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Kids Art Explorers: join the project!

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IMG_1708Join the Kids Art Explorers

This year we are undertaking lots of different art experiments. We’re exploring materials, techniques and styles and seeing where our creativity takes us. We’re celebrating the process of art: trying new things, having a go, being daring, making mistakes. We’re interested how things turn out but much more focused on the fun we have along the way.

Would you like to join our Kids Art Explorers? We’re going to pick a new material or process to try in each month – something which is easy for you to get hold of and which you can try out with your children. The Nurturestore kids will have a play and see what art they come up with, and I’ll share the results of our experimenting with you. We’ll also invite you to join in, try out the material for yourselves and share with us what you come up with.

Let’s encourage our kids to be Art Explorers! We’ll provide a little inspiration each month and let’s see how all our children around the world interpret the idea. There’s no deadline, no pressure to join in every month. So why not give it a try and bring some new experiences to your creative kids?

Kids Art Explorers Project One: pipe cleaners

What can your kids create with pipe cleaners? They’re a great material for children to explore as are they are tactile, flexible and colourful. You can use them by themselves or combine them with other materials, and they’re easy to join together. Very young children can join in too – just remember to twist over the metal ends of the pipe cleaners so they don’t get any scratches.

kids art project pipe cleaners

Here’s our first creation for the Kids Art Explorers club: meet Polly!

Polly Pipecleaner was made by my 8-year-old using just pipe cleaners and some paper for her face, stuck on with sticky tape. (Follow the Kids Art Explorers project and you’ll soon discover my kids loathe waiting for glue to dry and adore sticky tape instead!)

B took a box of pipe cleaners, started twisting and made a triangle. This triangle said ‘dress’ to her and so she added legs, arms and a head and Polly was born. The flexibility of pipe cleaners mean they make excellent puppets as you can move your character’s limbs and cast cool shadows.
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kids art project pipe cleaners

What will you make with pipe cleaners this month? The Kids Art Explorers Pinterest board has some other ideas to inspire you – but please take these as a springboard for your kids own ideas and see what they can create.

Share your kids pipe cleaner 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.

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

:: All creations will be featured on the Kids Art Explorers Pinterest board, our very own on-line art gallery. (If you’d like an invitation to join Pinterest, leave a comment below, with your e-mail address not in the comment message for all to see but in the signature box instead, and I will be very happy to send you one.)

Comments

  4. Cathy @ NurtureStore says

    Yes maryanne there is – but it keeps disappearing! I think it should be there now.

  9. Growing play says

    Excellent idea! I just posted a short commentary on how we need to push children to be creative without rigid expectations.

  12. Rachelle | TinkerLab says

    Congrats on the new project, Cathy!! It looks great, and I think I may have a pipe cleaner project to add to the mix. Look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with.

  13. maggy,red ted art says

    Fun! And back to my hoarding comment… we do use pipecleaners, but sparingly… aargh me. Will have to have a rethink!

    Thanks for sharing on Kids Get Crafty!

    Maggy

  14. MaryAnn F. Kohl, art book author and educator says

    I did it! But I couldn’t get my “image” for my own picture to show up, so it’s a scribble… which is fairly appropriate. ha ha. My project is showing how to do an Alexander Calder pipe cleaner (wire) sculpture, an idea from my book, ‘Great American Artists for Kids’. Thanks for doing this. It’s fun. Oh, by the way, there is a new craft wire I like that is plastic coated and colorful and can be cut with scissors. Comes on rolls. Works for kids of all ages.
    ~ MaryAnn Kohl

  16. Rashmie @ Mommy Labs says

    Great project and love what your daughters made. So cute!
    We’d love to be a part of this.
    But, sadly, can’t join this week as we have no pipe cleaner crafts 🙁
    We don’t get pipe cleaners in India…. :((
    I’ll share this on FB though….many others can join in…

  21. Chris says

    Excited for this. I posted something we did last month but will get playing with pipe cleaners again this month. ..any excuse!

  27. Jen Fischer says

    Love this!! I’ve actually been wanting to do some pipe cleaner play with my little guy, but haven’t found any!! I guess I’ll have to actually go to the craft store (which I never do).

  28. Numbers Noser says

    I had the same thought about structured activity for preschoolers. mine spends most of his time playing tag and superheros with friends on the playground, or freestyle climbing, digging, etc. He plays soccer on the weekends, which I guess gives him some practice as rule following and organized sports.

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