The Best Diamond Painting Kits for Kids (8 Diamond Painting Kits That Kids Love)

Diamond painting is taking the art and craft world by storm. This DIY crafting activity sparks creativity without requiring someone to be artistic and choosing the right partial or full drill diamond painting kit can make artists of children as well as adults. If you are a seasoned member of the diamond painting community, you may be wondering how to share your experience with some of the younger members of your family.

This post will cover some of the benefits of diamond painting for kids, an overview of diamond painting basics, and some tips and tools to find the best diamond painting art kit for kids. 

Why Should Kids Diamond Paint?

The advantages of painting with diamonds are numerous, and the benefits exist no matter what age the would-be diamond artist is. Whether you are looking for an activity that you and your child can do together or something that can entertain your kids while you are making dinner, diamond painting may be just the solution you are looking for. 

• Diamond Painting is Fun: Diamond painting is a colorful, engaging hobby! No matter what the benefits are to any new activity, your best chance of engaging bright young minds is to find something kids enjoy doing. Experienced diamond painters describe the art of diamond painting as a sort of combination between cross stitch and paint by number kits, and the vivid colors and designs of the many diamond painting art kits are appealing to kids of all ages. 

• Creating Artwork Boosts Confidence: Kids develop a sense of pride in completing and displaying their own creative work. Many of the beginner level kits are designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind, and kids receive a jolt of confidence when they engage in and complete a new activity, especially one that produces tangible, visible evidence of the creativity.

• Diamond Painting Improves Focus and Concentration: Today more than ever, our children (and ourselves) have to manage many different things that are competing for attention. Multitasking has been a habit, but in many cases that just means that few things are garnering the child’s full attention. By offering an enjoyable activity that allows the child to focus on a single task, including breaking that task into smaller, more manageable parts, the parent or caregiver is creating an environment that promotes deeper concentration and prolonged focus. 

• Meditative Activities Are Calming: Studies have shown over and over again that allowing the brain to relax by giving it something to focus on that is absorbing but not overly complex has similar benefits to having a meditation practice. The benefits of meditative activities include stress reduction, improved impulse control, and reduced anxiety. While your child’s hands are focused on the repetitive tasks of placing each diamond on the canvas, their mind is free to relax and release all the tensions that build up from the pressures of homework and social interactions. 

• Patience Is (Still) a Virtue: Although diamond painting is relatively easy to pick up, it does require learning a new skill. Your child will likely make some mistakes as they work on their first diamond paintings, but they will also learn how to correct those mistakes. In addition, they will find that working through an activity that can take minutes at a time but that can be completed over the course of hours or even days produces a sense of perseverance and focused effort to achieve an end goal (in this case, a completed diamond art masterpiece).

• Fine Motor Skills Are Critical:  Although creating diamond art is not a difficult concept to master, it does require fine motor skills. For this reason, diamond art provides an innovative way to enhance not only mental focus but manual dexterity as well. The child simply needs to be old enough to know that the glittering diamond painting rhinestones are for creating art, not for snacking. 

• Diamond Paintings Make Great Gifts: There is something uniquely satisfying about creating something beautiful and unique for your wall decor or as a gift for a friend or loved one, and that satisfaction is a feeling that kids can experience as well. Rather than having the child draw a card or pick out another apple pie scented candle, consider letting the child create a home decor gift that will wow parents and grandparents alike. A simple frame is all the completed diamond painting needs to go from being a craft project to becoming a uniquely artful gift. 

• No Batteries Required: If you are tired of or concerned about your child’s constant exposure to technology and you no longer want to rely on video gaming systems, smartphones, or other electronic devices for entertaining your child, consider acquiring a diamond painting art kit. Diamond painting can be done from the comfort of your own home with minimal investment and no technology. If you are tired of expensive and elaborate Lego kits (or are just tired of stepping on Legos on your way to the bathroom in the middle of the night), consider diamond painting as an alternative way to keep your youngster occupied and away from the many beckoning screens. 

