How To Create a Home Art Center
Painting, Drawing, and More for Families With Preschoolers
Oct 22, 2009
The art center is a frequent staple of most early childhood classrooms. Filled with paints, papers, and markers, this easily accessible area can inspire the creative process in young children. Despite this imaginative classroom area being commonly found in preschools or daycares, the art center does not need to be limited to the school environment.
Designing an Art Center for Family Use
A family art center is a great way to promote creativity in the home. A designated area or space within a family or living room is a wonderful way to encourage preschoolers or younger children to learn about the visual arts, express emotions, and develop crucial fine motor skills. Select a home space that is frequently used by children. Avoid areas that are hard to clean, filled with expensive objects or furniture, or have too little light available.
Try to plan the family art center in a non-carpeted room. This may make clean up easier. If a carpeted space must be used, create a simple floor covering by lining the area with a painter’s drop cloth purchased from a home improvement store. Be careful to avoid creating a slippery, bumpy, or unsafe walking surface.
Home art center furniture can be modeled after that found in schools. This means selecting child friendly shelving or storage units that are sturdy, easily cleanable, and fairly close to ground level. Additionally, a child sized table and chairs (and if possible an easel) should also be placed near the family art center. Choose small storage bins made out of plastic or other washable material to hold small art materials such as crayons, stampers, or paper.
Art Materials for Young Children
Specific materials choice may be governed by the particular needs of the family. For example, a family with multiple young children may want to have a larger art center that includes more materials. Families with preschool aged children (or older) may also want to include more advanced materials than families with toddlers.
Suggested materials for preschool to early elementary school aged children:
- Stampers and non-toxic ink pads (Check manufacturer guidelines for safe acceptable age)
- Crayons (thin and thick)
- Colored pencils
- Washable markers
- Non-toxic school glue and glue sticks
- Children’s scissors
- A variety of paper (construction, tissue, metallic, patterned)
- Tempera paints
- Paint brushes, sponges, or rollers
- Large pom poms
- Yarn or ribbon
- Felt, foam, or fabric
- Modeling clay or play clay
Suggested materials for younger preschoolers or toddlers:
- Thick crayons
- A variety of papers (construction, tissue, metallic, patterned)
- Finger paints or tempera paints
- Paint brushes or sponges
- Glue sticks
- Play clay
- Washable markers
Avoid any materials or objects that may pose a choking hazard. These may include beans, buttons, or even sequins.
Using the Family Art Center
After the designing, set up, and stocking of the family art center are finished it is time to put this new creative space into use. Before setting the children free to explore and create set up some clear ground rules. These may include not throwing art materials, not eating art materials, no running, or any other rule deemed necessary by the family.
Art center use will depend on the goals and needs of each individual family. The following suggestions can help to guide this process along:
- Adults should always be present to supervise. Children should not be left alone in the art center.
- Adults should engage children in a discussion about the art process. This may include a simple statement such as, "What color is that?" or, "How many different lines can be made with that marker?".
- Children should be encouraged to explore with the art materials, not just asked to make specific projects.
- Combing materials into mixed media masterpieces should always be allowed.
- All art items and materials should be returned to the proper container when they are no longer being used.
- Caps should always be placed back onto markers or glue sticks before leaving the art center.
- Children should help with clean up tasks.
Designing a family art center is a great family activity. Choose an appropriate room or space in the house, and then select child friendly storage and furniture units. Pick a variety of art materials based on family need and the age of the child (or children). Finally, open the art center to all family members. Encourage the creativity and allow the children to explore the artistic process.
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