Are Paint by Numbers Paints Toxic? A Safety Guide for Kids & Pets

Short answer: no. The paints in modern paint by numbers kits are water-based acrylics, and they're non-toxic for adults, kids, and pets in normal use. They wash off with water, carry no solvents, and are made to be handled by beginners and learners.

That said, "non-toxic" isn't the same as "edible," so a few honest rules still apply. In practice, supervise young kids, keep paint out of mouths, and ventilate for odor. According to Poison Control, water-based paints are very safe to use, and swallowing a small amount does not poison the body (National Capital Poison Center). If you'd like to browse safe, ready-to-paint kits while you read, here are our paint by numbers kits.

Key Takeaways

• Standard paint by numbers paints are water-based acrylics. They're non-toxic for adults, kids, and pets in normal use, and washable with plain water.
• Poison Control says most indoor paints are water-based and "very safe to use," and that swallowing a small amount "does not poison the body" (National Capital Poison Center).
• Non-toxic doesn't mean edible. Supervise young children, keep brushes and water out of mouths, and store kits out of paws' reach.
• The real risk lives in professional artist-grade tubes (pigments like cadmium and cobalt), not in the student-grade paints inside a kit.
• Acrylic and oil artist paints are "fairly non-toxic," but check labels, since some pigments can pose a risk (ASPCA).

So, are paint by numbers paints toxic?

No, and here's why. The paints in a kit are pre-mixed, water-soluble acrylics. There are no solvents to inhale, the odor is low, and a brush rinses clean in a cup of water. As a result, it's a very different category from oil paints or solvent-thinned artist mediums.

The word that trips people up is "non-toxic." A non-toxic acrylic is a water-based paint that won't harm you in normal use. That covers painting, handling, and washing up. It does not mean the paint is food. So a child who licks a brush won't be poisoned by a non-toxic acrylic, but it's still not something anyone should swallow. The pigment sits in a water and acrylic-polymer base, not a chemical solvent, which is why cleanup is just soap and water. There are no thinners, no turpentine, and nothing flammable in the pot. In our experience answering customer questions, that single distinction settles most worries. We cover the water side of handling in our guide to using water with paint by numbers, so we won't re-tread it here.

So the headline holds: the paint itself is safe. Still, this question comes up so often for one reason. The label "acrylic paint" covers a huge range of products. It spans everything from a toddler's craft set to a professional's loaded palette. Consequently, a search for safety pulls in warnings written about very different paints. Throughout the rest of this page, we'll keep drawing that line clearly. We'll explain what makes kit paint safe first. Then we'll explain exactly which products carry real cautions. Finally, we'll stay honest about the handful of edge cases where caution genuinely matters: ingestion, odor, and pro-grade pigments.

What makes kit paint non-toxic?

You don't have to take a brand's word for "non-toxic." The chemistry does most of the explaining. Kit paints are water-based, pre-mixed acrylics, which puts them in the same low-toxicity family as latex and poster paints. Poison Control notes that these water-based paints are "very safe to use," and that swallowing a small amount "does not poison the body" (National Capital Poison Center).

So a handful of plain-English cues tell you a kit's paint is the safe, beginner-friendly kind. Each one points back to the same water-based, student-grade chemistry rather than any seal or stamp.

• Water-based and washes off skin, brushes, and most surfaces with plain water.
• Pre-mixed and solvent-free, so there's nothing to thin and no fumes to inhale.
• Low-odor and low-VOC compared with oil or solvent paints.
• Student- or craft-grade, the class made for beginners, learners, and kids.

If a paint is water-based, pre-mixed, washable, and low-odor, you're looking at the same student-grade acrylic that ships in a beginner kit. That's the safe category. The cautions you read online almost always describe a different product, which we'll cover next.

Kit paints vs. artist-grade paints: where the real risk lives

This is the honest part, and it's where most online worry actually comes from. The paints inside a paint by numbers kit are student- or craft-grade acrylics, formulated to be non-toxic. However, the pigments that raise eyebrows live somewhere else entirely: in professional artist-grade tubes. We hear from customers who've read scary threads about toxic paint, and almost always those threads are discussing pro tubes, not kit pots.

Specifically, some artist-grade paints contain hazardous pigments such as cadmium, cobalt, or chromium. That's exactly why those tubes carry hazard warnings. They're not meant for children or for any ingestion risk. So it's a real distinction, but it's about loose professional tubes, not the pots in your kit.

For a parent shopping a kit, this means the kit acrylics are the safe choice. The cautions you might read about apply to a different product class entirely.

Is paint by numbers safe for kids?

Yes, with normal supervision. Kit acrylics are student-grade and made with learners in mind, so they're the safest pick for younger painters. Reassuringly, the paint won't harm them through skin contact, washing up, or the occasional smudge.

The rules are simple, and they're the same ones you'd use with markers or glue. First, supervise young children while they paint. Second, remember that non-toxic isn't edible, so keep brushes, paint, and rinse water away from the mouth. For age-appropriate picks, take a look at our kits for kids' rooms. And for fit by age, we break it down in our explainer on paint by numbers kids vs adults kits.

