Creative Family Living, Parent Resources

Art Play Date Ideas for Kids

November 6, 2013

Art for Playdates -- Ideas for Making it Work

I often set up art activities for my kids (this you know, right?) but make a special effort during play dates to have something up my sleeve. I do this, partly just because I’m me and art is foremost in my parenting toolkit, and partly because I think creative activities are especially great for ::

Moments of transition
For bringing together different personalities, energy levels, and ages
Creating a shared purpose
For refocusing attention during moments of strife
For redirecting and diffusing strong emotions
Just for fun!

So (almost) every play date ends up being an art play date at our house.

I think of the art activities I set up more as invitations to creativity (hey, it’s here if you want it!) than as anything else.

As for the actual set up, I may arrange an art activity or simply a few materials on the kitchen table, in the studio, or just have one “in reserve” on the counter or somewhere quickly accessible but out of the way.

This requires a little bit of planning and prep but not usually much at all (or frankly it wouldn’t happen). When making my to do list for the day, I often jot down an art idea or two that I think would work well for a scheduled playdate (spin art, salty watercolors, playdough with poke-ins, pinecone & pumpkin painting) and then, before or during the playdate itself, I’ll set out the materials.

I let the natural flow of the kids’ play and interaction unfold rather than dictating when or if they do the art activity. This usually means theres a good hour or more of play before doing any art.

When they are at a transition point in their play, one or more of the kids may wander over and discover the art activity. Or, if they seem to need direction, I might say, “I have some art materials [or a project] set up at the table if you’re interested.”

– Sometimes they’ll see the art activity set up and dive right in.

– Sometimes they’ll see it and kind of ignore it for a while during their play but make their way over when they are ready.

– Sometimes one child comes over first and creates quietly for a while by herself before the others wander over.

– Sometimes they all descend at once.

– Sometimes they don’t see it at all (if they are playing in a different room or outside, for example) until a natural break in their play or a period of strife, boredom, or transition and then get excited about the art.

I never push—just set the materials out as an invitation and possibility—but its very rare that they choose not to do the art activity.

I often have ideas for how I think an art activity will unfold but am ever aware that the kids may take it in a different direction.

For example, I thought Gigi and Daphne might try their hand at making skeletons with the light-colored masking tape on the black poster board. They traced the stuffed animals and had a great time looking at the bones and other body parts in our body book, but then decided to use the tape as “bandaids for booboos.”

I especially enjoy seeing how different children use the same art materials and set up and and come up with completely different finished artworks! (Maybe I miss the toddler art group just a bit…).