Last week my daughter turned thirteen. It was a pretty huge deal, as it should be. We had a massive party for her with obstacle courses, shaving cream fights, a dunk tank, and of course some arts and crafts. (With me as her mom this is unavoidable.) My favorite artsy idea of the whole party was…
Process Art
Bird Finder Binoculars
I love a simple craft that is completely child-led. These bird binoculars were such a hit with the kids during our “BIRDS & BUGS” week at art camp. They loved being able to pick out their own color combinations, wrap yarn and cut tape (two skills that take lots of concentration and make little ones feel…
Milk Carton Bird Houses
Milk cartons have so many possibilities for crafting. Just their shape alone is a work of art! I love that they already looks like a house, with a little chimney and everything. We use milk cartons a lot in art class (I haven’t written about them yet because sometimes I’m just a lazy blogger, mmm hmm),…
Bubble Wrap Roller Printing
In my art class there are many days where I plan a collaborative art experience. I actually love these projects more than anything else. Since I teach mostly four and five-yr olds, collaboration is a natural way to promote creativity and exploration because at that age every experience is so rooted in socialization. They love to…
58 Summer Art Camp Ideas
Summer is in full swing over here! As some parts of the world are in the middle of winter (which I can’t fathom), I know this list of ideas will come in handy for indoor creativity as well. I teach art camp at my house all summer. I make long lists of crafts and activities to do with…
Collaborative Painting with Kids
This project is one that I do over and over again with the 4yr olds in art class. I think all of the paintings they make could hang in a museum, but especially these large collaborative ones! It’s such a simple yet deeply fulfilling process-art experience for them. This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your…
Creativity is Messy // Let Them Explore!
Creativity is messy, but oh so important for the exploration of self. A little about me As I child, I was always making. My mom taught me to sew when I was six, on an old Singer that had a hand crank. I would sew pillows and bags and, eventually, my Halloween costumes. I also…
Art Assemblage with Kids // Pinecones & Pasta
Assemblage is the art of assembling bits and pieces together to make 3-dimensional art. It can, and often does, involve collage. We’ve tackled assemblage before when the kids made these gorgeous trees. This time, however, we didn’t do much gluing. These latest pieces became more like sculptures than collages. The kids painted, beaded, and wrapped, enjoying…
Toothbrush Easter Eggs
Have you ever tried painting eggs with a toothbrush? When I set out this egg painting invitation, I knew the kids would be excited! When they got to art class, I clicked the camera to video mode and was able to capture this project in action. The kids were in such flow, so engaged with…
Mini Canvas Paintings with Kids
I’m so in love with these mini paintings my four-year olds made. Aren’t they beautiful? I found a roll of canvas in my attic. The same roll that I had been lugging around since college!! Yes, it’s true. For more than 20 years that roll has been moving from apartment to apartment and house to…