“Your art space, no matter how small, is an educational space.” – Megan Schiller
I’ve followed Megan Schiller’s progression from her Littlest Birds Studio classes and blog to The Art Pantry (which started out as an online kids’ art supply shop, then became a kids art space consulting business).
Now, she has written an e-guide to help parents and educators set up a kids art room or space.
I feel like we’re pretty similar, Megan and I, and that if we lived closer, we’d get together over coffee and talk about kids art, art spaces, and encouraging creativity.
We both believe in the importance of a space for art. She’s so passionate about it that she helps people create kids art spaces in their homes and schools for a living.
And now she’s written an ebook to help people set up a kids art room on their own.
The New Playroom
A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Set up a Home Art Space for Kids
By Megan Schiller
Disclaimer :: I received a copy of the eguide for free to review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Since I’ve been in the process of cleaning, organizing, and renovating our art studio, I decided to try out a few of Megan’s ideas.
I finally took our old kids easel to Goodwill (we had left it out in the rain one too many times) and mounted a large sheet of plexiglass on one wall as a space-saving, yet much larger, wall mount easel.
It’s a perfect place to stand up and work large, for one or more of us.
The kids have used it several times already, singly and as a group.
At first, I just tape up sheets of butcher paper to the plexi but intended to mount a couple of bulldog clips along the top.
Until I came across these suction cup clips at AC Moore, that is! I didn’t even know such a thing existed, but they are perfect for the new wall easel! The suction cups can be attached anywhere on the plexi, so when Daphne wanted to draw and paint on a piece of poster board, I used them to attach the poster board at her height.
While I’ve never considered myself short of art space ideas (I even wrote a chapter on the subject in my book), Megan’s book has been helpful for me by providing both fresh ideas and the motivation to revitalize our studio. Besides adding the wall mount easel, which has been transformative, I’ve moved a clunky dresser out of the studio, and pared down our overflowing art supplies. I have a few more ideas I’d like to implement, but I am so happy with how our art room is shaping up!
If you could use some inspiration and information on setting up or updating an art space for your kids, I highly recommend Megan’s ebook. Plus if you buy The New Playroom, you receive an awesome bonus guide on setting up art invitations!
You can find out more information or purchase the eguides here.
Disclaimer :: I received a copy of the eguide for free to review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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Those clips would work perfect to hang art-projects-in-the-making on my sliding glass door! Thanks for the inspiration!
You’re welcome, Kendra!! :)
My husband and I do a lot of different styles of artwork, which is inspiration for my kiddos. My 6 year old does so much that we don’t have enough wall or shelving space for it all. I have a filing box for her most “notable” pieces, but I’m curious as to what your method is for saving and ditching certain artworks, especially if there is an entire room dedicated to it? Thank you for everything you post!
We don’t keep it all, Miranda. Like you, I keep the most notable pieces which I store in plastic storage boxes. The rest gets upcycled (into cards, wrapping paper, etc), recycled, sent to family and friends, etc. Since I photograph so much of what they do, I also feel like we keep a pretty good record.
Here’s a post about our art storage :: https://artfulparent.com/2008/02/organizing-and-storing-maias-art.html
That said, I’m overdue for going through some pretty big stacks of artworks to decide what to keep!!
Oh, and I recently bought some kids art frames that double as storage. I LOVE them!
https://artfulparent.com/2015/01/kids-art-frames.html
I would love to have our family art space but we live in a small home so we create everywhere. Will there be a section in the book for creating art rooms / areas that are not necessarily dedicated exclusively for art? (e.g. dining room, living room, bedroom)
Thank you!
Yes, Dette, she has ideas for making small art spaces (such as an art nook or a desk in the corner of the kitchen) as well as making art in general living spaces (and using an art cart or cupboard for keeping materials handy).
I found your website today and fall in love with it. The site is so inspiring. Thanks a lot for your kindness.
May I ask about your slanted surface drawing desk? In another entry, you said you use it for drawing and homework as well.
I don’t really understand why and how your child does homework with this drawing desk? Why does he/she need that desk for homework? Could you pls explain?
I live in the UK, so hopefully I can buy things that you love here.
Thanks for sharing my guide! Your wall easel looks like so much fun. I love your discovery of the suction cup clips, I’m sure I’ll be using those in the future.