Let’s make painted glass art that looks like stained glass windows! Painting on glass windows creates a beautiful faux stained glass window art project for kids perfect for older kids: pre-teens and teens. We used coloring pages as painting templates and homemade glass paint and found the creative possibilities are endless with this simple kids art idea.
Easy Painted Glass Window Art Project for Kids
Our stained glass painting idea can be used on a glass window or smaller glass piece. We are using the glass in photo frames so it is a smaller, portable painted glass art project. Kids of all ages can get involved in stained glass painting:
- Younger kids (Preschool, Kindergarten & early elementary ages): Make sure you tape off the glass edges to avoid any sharp areas, choose a simpler coloring page pattern and consider using a black paint pen instead of paint.
- Older kids (Tweens, teens & adults too): Choose complicated coloring pages as templates and a variety of colors as inspiration for your paintings on glass. Check out more middle school art projects <–here!
These stained glass painting projects will make beautiful art for their bedrooms that can be wiped clean and re-created as often as they like.
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Related: Easy Tree Painting for Kids Using Pine Needles.
How to make stained glass Painting art for kids
Supplies needed to make stained glass art
Recommended Free coloring pages To Use as Painting Templates
Instructions for making Faux stained glass art Painting
Step 1
Use our detailed instructions to make faux homemade window paint for kids.
Once you have made your paint for coloring in your window you need to make the outline paint. Pour black acrylic paint into a 3/4 full bottle of white glue. Mix it up, and then test it on a piece of paper to make sure it comes out black and not grey. Add more paint if you need to.
Step 2
Remove the glass from the frame. Put the coloring page underneath the glass. Trace over the coloring page using the bottle of black paint combined with glue. You don’t need to trace over every fine detail, just the main ones until you get more practice. Set the glass aside to dry completely before moving on to step 3.
Stained glass art for kids’ craft tip: Test the bottle of black paint on a piece of paper. We found it worked better to keep the lid partially closed. If we opened it all the way the black paint came out too quickly and was harder to trace over the images.
Step 3
Use a brush to color inside the black outlines with pretty colors. Try blending colors together to see if they make a new color.
Our finished stained glass art for kids
You can see how this finished stained glass painting turns out so lovely! Paintings on glass windows and frames are a project that creative kids will take and run with it. Kids may start by using coloring pages for the entire painted glass art and with practice use the painting template less and less until they may free-hand their stained glass painting.
Displaying Painted Glass Art
If you used a photo frame like we did, there are several ways you can display your stained glass painting:
- Glass painting without backing: Remove the backing of the photo frame and use masking or painters tape from the back to secure the glass into the frame. You can also use a permanent glue if you need more secure positioning of the glass.
- Glass painting with plain backing: Choose a plain piece of paper to go under the glass like a white or complementary color and then use the frame back as intended.
Why We Love This Stained Glass Painting Craft For Kids
Making your own diy glass crafts is always fun. But this one allows your child to express their creativity in such a unique way. Stained glass is not only beautiful, but very old art. And so making your own stained glass can keep your art alive for a very long time. Just like people turned Leonardo Da Vinci’s into art that still survives today. Keep your little one’s first masterpiece and hang this glass project up.
Or give these picture frames, that were decorated by your toddlers and older kids, as gifts! These craft ideas make great gifts for: Mother’s day, Father’s day, birthdays, grandparent’s days!
Prep Time
20 minutes
Active Time
40 minutes
Total Time
1 hour
Difficulty
Medium
Estimated Cost
$15
Materials
- Picture frame
- Coloring page
- Clear school glue
- Dish Soap
- White glue
- Food dye
- Black acrylic paint
Instructions
- Put 2 tablespoons of clear glue, 1 tsp of dish soap, and a little bit of food dye into a container and mix together. Don’t worry if it looks dark, it will be much lighter when painted on glass. Repeat this step to make as many colors as you like.
- Pour black acrylic paint into a bottle of white glue that’s 3/4 full. Mix together until completely combined. Test it on a piece of paper to make sure it’s black and not grey.
- Remove the glass from the frame and put the coloring page underneath.
- Trace over the coloring page using the black glue/paint to make an outline. Set the glass aside to dry completely.
- Use a brush to add colors inside the black outline and again set it aside to dry.
- Put the glass back inside the frame.
More window crafts from Kids Activities Blog
Have you made faux stained glass window art with your kids? How did it turn out?