Basic Diamond Painting Steps for Kids (and Beginners of All Ages)

Diamond painting becomes intuitive rather quickly, but understanding a little bit about the process and the steps involved may help put your mind at ease and give you an idea of what to do and expect when you or your child is working on their first diamond painting.  

Step 1: Prep your work diamond painting workstation just like you would if you were laying out a jigsaw puzzle. Make sure the work surface is clean (or at least not sticky!) and flat, then roll out the full diamond painting canvas. Try to pick an area that is safe from toddlers and furry friends.*NOTE: Leave the layer of plastic film that covers the adhesive canvas in place for now.

Step 2: Check your materials and lay them out for ease of use. Each diamond painting kit from a respected retailer like VizuArts includes all that you need to fully complete the diamond painting your child selected, so take an inventory to ensure that the canvas, diamond applicator tool, wax pad, storage tray, grooved bead tray, and individual bags of diamond are all included and within reach. Kits also come with a pair of super-sharp tweezers for detail work, so determine whether or not the tweezers are an appropriate tool for your child. *NOTE: It is still not yet time to remove the adhesive film on the canvas.

Step 3: You will note that each bag of diamonds is labeled with a DMC symbol that corresponds to the coding on the canvas. Pick a color of diamond beads that will be placed near the edge of the painting, and shake a few diamond dots into the grooved tray. Jostle the tray gently so that the diamonds settle with the flat side down and the faceted side facing up. 

Step 4: It’s finally time! Peel back a small section of the plastic film, but do not remove the whole thing. The canvas is covered with adhesive, and you want the section you or your child are not working on to remain clean and sticky. 

Step 5: Peel back the plastic film that covers the small pink wax pad. This will allow your child to pick up the diamonds with the applicator tool and place them on the canvas. 

Step 6: Dip the tip of the diamond drill pen into the wax. Not too much, not too little - that’s the ticket here. 

Step 7: Holding the diamond drill applicator tool like a pencil, use the wax-filled tip to pick up a diamond from the tray, then press the diamond (flat side down) onto its corresponding symbol on the adhesive canvas.

Step 8: Repeat as needed! Your child can work through the diamond painting section by section until it is complete, and this can occur over the course of an hour or multiple days depending on the size and complexity of the diamond painting (as well as on the attention span and bedtime of the child). 

Those are the basic steps, and they may be all you and your child need to complete the original work of art, but this beginner’s guide will offer additional tips on successful diamond painting while also covering some of the common terminology used in the world of diamond painting. 

What Kind of Different Diamond Painting Kits Should I Consider?

Diamond beads, also known as diamond drills, diamond dots, or rhinestones come in two shapes: square and round. Both produce high-quality diamond paintings that capture and reflect light, but most crafters agree that square drills are a little more difficult to use than round drills. You are the best judge of your child’s skill set, but a good rule of thumb is to consider starting with a round drill kit. 

Diamond kits also come with a full drill canvas, which means the entire surface will be covered by diamond beads, or with a partial drill canvas, which means part of the background is already colored in and is not coded for diamond beads. Both are acceptable options for beginners and children, though most of the more complex designs available on the market are full drill. 

You may also see options for 3D diamond painting kits as well as 5D diamond painting kits, but experienced diamond crafters do not pay too much attention to this distinction. The primary difference between a 3D diamond drill and a 5D diamond drill is that the 5D drill has more surface facets. 

Tips for Making Diamond Painting an Enjoyable Experience for Kids and Parents Alike

Have a dedicated create and workspace, whether that is just a folding table in a corner or an assigned section of the kitchen table. A comfortable chair and good lighting are essential, regardless of the age of the diamond art crafter. 

Choose a diamond painting art kit that is suitable for your child’s age and skill level. 

Pick a theme or pattern or color scheme that will resonate with your child’s interests and personality. 

Encourage breaks. Even (or especially) when a child is fully absorbed in an activity, they need to be able to stretch and walk away for a bit so they do not get too bored or frustrated as well as so that their eyes and muscles do not get tense.

