Is Diamond Painting Safe for Kids?

The holidays are just around the corner and the days are cold. No school and no real outdoor play mean you need to find ways to keep little ones engaged and occupied indoors. The festive season is also full of gift giving and it’s easy to start running out of novel ideas. Gifts that keep kids gainfully busy are always welcomed by parents. Diamond Painting Kits are a great way to help children unleash their creativity and have something to display proudly at the end of it. Read on to learn all about diamond painting for kids. 

What is Diamond Painting?

Inspired by the ancient art of mosaics, diamond painting involves placing tiny resin “diamonds” onto a canvas with a pre-printed design and adhesive to create a beautiful picture. Children relate to it easily as they are already usually familiar with the concept of painting-by-numbers. Here, the different colours of paints are simply replaced by resin gemstones. They love the richness and sparkle imparted by the diamonds and the excitement only increases as the picture unfolds. 

How Old Must Children Be to Start Diamond Painting?

The short answer is older than three years old with parental supervision for children up to the age of six. This is mainly because diamond painting involves the use of tiny resin diamonds which are easy to swallow. While the resin used in high-quality kits is usually non-toxic, ingesting them is not advisable. 

Another consideration is your child’s interests, focus levels and the ease or difficulty of the kit (more on that later!). Some younger children get really into the simpler kits while others may enjoy them more when they are older. Generally speaking, if a child loves their activity books, coloring books, or jigsaw puzzles, they are more likely to enjoy diamond painting. However, some kids enjoy the pretty colors and sparkles from the gems and take to diamond art even if they don’t like other such activities.

What Are the Benefits of Diamond Painting for Kids?

Diamond painting offers children plenty of benefits helping their development in a myriad of ways.

• Gets Them Away from the Screen: One of the biggest benefits of diamond painting is that it’s an enjoyable activity that doesn’t involve the use of a screen. It helps them switch off and relax. Many grown ups have likened diamond painting to a meditative activity and young artists can derive the same benefits too. Most importantly, they learn to have fun indoors without depending on electronic media. 
• Helps Them Learn Patience: In a world where instant gratification is the norm and being patient is a struggle for adults, diamond painting helps children learn to be patient and work toward a reward – in this case, a beautiful piece of art to be proud of. 
• Improves Concentration: Diamond painting is intricate and requires kids to pay attention to the activity at hand. It helps develop their concentration skills as they focus on completing their painting step-by-step. 
• A Sense of Achievement: Nothing builds self esteem more than having a sense of achievement. Completing a diamond painting gives kids a tangible reminder of how they worked toward a goal every time they look at it.
• Develops Motor Skills: Diamond painting helps the development of hand eye coordination as little ones use a diamond application tool to gently place the resin diamonds on their canvas to create a picture. They can also get a sense of how different colors are used and color theory while creating diamond art.

Diamond Painting Kit Recommendations for Children

The resin diamonds (or drills as they are known) typically come in two shapes: round and square. Round diamonds are easier to place on a canvas and are generally better for children and beginner adults alike. Kids can slowly graduate to square drills as they grow more comfortable with diamond painting. They best way to start young ones off on diamond painting is to use smaller designs and ones that align with their interests. 

Bookmark kits like this Bookmark Dash Hound, are small, fun, and are great for kids to make and give as gifts. Slightly older children may also enjoy making teddy bear key chains for their friends and family members to use. You can also choose kits with their favourite characters like Strawberry Shortcake, Spiderman, or have one custom made for them. 

If you need help choosing the right diamond painting kit for your child, talk to us today or look through our beautiful kits here!