Indoor Art Projects For Kids
By Elizabeth A., mom to Totally Terrific Taco Isabella and Village Alum Asher
Bringing more art into your child’s life is a great way to spur creativity and ignite their big imaginations. Plus it’s a great way to entertain the little ones during these cold and wet months. These art projects are guaranteed success for all involved – from toddlers to older kids. Even my 12 year old enjoys art with shaving cream – who wouldn’t? So bring out the plastic table cloth and start creating!
Salad Spinner Rock painting
This is a super fun activity for all ages. There’s something magical about turning boring old gray rocks from the yard into bright and colorful bursts of happiness. These look great set in a bright white bowl or placed carefully in your outdoor fairy world. I think these look even more vibrant if you coat these with a spray varnish (available at craft and hardware stores); plus, the varnish also keeps the paint from chipping or peeling. Just remember to use a salad spinner with a closed bottom, otherwise your workspace is in for a wild painted makeover!
Shaving Foam Marbling
We must have created hundreds of sheets of marbleized paper using this technique. This is an all time favorite of our household, and we’ve even done it at birthday parties with 10+ kids. It’s hard to go wrong with this method – spray some shaving foam on a tray, drop with paint or food coloring and go to town. These dry pretty quickly then you can have your kids cut them out into shapes. They make pretty Valentine hearts too, and you can even use a similar technique on Easter eggs.
Paper Snowflakes (the right way)
You probably remember folding a square piece of paper in elementary school and cutting random shapes, then opening it and voila – snowflake! I don’t know if my teacher was just keeping things simple, but I feel like my childhood was devoid of the full magnificence that is snowflakes-cut-the-right-way. My kids and I can sit for hours cutting and trimming and sweeping…then more cutting. For younger kids, it may be easier for a parent to outline shapes for the kids to cut out. It’s all in the fold and the amount of paper cut away, that really makes these amazing little artworks in and of themselves. So check out these folding tips, then take a peek at these cutting guides to expand your snowflake horizons!
Melted Crayon Suncatchers
The joy and wonder in your kids eyes when you melt crayons under the iron will make you feel like a super parent. These suncatchers are quick and fun to create, and make really cute Valentines decor if you cut the wax paper out into hearts once everything is cooled.