Posted on 04/27/2015
Sure, it’s easier to tell our kids to just go play a game on their electronic devices. They want to be creative? There are plenty of apps for that. There’s also fewer supplies we need to gather, less mess potential — win, win, right? Well, just as writing things out longhand is more beneficial for our minds than typing out the same message, physically manipulating media to create provides greater developmental benefits to kids. Providing an “invitation to create” does take some planning and materials, though, and that includes preparing spaces to store supplies, to compose art, and to display your child’s creations.
Storing Supplies
Maybe you don’t currently have a place for all the supplies your little artist needs, or perhaps they’re overflowing your pantry. Wherever they are now, they need a dedicated place to go. Depending on your child’s age and developmental level, you can choose whether you want the messy stuff to be accessible whenever they want, or only when you allow it. For younger kids, a lockable closet or armoire works well.
If you don’t have a closet or furniture piece to dedicate to arts and crafts materials, you can opt instead to use wall space to your advantage. A simple peg board, a curtain rod, or wall hooks with hanging buckets or cans can do the job. A wall-mounted bookshelf or display case could also provide the space necessary to neatly store materials.
Creating Artwork
Of course, not only does your child need art supplies, but he or she also needs a place to create! You could keep an oil cloth or plastic table cloth available to cover your kitchen table, if you have no space for an extra piece of furniture. Otherwise, a desk or folding table with an easy-to-clean surface would work well.
The key is that your child has enough space to set out the material he or she needs to create and that your flooring is protected in case of any spills. While a drop cloth or plastic tablecloth can work temporarily, a more permanent solution over carpet would be a plastic desk mat or a piece of plywood. Ideally, this space for creating should be close to where the supplies are located, just like this kid-friendly art area.
Displaying Creations
There are so many innovative ways to display your child’s works of art! Think beyond the refrigerator: From magnetic walls to painted clip boards or simple clothespins on a line, the possibilities are endless!
But eventually you will run out of room. After that, you need a plan for storing favorite pieces. Perhaps you could switch out creations at the start of each new quarter or season. Our favorite ideas include taking pictures of pieces and printing them in a photo book or resizing them and framing the collage and keeping a few special pieces organized in file folders. For continued display, using page protectors and metal rings around a free-standing paper towel holder provides a nice tabletop display option for standard-sized papers.
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