Don’t underestimate the power of some good ol' recycling. What helps? Taking it out of its original form when preparing the materials. By taking cardboard out of the context we are accustomed to seeing it in, it becomes an exciting new material. Cut up egg cartons, cardboard cut in a variety of interesting shapes and sizes, toilet paper tubes slit into rings or tunnels. Repurposing everyday materials by making them look different than their original form can open a huge range of new possibilities.
Setting up an Art Invitation at Home
Think of this as an “invitation to create” with your child and keep that phrase in mind when setting up your space. Find a simple and beautiful way to display the materials in a buffet-like setting, such as in baskets, trays, or on plates and organized by similar size or shape. Limit the amount that you put out at one time so as not to overwhelm your child with too much choice and to encourage careful selection and consideration of materials.
Consider this Invitation to Create as a starting place, and follow your child’s lead with other ideas. Maybe that looks like working on a huge piece together as a family, adding additional materials to the buffet, or making wearable cardboard mask sculptures. Enjoy the process and let go of expectations of the product.
Host an Art Show
Display your children’s artwork! Tape it on the wall, and as more are made, keep taping them up next to each other. Siblings can create a collaborative gallery installation right in your own home. Add slips of paper and invite your child to label their artwork, and then have an Art Show celebration with snacks and a special drink.
Talking to your Child about their Artwork
Commend your child on aspects of their work ethic: “You are working so hard; artists take their time with their work.” Ask open-ended questions such as, “Will you tell me about your piece?” or “Wow! How did you get that bit to balance?” Describe what you clearly see rather than your interpretation of their work, “I see you’re using blue and green on your artwork.” Comment on specific choices they’ve made as an artist. “It’s so interesting how you….” If your child tends to seek a lot of guidance or reassurance for an artistic choice, you can foster your child's independence with simple observations and open-ended questions to begin to instill a sense of intrinsic value to their work. We have a phrase at Tinker: “You are the artist, you get to decide!”
Materials:
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Cardboard cut into a variety of sizes and shapes + larger pieces to serve as a base to the sculpture
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Low temp hot glue gun or tacky glue (Elmer’s glue will also work with a little more patience.)
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Paints, or paint sticks for a low-mess alternative. Pro Tip: Mix white in with each paint color—this will create more opacity and a stronger, brighter color when painting cardboard.
Process:
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Paint your chosen base + select and paint additional cardboard shapes.
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Arrange your pieces and begin gluing them together.
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Continue painting pieces and adding to your artwork. Remember, you are the artist, you get to decide!
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Display your artwork on a tabletop or on a wall.
Nature Art Collection Boards: a Toddler Invitation to Create
Toddlers and preschoolers love collecting things. Cut a piece of cardboard, add rubber bands, and head out for a nature hunt to encourage that love of gathering with this fun and simple Invitation to Create. While this is a great activity with littles, older kids and even adults will enjoy the mindful practice of making observations while on a walk around the neighborhood or hunting in your backyard.
Taking it further:
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Paint multiple Collection Boards before adding rubber bands. Then go on a nature hunt and sort and organize your items by color.
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Write a number on the board and collect the same number of objects.
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Make a large Collection Board by using yarn or string instead of rubber bands and weave long pieces of grass and other findings onto your board.
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Tie a ribbon on each side of a small Collection Board to turn it into a necklace, bracelet or headband.