Doing art with your child can increase her motor skills, patience, and creativity. More importantly, it can strengthen your relationship. Sometimes, time at home with your child can seem chaotic or burdensome if you’re not sure how to keep her busy. An artistic activity can turn a hectic afternoon into wonderful bonding time, so here are some fun and simple art projects to try:
- Find a picture of a favorite animal or cartoon character and try to draw it. Imitation is the best way to improve drawing skills, and you and your child can learn together.
- “Paint” the sidewalk with water. If you have a nearby sidewalk or driveway, you and your child can use water to create pictures and designs on it. Unlike sidewalk chalk, this is mess-free and doesn’t require any supplies!
- Make a “mural” together. Get a big piece of paper and work together to draw and color an amazing scene. You can hang it up on the wall afterwards.
- Do art with leaves. If you live somewhere with trees, you can make leaf rubbings or collages. For leaf-rubbings, place a leaf under your paper, peel the wrapper off a crayon, and rub the side of the crayon on the paper. A print of the leaf’s shape and veins will appear. To make a leaf collage, you can dry leaves in between the pages of a book, then glue them to paper in interesting shapes and designs.
- Make crayon resistance pictures. If you have watercolor paint, you can draw with white crayon on paper, then add paint to reveal a secret message or picture.
- Draw objects from real life. You and your child could bring a sketchbook to a local zoo or garden. You could also draw an object from around the house, a favorite toy, or even a family member.
- Create some letter art. Help your child practice the alphabet and expand her creativity by writing fancy letters or decorating bubble letters. You could work on a sign with your child’s name on it or perhaps simply her initials.
Of course, art projects can occasionally be frustrating. Here are a few tips to minimize tension and maximize benefits:
- Guide the child, but don’t overcorrect. When your child’s chicken drawing looks like a duck, it really doesn’t matter as long as he’s satisfied with it. If you’re tempted to interfere, work on a picture of your own!
- Start simple. Children get frustrated with art projects that are too long or difficult, so it’s best to start with simple projects to build confidence.
- When drawing, start with drawing the basic lines and shapes before adding details.
- Use the supplies you have. Start with simple pencils, erasers, colored pencils or markers, and printer paper. If you’d like to upgrade, mixed media or watercolor paper can be sturdier and more polished.
- Think about your goals and your child’s needs. If the child needs an immediate confidence boost, do a simpler project. If you want to build long-term skills and confidence, try imitating a drawing or painting to learn from other artists.
- Look for inspiration. You can find art projects on Pinterest, blogs, and other websites. The Art Projects for Kids website has great free projects that guide you step by step through drawing many different things at various difficulty levels.
- Don’t underestimate yourself. Online tutorials can be helpful, but your child will have a better experience just working with you. It’s not about the product—it’s about making memories together.
If you find projects that you and your child love, doing art can be a relaxing yet fulfilling way to spend time together. Instead of wondering how to fill a rainy Sunday, you will have both fond memories and beautiful artistic creations!
By Clare Hettich
