I started working on these “Love Not War” banners just a few days after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. I began with the Ukrainian flag colors, but soon recognized that there were other countries at war right now, with innocent people dying and refugees fleeing. Specifically, in Syria and Afghanistan. So I researched…
Doodle Weaving
If I had to choose one art medium for the rest of my life it would be fibers. I am always drawn to them, even from an early age when I only wanted to wear corduroy pants because I could run my fingers across the grooves and make a cool sound. My focus as an…
Celebrate Earth Day! 40 Ways to Use Nature and Recylables in Art with Kids
Earth Day always sneaks up on me and sometimes I even miss it! But this year I am here to help you get organized and be prepared to celebrate Earth Day all month long, with 40 ways to use nature and recyclables in art and creative play with kids! The very best and most simple…
Pom-Pom “Pujaki”
It’s time to update this pom-pom chandelier post from 9 years ago, one of the first that went “viral” on my blog in 2013. The reason I wanted to update this post in particular today is because this chandelier was inspired by traditional Polish chandeliers called Pujaki (made from paper) and I really want to…
Watercolor and Pastel Valentines
This weekend I was inspired by one of the prompts in our February Creativity Project guide, appropriately named Friendship and centered around love, kindness, and connection. The prompt is a simple invitation with watercolors and pastels, and the possibilities are endless. These hearts are channeling a little Jim Dine, who explored relationships of color, texture…
Our 2021 DIY Holiday Card
This year I purposefully put off making and sending our holiday card until after the holidays. I love making cards (usually I do a postcard, not a handmade card) and love sharing an update with family and friends. But this year I just wanted to give myself some grace, and not add to my December…
Watercolor House Garland
This house garland can be painted in endless ways. Here I used some white crayon resist, watercolor, and a splash of gold tempera paint. Set this out for a group of children and let them explore the resist technique used when mixing crayon and watercolor. You could make these in a classroom, or at home…
Styrofoam Printing with Kids
Printmaking is one of the fine arts (including painting, drawing, collage, and sculpture) that involves making a “master plate” which you then can use to make multiple images which are printed in reverse. There are so many ways to print, it’s almost endless! Potato and veggie printing, linoleum printing, mono prints, bubble wrap printing, yarn…
Jackson Pollock: Large Scale Collaborative Painting with Kids
The American artist Jackson Pollock is one of the most recognizable painters of our time. His drip, splatter and pour technique is now so iconic, there is probably not an art teacher in the world who hasn’t adapted his action-centered art making in their classes at some point. But although his style in now ubiquitous,…
20 Paper Mâché Ideas For Kids
Paper mâché is one of those classic art techniques that all children should experience at some point in their childhood. Getting your hands covered in ooey, gooey paste is a rite of passage! You will need some preparation and planning, but the process is so enriching and the end result is always kind of magical….
