Let’s make a Christmas bow painting – the cutest process art project for the holidays! Your kids will squeal with glee to paint with something so silly (plus, they’ll have a blast).

Table of Contents:

1. Christmas bow painting is exactly as it sounds
2. We’ve been doing Christmas bow painting since forever
3. Materials
4. Directions
5. Let’s extend the activity
6. An important note about Christmas crafts
7. How to clean up Christmas bow painting
8. FAQ

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Christmas bow painting is exactly as it sounds

First, you get the Christmas bows.

Then, you get the paint.

Last, you get the children.

It’s silly, unexpected fun, and pure joy from beginning to end.

There’s nothing not to delight in with Christmas bow painting.

Related: A green Santa beard? A purple tree? Let the creativity fly on a GIANT Christmas coloring page.

We’ve been doing Christmas bow painting since forever

I recently went through a bucket of old art I saved from our preschoolers, and guess what I found.

A Christmas bow painting from over 12 years ago!

It’s fun to hear the new stuff, but sometimes you just want to hear the hits.

We love Christmas art! Try some of these other favorites, too:

• Chalk Christmas Light Art
• Giant Christmas Coloring Banner
• Easy Christmas Q-Tip Painting

Materials

• Gift bows – I always buy mine from Costco, but if I needed more, I’d buy this set
• Paint
• Paper – We use large paper for this because bigger is more fun with this
• Tape
• Plates

Directions

Before getting started, you’ll want to prep the handles on your bows, making this project 217% easier for little kid hands.

First, flip your bow over to the adhesive square. Fold the square toward the center, making a little handle, then tape it to keep it in place.

Next, it’s as simple as adding paint to plates, adding one bow to each plate, and letting kids go to town!

With the bows, kids can:

• Stamp
• Mix colors
• Make lines
• Make shapes

It’s pure fun.

Let’s extend the activity

Christmas bow painting as is = adorable.

But, maybe you’ve made them several times before, and you’re looking for some fun ways to add extra fun.

• Make your bow painting on large white paper rolls and save it to use as homemade Christmas wrapping paper
• Use your beautiful papers as lovely homemade Christmas cards
• Turn these into unique handmade Christmas gifts by doing this project on canvas with acrylic paints like Play to Learn Preschool does (how cute are these?)

An important note about Christmas crafts

As they say with preschoolers, the simplest ideas are the best.

Especially during the holidays. 

During a time when many kids are making lots of cookie-cutter crafts, it’s important to make sure to include open-ended, creative art opportunities, too.

Handprint Santas are darling, but they’re a craft and are teacher-led with intended outcomes and specific steps to follow. They allow very little (if any) room for kids to use their creativity.

But Christmas bow painting? It’s ONLY fun, open-ended, and creative.

How to clean up Christmas bow painting

Sometimes, we can save the bows by rinsing them off and letting them dry.

Other times, they get a little too flat and can’t be used for gits. Before throwing them away, wait for them to dry and invite kids to chop them up with scissors as a bonus fine motor activity.

2023 Christmas bow painting was a hit and it will be back in 2024.

FAQ