One practical note from years of helping parents shop: choose a kit with fewer, larger sections for a young child. Honestly, once you know the paint is student-grade and water-based, the toxicity question is settled. So the thing that actually makes or breaks the experience is fit. Therefore, a too-detailed canvas frustrates small hands, while a simpler design keeps a child engaged and proud of the result. In short, match the difficulty to the age, supervise as you would with any craft, and the safety side takes care of itself.

Are the paints safe for pets and paw prints?

Mostly yes, with one clear line: contact is fine, but ingestion is the thing to avoid. According to the ASPCA, most acrylic and oil artist paints are "fairly non-toxic." Still, some pigments can pose a risk, so it's worth a glance at the label.

In practice, water-based acrylic is generally fine for skin and paw contact as long as your pet doesn't eat it. If a curious dog or cat does swallow some, it usually causes a bit of stomach upset rather than anything serious. For a paw-print keepsake specifically, we hear that washable craft paints come off easiest and rinse away cleanly. That's why painters reach for those over kit acrylics for that one project.

• Skin and paw contact: generally fine for water-based acrylics.
• Ingestion: avoid it. The most likely outcome is mild stomach upset.
• Paw prints: reach for a washable craft paint, then wipe and rinse promptly.

The simplest habit is storage. Keep pots, brushes, and rinse water out of paws' reach between sessions, and the question rarely comes up.

What if a child or pet swallows paint?

First, don't panic. With a non-toxic acrylic, swallowing a small amount is usually minor. So stay calm and work through a short checklist instead.

• Wipe out the mouth and remove any paint you can see.
• Offer a little water to rinse.
• Watch for stomach upset over the next few hours.
• Keep the label or SDS handy in case you need to read off ingredients.

For pets, you can call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435, which runs 24/7 (ASPCA APCC). For a child, contact your local Poison Control. To be clear, this isn't medical advice, and a consultation fee may apply for the APCC. Still, when you're unsure, a quick call is always the right move.

Odor and ventilation: even non-toxic paint has a smell

Here's another honest caveat: non-toxic doesn't mean odorless. Water-based acrylics are low-odor and low-VOC compared with solvent or oil paints, but they're not entirely scent-free. As a result, most painters never notice the smell, yet sensitive folks sometimes do.

Ventilation helps for a simple reason. The EPA notes that concentrations of many volatile organic compounds run "consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors," so fresh air keeps any faint odor from building up in a closed room (US EPA). This isn't a paint by numbers problem specifically. It applies to most hobby and household products that release any scent at all.

Fortunately, the fix is easy. Work in a well-ventilated room, crack a window if you like, and rinse brushes in plain water rather than any solvent. There's no special equipment to buy. If you want the full handling routine, our guide to using water with paint by numbers covers technique so we don't repeat it here.

How we make this easier and safer

We build kits so the safe choice is also the simple one. Our paints arrive pre-mixed and water-based, with no solvent mixing and nothing to dilute. You open a pot and paint. In addition, the high-opacity paint covers in fewer coats, which keeps the experience clean and low-mess for kids and adults alike.

Because we carry one of the biggest collections online, it's easy to match a kit to the right age and skill level. In addition, our 30-day money-back guarantee backs every order. Finally, if you're curious what actually comes in the box, we walk through it in our breakdown of what's inside a kit.

Reviewed by the Davincified editorial team. This article is general information, not medical advice. When in doubt about an ingestion, call Poison Control or your vet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are paint by numbers paints toxic, and are acrylic paints safe to breathe?

No. Kit paints are water-based acrylics that are non-toxic in normal use. Poison Control says most indoor paints are water-based and "very safe to use" (National Capital Poison Center). They're also low-odor and low-VOC, so they're safe to breathe in a normally ventilated room. Sensitive painters can simply open a window.

Is paint by numbers safe for toddlers and young kids?

Yes, with supervision. Student-grade acrylics are made with learners in mind and won't harm a child through skin contact or washing up. However, the one rule is that non-toxic isn't edible. Therefore, keep brushes, paint, and rinse water away from the mouth, and pick a kit with larger sections for younger hands.

Are the paints safe for dogs and cats, like for paw prints?

Generally yes for contact. Specifically, water-based acrylic is fine on skin and paws as long as your pet doesn't eat it; in contrast, ingestion usually causes mild stomach upset. Notably, the ASPCA says most artist paints are "fairly non-toxic" but adds that you should check labels (ASPCA). For paw prints, meanwhile, washable craft paint rinses off easiest.

What should I do if my child or pet eats the paint?

Stay calm. With non-toxic acrylic it's usually minor. As a result, you can simply wipe out the mouth, offer water, and watch for stomach upset, keeping the label handy. For pets, meanwhile, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435, available 24/7 (ASPCA APCC). For a child, in contrast, contact Poison Control.

How can I tell a kit's paint is non-toxic?

Look at the chemistry, not a seal. Kit paint is water-based, pre-mixed, washable, and low-odor, which marks it as student- or craft-grade acrylic. That's the safe, beginner-friendly class. Poison Control notes water-based paints are "very safe to use" (National Capital Poison Center). The cautions you read online describe loose professional tubes, not kit pots.