When my 6-year old art student requested that I come and do some art at her birthday party, I practically screamed YES! I love doing art parties because the kids are always so excited to see the creative tables and to use their hands and make stuff. I asked my student what she had in…
Leaf Painting with Kids
It’s been raining here in Connecticut for what feels like a decade, and it’s still muggy and warm. Where are you, Fall weather? We are ready to take out our big sweaters and take a walk through the colorful + crunchy leaves, collecting all the best ones as we go. This leaf painting with kids…
Collagraph Printmaking with Kids using Wooden Blocks
Jennifer from Small Hands Big Art is back! She is sharing this GORGEOUS collagraph printmaking project that she did with her students. They used big wooden blocks and designed these absolutely stunning quilts using warm and cool colors. Can we just call Jennifer the queen of color, please? Let’s find out how she made this…
Quick and Easy Pom-pom Mobile
We’ve been making quick and easy pom-poms in art class all year. The best part about making these is that they don’t have to be perfect. I actually love when they look a little shaggy, especially for this simple pom-pom mobile. Supplies needed to make quick and easy pom-pom mobiles: ~ Small piece of cardboard ~…
Wooden Sculpture Prompt: Imaginary Playgrounds
One of my favorite process art experiences for my art students is setting out wooden pieces and letting them make sculptures. On this day, I gave them the prompt to make imaginary playgrounds. I love what they created so much! How cool would these be if they were life-sized? I think all playgrounds should be…
Sun Prints with Kids
We make sun prints in art camp every year. I was scrolling back through photos recently and wondered why I have never written about this very cool and exciting process on my blog? I think it’s because this is not a new thing and I never have done anything cool with the prints, like my…
Sand Art Bottles with DIY Dyed Sand from the Beach
You guys, these sand art bottles are completely cost-free! I dyed sand from the beach and the bottles are recycled. My art campers made these last summer and I’ve been dying (lol) to share them with you! These would make a gorgeous vacation keepsake. In fact, these were so successful that I briefly thought about packing…
Patterned Cardboard Animals with Templates
By now you all know that I am a lover of cardboard (as professed in my latest book, Cardboard Creations), and am always thinking of new ways to re-use my collection of recycled boxes. These patterned cardboard animals were really fun to make both for me and my kids! They sit on our mantle currently…
Spin Art For Your Walls
Every summer we make spin art in Art Bar Camp. It’s actually a wonderful first day project to loosen the kids up, get them chatting with their new friends, and build teamwork but sharing paints and helping each other. Once dried, these petite little paintings can all be hung up together to make a gorgeous…
Beach Art
This is an updated version of an old post. I originally wrote this 3 years ago, in 2015. Since then, we’ve had many more opportunities to use our found collections to make beach art. Not only that, I recently challenged my Facebook fans to post their own beach art photos. And their ideas were so…
