My dear friend runs a coffee shop, so I asked her if she had any big containers I could recycle into something cool for my art class. When she dropped off some giant mayonnaise jars, my mind immediately thought LANTERNS! After a little soaking and slicing, the base for these plastic jar lanterns were ready…
collage
Layered Abstract Paintings with Kids
I am thrilled today to introduce you to a new contributor to Art Bar. Please welcome Jennifer Bryant from small hands big art in Charlotte, North Carolina!!! I have been stalking wooing Jennifer for many many months because I simply am in awe of everything she does with the multi-age kids in her art studio….
40 Summer Art Ideas for Kids
I’m so happy to present you with this amazing list of 40 Summer Art Ideas for Kids! It hit me as I was scrolling through my Art Bar Pinterest page that I have accumulated quite a big bunch of summer art projects through all of my camps. I thought of writing another ebook, but then…
Recycled Materials Art Wall
My young students constructed this art wall from recycled materials, and then they mixed all of their own colors and painted it!! Kids are so capable. It’s no wonder that everything my students design and create makes me want to open a children’s art museum. Can you imagine how cool that would be? Artists from…
Seashell Collage with Kids
Guess what we did last summer? My little campers made the most magical shell collages ever! I beach comb wherever I go, collecting shells and rocks and all sorts of treasures. Most of these shells are from different beaches around the world. (Ok, that makes me sound so much more like a world traveler than I…
Cardboard Rainbow Collage
I’ve been wanting to post this project for a year. This rainbow collage invitation was presented to my art camp kids one year ago today, which just happened to be the same day as the Pulse night club shooting in Orlando. My little kids obviously didn’t know anything about this, their happy faces a stark reminder that…
Marshmallow Painting
These photos are from two summers ago, if you can believe it. I was going to put this project in my book, but it ended up being one of the 22 art experiences on the cutting room floor. I am SO excited to finally share it with you now! This one was really fun, for obvious reasons. There was an…
Paper Bag Collage Art
I am so very excited to introduce you to a new contributor to Art Bar. Please welcome Shannon Merenstein from Hatch Art Studio in Pittsburgh!! Shannon has the most beautiful Instagram feed where she shares truly original and open-ended art ideas for children. I have been so inspired by her this past year that I sent her…
Patchwork Houses with Cardboard and Collage
I have been saving this post for two years. Why? Because I really, really wanted to create my first ever craft kit out of this patchwork house art activity. I still am thinking about doing it, but my pace is so slow these days and I just couldn’t wait any longer to share this simple…
Paper Plate Party Hats
Over here, we are kind of obsessed with making party hats. It’s such a great open-ended activity that allows for artistic freedom while opening the door to imaginary play. Plus it makes them feel special. The idea for these paper plate hats came from the whimsical and playful blog Kid Play Do. If you have five extra…
