Coach’s Corner is a DIEEC blog dedicated to providing fresh ideas for your practice. Meghan Julia Pallante is our featured blogger and provides new content on a monthly basis.
Meghan Julia Pallante
Meghan is a quality improvement specialist and has been with DIEEC for over ten years. She holds a master’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Delaware.
10 Things You Can Do With Painter’s Tape
November 2025
One of my favorite things about early childhood education is finding ways to be creative with ordinary, everyday materials. It is possible to intentionally plan hands-on, play-based activities without purchasing expensive toys and materials. Ordinary items like coffee cans, egg cartons, paper towel rolls, and jar lids can be used for all types of activities. And the best part? Kids love them!
For this month’s Coach’s Corner, we will be focusing on all the fun and creative activities that can be done with painter’s tape! First, though: What IS painter’s tape? Painter’s tape is a type of low-adhesive tape made of paper. It removes cleanly and does not leave residue behind. Typical blue painter’s tape can be found in any home improvement store, but you can also find a rainbow of colors online!
**Disclaimers– As with every activity, please assess the age and developmental appropriateness of the activity. Small items that could be choking hazards should not be used with children under 3 years. Product links do not imply an endorsement by DIEEC and purchases made through the links do not benefit DIEEC in any way.
10 must-try ideas with painter’s tape:
1. Giant letters– Use painter’s tape to create giant letters on the floor. This is a great way to visualize the letters that you are currently working on. Once you’ve made the letter, children can:
- Create an “animal parade” by lining up toy animals on the letter.
- “Trace” the letter by walking along the lines.
2. Rescue the toys– This is a great activity for toddlers developing their motor skills. Grab a few small toys and tape them to the table with painter’s tape. Have the children “rescue” the toys by taking off the tape.
3. Abstract chalk art– Take your tape outdoors! Choose a large section of sidewalk or concrete and tape out different abstract shapes with the painter’s tape. Let the children color in the different shapes with sidewalk chalk. Then, let them pull up the tape to reveal a cool design.
4. Hopscotch– Use the painter’s tape to set up different hopscotch grids. This can be done on carpet or hard flooring.
5. Town roads– Create roads with the painter’s tape. If possible, do this in a larger open area. Let the children use blocks to build houses and other buildings around the roads to make a town. Then, drive toy cars around the town!
6. Hit the target– Create a target on the floor with painter’s tape. This can be done in a square since that is easier with the tape. Have the children throw bean bags and try to hit different spots on the target.
7. Color Matching– Here are two easy ideas:
- Using rolls of different color tape, put vertical strips of tape on the wall. Give the children Legos, Mega Blocks, or Duplos, and have them build towers against the wall that match the colors of the tape.
- Make squares on the floor in different colors of tape. Have the children find items to put in the squares. For example, a green crayon, a green car, and a plastic tree would go in the green square.
8. What will stick?– For this activity, you’ll need a long strip of tape and two sturdy surfaces—such as shelves, tables, or similar objects—to attach the tape between. Secure one end of the tape to one surface and the other end to the second surface. Have the children find different objects and see if they will stick to the tape. For example, a pom pom will stick to the tape, but a heavier toy car will not.
- Ask older children to predict whether each object will stick to the tape. You could even tally up their predictions or create a bar graph of who thinks the object will stick vs. who thinks it will not stick.
- Another idea using this same setup is to have older children stick pom poms in different patterns on the suspended tape. Please keep in mind that due to choking hazards, this would be an activity for children over 3 years.
9. How far can you jump?– Put a line of tape on the floor as a starting line. Have each child stand on the starting line and jump as far as they can. Add another smaller line of tape with their name on it where they land.
10. Tape art– To make this a collaborative activity, use a large section of wall space. Give the children painter’s tape in a variety of colors and allow them to create a mural on the wall. This does not require any specific instruction; just let their imagination get to work! If you would like to try this on a smaller scale, let children use a tabletop or large individual pieces of paper.
And finally, for preschoolers, you can give them the painter’s tape and some other materials and let them create their own activities. Below is a picture of the play that occurred when my children and a few friends had access to painter’s tape and a large box!
Keep in mind that these activities should be offered as a choice along with other opportunities. You might even find that children will take materials intended for a specific activity and create something entirely different. This is the beauty of child-directed play with open-ended materials!
There are so many ways to use painter’s tape with young children. How do you use this versatile material in YOUR space? As always, let your imagination run wild, but be sure to provide close supervision for young children!
A print version of this month’s Coach’s Corner will be available soon!
