Quick answer: a Starry Night art project for kids uses thick, swirling brushstrokes in blues, yellows and white to paint a night sky over a simple village. It takes about 60 to 90 minutes, works for ages 5 to 12 and needs only acrylic paint, a canvas or heavy paper and a couple of brushes.
The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh is one of the most recognized paintings in the world, and it is perfect for kids because it is all about movement and feeling rather than perfect detail. It is also the featured masterpiece in our October 2026 kids box.
A little art history first
Van Gogh painted The Starry Night in June 1889 while staying at an asylum in Saint Rémy de Provence, France. He painted the view from his window, adding a village and a tall cypress tree from his imagination. Today the painting hangs at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Talk about it: Ask your child what is moving in the painting. Is the sky calm or wild? Why do you think the artist made the stars so big?
What you need
- A stretched canvas (8×10 inches is a great size) or heavy paper
- Washable acrylic paint in dark blue, light blue, yellow, white and black
- A medium flat brush and a small round brush
- Optional: texture paste to build up thick, raised swirls
- A paper plate palette and a cup of water
How to paint your own starry night
There is no right way to do this. Instead of copying Van Gogh, borrow a few of his tricks and use them to paint a night sky that belongs to your child.
- Pick a place. Ask: where should your night sky be? Over your house, a beach, a city, a made up planet? That becomes the bottom of the picture.
- Go dark first. Van Gogh covered his sky in deep blues. Let kids cover the background with any night color they like, without worrying about it being smooth.
- Make it move. His secret was thick, curved brushstrokes. Encourage swirls, waves, zigzags or spirals, whatever shows how the night feels to them.
- Make things glow. Stars, moons, streetlights or fireflies look brighter with rings of white and yellow around them. Let them decide what shines.
- Add something tall. Van Gogh’s cypress tree reaches into the sky. Your child might choose a tree, a rocket, a lighthouse or a giraffe.
- Light it up. Finish with tiny dots of light in windows, boats or anywhere that feels cozy.
Make it their own
The best part is the twist. Instead of copying, ask your child to paint the view from their own window at night, their own street or an imaginary planet, using Van Gogh’s swirling technique. That is how every Art Club Monthly project works: learn from the masterpiece, then create something original.
Get the full Starry Night kit delivered
50% off your first box with code 50ACM26. Free US shipping. Cancel anytime.
Frequently asked questions
What age is a Starry Night project good for?
Ages 5 to 12. Younger kids enjoy the swirls and colors, while older kids can focus on brushstroke direction and composition.
What paint is best for kids?
Non toxic washable acrylic paint is the best choice. It is thick enough to show brushstrokes and cleans up with soap and water.
How long does it take?
Plan for 60 to 90 minutes, or split it into two sessions so the sky can dry before adding the stars.
