Newspaper art

We always like a bit of recycling and up-cycling and old newspapers are a good material for this. A broadsheet size gives a generous space to create some art but we decided to go even bigger and cover the whole kitchen table in a layer of newspaper. Our after school routine always begins around the kitchen table, with a drink and a snack and a chat. Today we didn’t need to move from there but instead started some art doodles right on the tablecloth.

You could use pretty much anything you like to make make your design on the newspaper but the girls’ favourite right now is oil pastels, so that’s what we used. They give a good bold design over the newsprint and let you try out contrasts as you draw and blend colours together.

And look at all the patterns you can create. Having a great big canvass made from an inexpensive material such as old newspaper invites expansive, bold drawing. No need to hold back and take care with resources – you can go for it and cover the whole surface any way you like.

We also like to play Follow the Leader, where one person starts a design and another has to try and copy over the top in a different colour. It’s a good exercise in hand-eye co-ordination and you can use it to model letter shapes with very young children and, even better, it’s lots of fun. My 5-year-old likes to make her pattern as intricate and super fast as she possible can!

I think this newspaper art would make a great party activity, with all the guests contributing some designs while they wait for their party tea. You could cover over the top with a clear plastic table cloth and have a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach.

Join the Art Explorers and go paper free

Want to join this month’s Art Explorers project with us? What could you use as your canvas that isn’t a small piece of white paper? Check out these ideas from the other families taking part and add your own to our project.

Want more fun kids art ideas?

Step one: 

pop your e-mail address in this box and I’ll send you your own free copy of our Play Planner, which has great ideas for kids play and art each week.

Step Two:

like Nurturestore’s Facebook page for lots of ideas throughout the week.

Cardboard box play: make an imaginary land

The girls opened out the cardboard boxes to create a long canvass to draw on.

They used wax crayons, pencils and oil pastels to draw their lands – no paint as my girls want to play with what they make straight away, not hang around waiting for things to dry!

They often have ideas that come up time and time again in their art and play – magical forests, oceans, volcanoes and places where dragons live.

They added in the clay models they’d made the day before as extra props to their imaginary land, giving them little characters to go exploring with.

Beware the dragon!

What land could your children create? This combination of art and play can stretch imaginations and lead into hours of play. If you don’t have a big piece of cardboard a roll of paper would work just as well – from an easel, a roll of baking paper, or wallpaper or lining paper.

More play ideas

If your kids like cardboard boxes they might like to make a jungle, marble run or a robot.

If your kids like models they might like to make some salt dough creatures.

If your kids love big art, why not try some large scale painting.

Kids Art Explorers: Paper Free Art

This cardboard box art is part of our Kids Art Explorers project, which this month is going Paper Free. You don’t always have to start art projects with a small white piece of paper! Take inspiration from all the other families joining in and try some Paper Free Art with your kids.

Modelling with air drying clay

Have you used air drying clay before? It’s not too messy and quite easy for young children to use – my 5-year-old had no problem manipulating the clay into the shapes she wanted. The girls had wooden skewers and scissors to use to cut and make marks with but mostly just used their hands. The clay warms to the touch and is a great work out for fine motor skills.

The clay does dry out and turn hard just by being left to sit, with no oven or kiln baking needed, but you do need to be patient and let the models dry out thoroughly so they are then robust enough to play with. How long it takes will depend on the size of your models and the weather – thinner models will dry out faster than big, thick ones. Ours all dried out over night.

(an expedition by sledge)

And what did they make? A camping expedition! If you follow NurtureStore on Facebook you might have seen the chat yesterday about camping with kids. We’ve just bought a tent and are planning our first camping trip – but you can see the kids couldn’t wait and made a camping play set of their own.

(warming up around the camp fire)

Once your models are dry you can leave them as they are or add colours. Acrylic paint with a coat of varnish over the top is perhaps the best option for a long-lasting design but the girls set their hearts on using oil pastels. While this isn’t likely to be very durable they were really pleased with the way their colours and the texture turned out.

(sheltering from the rain)

More modelling ideas

Tempted to try out some modelling? You might like these ideas too:

:: salt dough creatures – a homemade recipe for when the craft cupboard is bare

:: clay or salt dough candle holders

:: outdoor clay tree sculptures

:: or how about cement art tiles?

And if you stop by tomorrow I’ll show you the Kids Art Explorers Paper Free Art land the girls made for their clay models.

Kids Art Explorers Project Four: Paper Free Art

Last month’s No Paintbrushes Allowed project was a big hit with the kids here. We tried drinking straw art and set up an alternative paint station. And lots of you joined in, helping to build a collection of ideas to give a whole year’s worth of kids painting ideas that encourage exploration of different materials.

Are you ready for a new project?

Most of the time I see children being invited to paint or draw they’re offered a piece of white paper, usually A4 or A3 in size. In our house, at preschool, at creche, at school this is what’s usually on offer. And there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s wonderful that the children are given the opportunity to draw. But you know, the Kids Art Explorers like to mix things up a little! So this month’s project is this : Paper Free Art.

What art could your children create if they ditched the small white paper and used something else as their canvass?

:: Leave the paper behind entirely and try using a wall, a floor, a tree trunk, a pebble, some fabric or a window instead

:: Use some paper but mix it up a little – be free! Try using newspaper, tissue paper or a huge long roll of wallpaper for a change

Share your art with us

When your children have made something, please come and share it with us. We’re celebrating kids art exploring so whatever you make, however it turns out, whether it’s complex, messy or simple, we would love to see it.

::  There is a linky here, so if you are a blogger please link up. The linky is open for a month, so link up when you’re ready. I’ll be sharing what my girls make over the next few weeks.

:: If you’re not a blogger, take a photo and post it on our Facebook page.

:: Your creations will be featured on the Kids Art Explorers Pinterest board, our very own on-line art gallery. You can have a look there now to get some ideas for paper free art you might like to try.