Sometimes it can seem a bit challenging to find a new and fun way to get kids involved with art, but here are a few ideas to ignite your own flame of imagination.
Balloon Art
No, I'm not talking about balloon animals, I'm talking about a whole new way to splatter paint! A large white canvas, a package of balloons, different colors of paint, darts, and an old sheet are all you need! Set up the canvas against a hard outside wall, (one that you're not afraid to get paint splatters on,) and pin paint filled balloons in specific shapes, or random order. Next, spread an old sheet on the ground, then have the kids stand about 5 feet from the canvas and give them three chances to hit a balloon. If 5 feet is too far away for them, move them forward a little, but not too much! You don't want them getting splattered with paint. Have your kids dress in old clothes! Remember, don't put the balloons too far apart from each other, and make sure the kids know dart safety!
Marshmallart
The name sounds weird, but the game is all that counts. Just like above, set up a large canvas against a wall outside of the school, and lay down an old sheet on the ground. Remember to dress your kids in old clothes! Lay out about 5 trays of paint, and a few bowls of regular sized marshmallows. Have the kids stand 5 feet away and let them choose 5 marshmallows, dip them in whatever color paint they want, then have them throw the marshmallows at the canvas. This game goes on until you run out of marshmallows so plan accordingly.
Click HERE to read about Paul Jackson Pollock, who is famous for his splatter paintings.
Naturescape
This one should be done in the Spring or Fall for best results. Let each child have a small paper sized canvas and send them outside to find flowers, leaves, and any other items they can find. You can give them a plastic dixie cup to put their loot in. After about 15 minutes, have them come back inside and give them some washable glue, and let them stick their items to their canvas ever how they wish.
Magazine Collages
Find a few age appropriate magazines, a paper sized poster board, and washable stick glue. Make sure the magazines have bright colors and are child appropriate. Try to find magazines with pictures of toys, flowers, dinosaurs, cartoon characters etc... Using safe scissors, have your kids cut out pictures and then glue them to the page.
Word Search Picture Collage
Just like above, you'll need age appropriate magazines, a paper sized poster board per student, and washable stick glue. You can use your child's vocabulary words for the week and have each child find the letters they need in their magazines, cut them out, and glue them in the right order on their poster board. After they finished finding each letter for each word, give them some glitter and stickables to decorate their paper. This project isn't limited to just English. You can also use words from history, science, and even math.
Click HERE to read about Kurt Schwitters, who is famous for his collages.
All it takes to find an art project for kids to do, is a little thinking outside of the box. These ideas are sure to keep your kids entertained, and even have them learn something important at the very same time! If you have a small family, invite other families and their children for a good time.
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