Create an Engaging Tabletop Art Studio for Your Child
We know that art plays a crucial role in a child’s development. From fostering creativity and positive self-expression to developing problem-solving skills and even empathy, art can be a powerful tool for children of all ages. For your child to experience the many benefits of art making, I recommend creating a small space for your child that is dedicated to art. Growing up, I was lucky enough to have a spare bedroom in the house where my sister and I were able to paint, draw, and make a mess whenever we felt like it. Looking back, I know that this space played a large role in my love for art and the reason I still love making art today. No matter the size of your space, we can always find ways to make art more accessible and engaging for children. Here are my tips for making an inspiring art space that your child will love:
Create a dedicated space for art activities. Sometimes for children, art can be “out of sight, out of mind.” If we don’t have a space where we can leave out art supplies and come back to projects the next day, it is easy to forget about. Keeping materials accessible means it is more likely your child will reach for their art projects than resort to video games or scrolling on social media. A well-lit space with natural light is preferred but even a small table in a basement or bedroom will do. Art is meant to be messy—if your child has access to a dedicated space with the proper protective table cloths/drop cloths and does not have to clean up each time they make art, they are more likely to revisit their projects. I’ve really enjoyed these table cloth and drop cloth options for the students I teach in my home studio:
Have a range of supplies available. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Art supplies can make great birthday and Christmas gifts and they can even be found at Job Lots or the Dollar Store. I like the idea of using a caddy to keep markers, colored pencils, graphite, scissors, and paint brushes in sight on a table or shelf. This one is pretty enough to keep just about anywhere:
As far as the supplies themselves, I have compiled a list of items that I think are great for this age range and allow a wide variety of styles and medium exploration:
A set of good Acrylic Paints with disposable pallets for easy clean up
A small set of watercolor paints
A set of versatile brushes that work for watercolor and acrylics
A set of colored pencils
Mixed Media Paper for drawing and watercolors
Painting canvas (these always go on sale at Michael’s and are available at Job Lots too)
Add Inspiration. I love keeping a variety of art books on hand for my students to browse, along with an iPad where they can access Pinterest or Google for reference photos and ideas. I also have gallery pamphlets and post cards of other artists’ work displayed for inspiration. Magazines, teen coloring books, and posters can be helpful as well. If your child has access to a computer or tablet, YouTube has thousands of online painting and drawing tutorials. Instagram and Pinterest are also great for finding art teacher accounts and artist accounts with lots of helpful inspiration. Here are are some art accounts I enjoy following on Instagram:
@minimadthings
@ohn_mar_win
@art_teacher_life
@artbarblog
@arthouselab
@artwithmrs.e
I hope that this helped inspire you to create a small studio space for your child that is engaging, organized, and customizable based on their needs and interests. By designing a safe space for your child to experiment with art, educators and parents can help cultivate a lifelong love for visual arts in young students. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly if you would like any guidance in creating a studio space for your child!
