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art activities for kids

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Art

Make a melting ice sculpture

Ice is such a fun material for kids to play with! It is easy to make and it changes form over time which means it is perfect for process-led art activities. In this post, I share how you can do your own melting ice sculpture at home with your little ones! Age range: 18 months + Preparation time: 10 minutes (ice needs to be frozen over night) What you need WaterSaltAcrylic paints or food coloringLarge Tupperware container or cake tin container to freeze iceLarge plastic tub or tray for kids to play with the ice inSmall containers (yogurt pots are perfect)Paintbrushes and kitchen utensils Additional equipment: Spray bottles for the paint, spice shakers, children’s toys to freeze in the ice and a camera to document the ice melting over time. Preparing the melting ice sculpture The night before you do the activity, freeze some water into the large Tupperware container…

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Art

Make an action painting

“A painting to me is primarily a verb, not a noun, an event first and only secondarily an image.” Elaine de Kooning, painter What is action painting? This activity shares how you can make your own action painting at home using paints, crayons, paper, and water. Action painting is when an artwork is by splashing, dripping, pouring, and squirting paint to a surface rather than carefully applying it with a brush (Tate, 2021). This process is associated with the Abstract Expressionism movement made famous by American artists such as Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, and Jackson Pollock. About this activity Written by Jessica Lam (Pedagogical Coordinator at the Forest of Stars preschool, Malaysia), this post shares how parents can do this process-led art activity at home with children aged 1 year and up. Jessica describes the process of action painting as similar to ‘dancing’ with the paint: “As the lightness…

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Art

Make a cardboard assemblage

What is an assemblage? Assemblages are artworks made by gathering and constructing different materials and objects which are often scavenged by the artist from unusual places. This technique has been used by artists including Louise Nevelson, Robert Rauschenberg, Sarah Lucas, and Rosalie Gascoigne (pictured below). Assemblages are a great way for children to learn about composition, shape, 3D form, and texture. Young children can also develop their fine motor skills through handling tools such as plastic screws, paper clips, split pins, and scissors. In this post, I share how you can make an assemblage out of recycled cardboard at home! Rosalie Gascoigne, Lambing, 1991torn linoleum on plywood. 120 x 191 cm What you need to create your cardboard assemblage A large recycled cardboard box. If possible, source a few different types of cardboard such as correlated, paperboard, and food packaging.Split pinsMakeDo Cardboard Construction Kit. Purchase HERE.Paper clips. I brought jumbo…

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Art

Make a window picture

Attention all parents who currently have the kids (unexpectedly) at home! I know that everything feels so overwhelming right now. You are probably thinking ‘how the hell am I going to keep them entertained?’ I get that. It is such a weird time for everyone. So, I am going to do my best to help. I plan to share some different kid’s art projects that you can do at home over the next few weeks. These will all be simple, creative projects that can be done using things you have around the house. First up… Create a window picture The window picture I created in my kitchen! The first kid’s art project I am sharing is so simple but so much fun… creating a window picture! All you need is foil, paper, water and a window. This activity is perfect for children aged 2 years and up. What materials you…

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Art

Make rubbings, gloop, and fluffy paint

3 creative ideas to do at home

Image by Laura Fantini With the international lockdown continuing, thinking of things to do at home can be tough! This post features three kids art projects you can do at home: Exploring surfaces around the house (and make rubbings of them)Messy play with gloop Experimentation with fluffy paint All three of these ideas were uploaded to Instagram as part of the #quarantineplayideas hashtag. In this, people share simple and creative activities that families can do at home. Exploring surfaces around the house by Laura Fantini Image by Laura Fantini The first activity I am sharing is by Laura Fantini. Laura works as an Atelierista in early childhood centres in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Laura’s approach is based on supporting children’s curiosity and artistic skills that then allow them to engage in different expressive ‘languages.’ Laura studied visual art at Bologna University and loves to experiment, learn and share. She is constantly inspired…

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Art

Make edible paint for babies and toddlers

Image credit: Keisha Baker (follow on Instagram here) Little kids love tasting things. While this can be gross, and at times even dangerous, it is also a very important part of their learning and development. This post shares an edible paint recipe for babies and toddlers – it is perfect for any parent who has a child under the age of 3! ⁠The recipe uses flour as its base. I like it because it has a thick and gluggy consistency that babies love to squish in their hands. Age range: 6 months + Preparation time: 10 minutes What you need 1/2c flour⁠1 tbs salt⁠3/4c cold water⁠3/4c hot water⁠Food coloring⁠ (5-6 drops)SaucepanWhiskWooden spoonSmall plastic containers Preparing the Edible Paint Place the flour and salt in a saucepan. Pour the cold water in the saucepan and whisk until smooth. Add in the hot water and whisk. Heat on the stove until it…

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Art

Make your own paintbrushes

Have you ever tried creating your own art tools? It is a fun art activity to do. Many artists including Gerhard Richter, Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning are famous for making their own tools for painting! This post shares how you, and your kids, can make your own paintbrushes using pegs and other items from around the house. This activity is great as it allows kids to experiment with different designs, surfaces and textures so there are lots of opportunities for creativity and problem-solving. Age range: 18 months + Preparation time: 10 minutes What you need Large clothespins/pegsScissorsPaint (homemade edible paint is a great option for babies and toddlers)PaperHousehold materials such as cotton pads, dishcloth, paper towel, tissue paper, bubblewrap, aluminum foil, leaves, ribbons, string, feathers, flowers and pom-poms. Making your DIY paintbrushes Step One: Collect your household materials and cut them into small enough pieces so they can…

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Art

Make blinged-up playdough

Above: Turmeric and Matcha flavored play-dough This post shares a play-dough recipe unlike no other. That’s because it features some simple ingredients that you can add to bling it up! Play-dough is one of the all-time-greatest toddler activities to have been invented. It can also be a wonderful kid’s art activity because it is: Easy to make with ingredients you probably already have in your pantryA fun sensory-based activity that kids can do at homeSomething you can keep re-using for months (if you store it correctly) Age range: 1 year + but also fun for adults! Preparation Time: 10 minutes Ingredients for blinging up your play-dough: Before making your dough, think about what ingredients you would like to add to bling it up! These additional bits help to make kids play a sensory experience by incorporating different smells, textures and colors. Things you can add are: Essential oils. These are…

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