Art can be a great way for children to express themselves and have fun at the same time. A kids art corner is a special place that allows children to explore their creative side, while giving them a place to keep their artwork and art supplies.
This article will provide detailed instructions on how to provide a space for a child’s artwork and imagination. With a proper setup and supplies, any child can enjoy their own art corner.
Choosing a Space
The first step in creating a kid-friendly workspace for art is to consider the room or space where it will live in your home. Whether it’s a corner of the living room, a quiet nook in the kitchen, or a large space on its own, the area should be large enough to provide enough space for both creativity and storage of art supplies. If the space you’ve selected has outlets, great!
This will make any task that requires electricity, such as using a light box or ambient lighting, simpler. If not, you many want to consider buying a plug-in power strip to be able to run additional electricity.
Once you’ve selected the space, you must consider what kind of storage you’ll need. If you’re using the corner of a room, you may want to look into floating shelves, tiered shelves, or even patterned tape or pegboard to hung artwork and supplies from. Open shelves or a chest of drawers should be large enough to store all of your supplies.
Finding an easy way to organize the space will make it easier for children to find supplies and keep the room neat and tidy.
Supplies
The next step is to consider the supplies necessary to have a fully functional kids art corner. Depending on the age of the child, this will vary 10 widely. Children under the age of five may need just paper, crayons, and coloring books.
Older children may need more and different materials. Consider art mediums such as paint, chalk, pencils, markers, and clay.
Additionally, storage should be set up nearby and supplies such as glue, scissors, yarn, and measuring tools should be kept out of reach of younger children. Insulated storage containers can be used to store any flammable substances such as paint thinner, rubbing alcohol, and other hazardous materials.
While items such as pens, rulers, and protractors are great for more advanced projects, more basic supplies such as the previously mentioned crayons, coloring books, paper, and markers should still be available for smaller children.
Knowing what supplies and mediums a particular child might be attracted to can help you determine what to stock in the area. For older children who may be interested in larger projects, a light box, wall-mounted bulletin board, reference books, and mini canvas may be necessary.
Finally, the last item to consider when stocking the art corner is a trashcan. Common sense should be exercised when deciding the size and placement of a trashcan, particularly with small children in the house.
A small rubbish bin can be placed in the centre of the area, or at the side, as long as it can be easily accessed. It should also be placed in a spot that will not be a distraction or disruption to a child’s work.
Ambience
In order to create a comfortable atmosphere for the child to work in, it is important to pay attention to lighting and noise. Lighting should be kept low enough to keep the room comfortable, but still bright enough to be able to see the colors of the materials. A good mix of regular, bright light and ambient light (which is easier on the eyes) should be used in any area.
Additionally, softer colors in the room will help redefine the atmosphere as a creative one.
In regards to noise, it is up to the parent or guardian to determine what is suitable.
Some children may prefer complete silence, while others may have a bit more freedom in terms of disrupting noise. Simple background music may be played or a white noise machine in placed in the corner to provide a calming effect if necessary.
If the noise levels become too high for the child to work, the parent may need to set and enforce ground rules with older children.
Safety
Safety is an important factor to consider when creating a kid’s art corner. Homes should be lead-safe and any paints, glues, and other mediums that contain lead should be disposed of properly. Additionally, it should be made clear to the child that no objects other than those intended for use in the art corner should be kept in the space (such as food, toys, pencils, etc.
). Safety guidelines should be provided after the space is set up, in order to ensure the child’s safety.
As for the supplies, parents will want to consider what is safe for each child, making sure that all items are labelled with age information, as well as any other potential hazards. Again, if a child is very young, basic supplies may still be necessary and easy-to-clean supplies like washable crayons and markers can be used.
Finally, furniture and other large items should be placed safely in the corner.
Each item should be stable and durable enough to support the movement of the child and any art supplies that are placed on it. Chairs, easels, and even desks should be securely fastened to the wall for added safety.
Conclusion
Creating a corner for kids art is all about providing the necessary tools and comfort, while making sure the area is safe for everyone. Choosing the necessary space should be done with care, paying attention to the size and setup of the room.
Supplies should depend on the age of the child, as well as the size and scope of the projects. When safety is taken into consideration, a comfortable ambiance can be created through lighting and noise control, allowing the child to concentrate on creativity.
By following a few basic principles, families can create a special space just for their child to explore, create and express themselves.
With the right setup and supplies, kids art corners are an excellent way to inspire and motivate any young artist.