What Themes or Styles of Diamond Painting Art Kits Should I Choose? 

Each diamond painting art kit comes with everything your child needs to complete their first diamond painting. Each kit includes 1 DMC coded canvas, individually bagged and labeled diamond beads (including extra beads in case some of the drills are lost or broken), 1 diamond pen (also called an applicator tool), 1 wax pad, 1 grooved diamond tray, and 1 set of super sharp tweezers. 

Other tools, like an extra pen with comfort grip, diamond sorting or storage containers, and a LED light pad, may also prove useful for anyone working on a diamond painting. 

As a reminder, round drill kits in smaller sizes are better for kids and beginners, while square drill kits are better for older children, adults, or more experienced crafters. The canvases in most diamond painting art kits range in size from as small as 20 x 20 centimeters (8 x 8 inches) to some as wide as 90 centimeters (36 inches). 

Another aspect of diamond painting kits that make them an attractive option for kids is their affordability. When you take advantage of coupons and online sales, you can secure a high-quality diamond art for as little as $20 or $30 per kit.

When considering what theme or style to choose, consider your child’s interests. Are they absorbed by all things Disney? Then consider a 14 x 18 inch (35 x 45 cm) Little Mermaid art kit or one of the more advanced square drill Disney kits. 

Or perhaps you have a budding biologist or veterinarian on your hands? If so, there are loads of animal-themed diamond painting art kits that range from a cute little panda on a swing to the mighty lion in this King of the Jungle rendering. Frolicking kittens, big jungle cats, running horses, noble elephants, and many of the other creatures of land, air, and sea are all available and among the best sellers for diamond art kits for kids and adults alike. 

Have a kid with a flair for the fantastical? The saturated colors and shimmering sparkle of diamond paintings make them a uniquely suitable art form for visuals of unicorns, fairies, dragons, and surreal nature scenes. 

It is impossible to say what the “best” diamond painting kit is for your child, but no matter what diamond painting art kit you select (or what craft kit your child adds to their wishlist), you are sure to find a diamond painting art kit that suits your needs, interests, and skill levels. Below you will find 8 of the most popular VizuArts diamond painting kits for kids:

1. Who does not love a Rainbow Unicorn? With round diamonds and coming in at a petite 12 by 18 inches, this diamond painting is sure to thrill the heart and spice up the decor of any child’s room. 
2. This wide-eyed Berry Branch Owl is another perennial favorite. This canvas is 12 by 16 inches and also uses round diamonds. 
3. Here’s one for all the cool cats and kittens! Lions, tigers, panthers, and leopards make up this exotic 12 by 16-inch round drill diamond painting. 
4. For a truly artistic endeavor, families turn to Van Gogh’s Starry Night for inspiration in this 12 by 18-inch round drill painting. 
5. Budding equestrians will find themselves drawn to the Running Horses in this round drill 12 by 16-inch diamond kit. 
6. Purple Butterflies? Yes, please! Slightly larger at 16 by 16 inches, this round drill painting will bring a smile to the face of any young naturalist. 
7. Ling Ling does not have a thing on this round drill, 12 x 16-inch Cherry Blossom Tree Panda.
8. Young astronomers will be drawn to the sparkle and promise of the solar system with a 12 by 18-inch round drill Planetarium kit. 

But Wait, There’s More!

If you have been diamond painting for a while and have a lot of leftover beads, or perhaps if you acquired a diamond painting only to find your child promptly removed the adhesive film and dusted the whole surface with powdered sugar and glitter, you may be wondering what sort of craft options exist for leftover diamond drills. 

A few of the more popular ideas for leftover diamond bead crafts include using the diamond beads to make a calm down jar (filled with beads, water, and oil or glycerin), creating holiday ornaments (filling clear balls with beads or using the beads to decorate paper cut-outs), creating or blinging out masks and costumes, creating sparkly greeting or get well cards, transforming vases or flower pots, or even creating a one of a kind manicure or pedicure!