In our recent newsletter, I shared some art play ideas you can easily try at home. These aren’t just any ideas – they’ve been tried and tested in our classes and are some of our most popular open-ended art and play invitations.

Have fun trying these at home. Let me know how you get on and reach out if you have any questions 😊

Here we go!

1) Large collab mural on paper, cardboard or wallpaper leftovers – Ages 4+

You need:

👉🏽 a large canvas which can be anything from paper roll, flattened cardboard box, wallpaper leftovers (you can often pick these up for free at wallpaper shops, or whatever the official name for these is 😅), or even an actual canvas – the idea is to go BIG

👉🏽 black sharpies

👉🏽 felt tip pens/markers, oil pastels, or colourful sharpies

You prep:

👉🏽 using a black sharpie, outline various picture frames (google “picture frame outline” for inspo) onto the canvas of choice

👉🏽 spread out markers, put on some calm instrumental background music, and let the drawing begin

Great for:

Connection, calming big emotions, “Mum, I’m boooooored…”-moments, transitions

2) Collab Drawing Game – Ages 5+

You need:

👉🏽 a piece of paper

👉🏽 one pen/marker per person

You prep:

👉🏽 not much at all

👉🏽 quickly explain the “rules” of this game:
1) “We can draw whatever we want.”
2) “We’re only allowed one mark at a time, then it’s the other person’s turn.”

👉🏽 it will come to a natural end eventually (or you can announce the upcoming end, e.g. “2 more turns each” – or ask them: “How many turns until we’re finished?”

Great for:

Connection (especially as a one-on-one), easing perfectionism, encouraging turn-taking, getting comfortable with change & the unknown, sharing control

3) Painting with Anything but Brushes – Ages 1+

You need:

👉🏽 any size canvases, check out op shops for some great finds!!

👉🏽 squeegees, cleaning brushes, sponges, sticks, toy cars

👉🏽 non-toxic water-based paint

You prep:

👉🏽 protect the area: lay down a tarp, shower curtain or old sheet so clean-up is simple. Wear clothes that can get messy. (If you have the space, outside is ideal if the weather allows, you get the bonus of added Vitamin D 🌞)

👉🏽 arrange paints in shallow containers or trays (Pro tip: work with either just warm or just cool colours at once to avoid the “mud/poo colour look” 😁)

👉🏽 demonstrate briefly, e.g. show how to dip a sponge or toy car into the paint and press or roll on the canvas

👉🏽 let them explore! No rules, no “instructions”.

👉🏽 play some piano instrumentals in the background to bring our calming Imagine Play Inspire vibes into your home ☺️

Great for:

Sensory exploration, gross & fine motor development, cause and effect learning, creative confidence (there is no ‘wrong’ way of painting here), connection

And that’s it for this week! I hope you and your tamariki have fun exploring these ideas. Feel free to send me photos or stories of what you create… I love seeing our art play continued at home. If you try these during the school holidays or as an after-school wind-down, let me know how it goes! Questions welcome any time too 😊

Happy playing and creating,

Franzi ❤️