Want to be creative with your children, but you’re a little bit “Type A” and still a little bit skeptical of the mess that it could make? Here are some tips for keeping those messes at bay.

• Add a couple of drops of liquid soap/detergent to paints to make washing out of clothes a little bit easier.
• Save old egg cartons for paint palettes and simply toss when the painting is complete.

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Keep Old Magazines on Hand
Trying to clean out some of that clutter in ‘07 and don’t know what to do with all of your old magazines? Save them in your children’s creativity corner and bring them out for an indoor “scavenger hunt” while learning what makes your child “tick.”

Ask your child to find pictures of his favorite foods, favorite activities, favorite places or even favorite colors and glue them to construction paper.

Create one about you so that your child can get to know you a little bit better as well.

You can also have your child cut small shapes of different colors and textures and sort them into Ziploc bags for creating mosaics. If your child has trouble using scissors, have them show you the objects that they would like to cut out for their collage OR teach them to tear around the object. Not only is this a great bonding activity on a rainy day, but your child will also develop her sorting and fine motor skills along the way.

Create space on the wall for your children to get crafty.

Use magnetic paint primer underneath a painted hillside, roadway, garden, city scene etc. Give your children magnets so that they can role play right on the wall. Remember when painting your scene to keep it simple so that your children’s imaginations have more room to run wild.

If you really want to see your children’s minds at work– use chalkboard paint OVER magnetic paint and let them create their OWN scenes. Read the rest »

Running With Scissors Activity: Michelangelo Painting

Materials:

• Information on Michelangelo - use the Internet for info or check out one of these great kid-friendly books Michelangelo (Famous Children’s Series) by Tony Hart - starting at $4.36 Amazon.com or Michelangelo (Gettting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists) by Mike Venezia - starting at $3.78 at Amazon.com - or take a field trip to the local library for FREE! Read the rest »

Take trips to the local art museum and discuss the paintings or sculptures with them or simply browse the Art & Artists sections of Barnes & Noble or your local library. If you’re uncomfortable discussing original works of art with your children, ask a docent for some help or educate yourself by looking up info about artists before taking your field trip.

Some great children’s books to check out include:
1) Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
2) My Many Colored Days by Dr. Suess
3) A Child’s Book of Art: Great Pictures First Words by Lucy Mickethwait
4) ABC: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston by Florence Cassen Mayers
5) Roy Lichtenstien’s ABC by Bob Adelman
6) A Book About Design by Mark Gonyea
7) Baby Loves by the Metropolitan Museum of Art & Mary Cassatt
8) The Crayon Box that Talked by Shane Derolf

Whatever you do, steer clear of the phrase, “What is it?” when talking to your children about a work of art that they have created.  Instead, say, “Tell me about your picture.”  Not only is this a much gentler phrase and allows children to be imaginative when talking about their artwork, but it also doesn’t make them self-conscious. They will be more willing to create if they are assured that mommy and daddy ”know” that in fact their elephant is not a giraffe and simply want to know more about their creation.

Organize your supplies so that your children have easy access to new experiences every day. It’s hard to be creative when you are worried about getting marker on the table, play dough in the carpet, or paint on the walls, so set up a “safe” craft haven for your little one. Choose an area that is uncarpeted and can be their own creative space. Purchase a kid-size table and chairs and keep cleaning supplies handy. Baby wipes are great for wiping markers and paint off of little one’s hands and the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser really does work magic. Make their space extra special by creating a place for them to post their artwork after they’ve finished creating. A simple clothesline is the most affordable “art gallery” for their mini masterpieces.