Your seventeen-month-old is a doer. They imitate everything — stirring, wiping, pressing buttons — and art activities let them channel that copycat energy into something colorful. At this age, toddlers can use stamping tools with more control, begin to experiment with stickers on purpose, and show preferences for certain colors. Spread out the play mat and let your little creator lead the session.
6 Art Activities for Your 17-Month-Old
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Foam Shape Stamping — Peel adhesive foam shapes and stick them onto blocks to create custom stamps. Dip in paint and let your 17-month-old press patterns onto paper on the mat. The raised foam edges leave crisp impressions.
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Sticker Dot Rainbow — Draw a large rainbow arc on paper and provide sheets of colored dot stickers. Guide your toddler to match sticker colors to the arcs, introducing color recognition while building fine motor control.
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Shaving Cream Swirl Art — Spread a thin layer of shaving cream on a tray placed on the play mat, drop a few dots of food coloring on top, and let your toddler swirl it with a finger. Press paper on top, lift, and scrape flat for a marbled print.
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Car Track Painting — Dip the wheels of toy cars in washable paint and let your toddler drive them across paper on the mat. Different tire treads make different patterns, and the driving motion is already a favorite action.
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Squish Bag Color Mixing — Fill a sealed zip bag with two primary paint colors, tape it flat to the mat, and let your toddler push the paints together. Watching yellow and blue become green is a moment of real discovery.
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Paper Plate Faces — Give your toddler a paper plate, glue dots for eyes, and large stickers or torn paper for the mouth and nose. Seventeen-month-olds are fascinated by faces, and building one from parts connects art to social recognition.
Safety Note
Shaving cream is not edible — use it only when you can prevent mouthing, or substitute with whipped cream for a taste-safe version. Always choose non-toxic washable paint, and keep lids and small sticker backings away from your toddler.
Best Surface for Art Play
Shaving cream, car paint tracks, and sticker debris all land on the floor eventually. A Poco Koko memory foam play mat gives your 17-month-old a soft, wipeable surface that handles daily art messes without any damage to your home. Explore our play mat collection.
Related: When Do Babies Walk
Written by the Poco Koko Team — parents, product designers, and child safety researchers dedicated to creating safer floors for families.