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Art Activities

Valentine Matisse Inspired Collage

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Have you seen examples of Henri Matisse’s cut paper collages?

They’re fun and whimsical. And, they’re easy to imitate.

We decided to do a Valentine version in red and pink. We each made a Matisse inspired collage, perfect to display in February.

Create beautiful Valentine artwork with this fun Matisse inspired collage that's perfect for Valentine's day but can be adapted for any time of the year.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

This open-ended art project is fun for kids of all ages. And, it’s low on mess! The messiest part was cleaning up our paper scraps.

Supplies Needed:

White paper
Pink and red construction paper
Glue stick
Scissors

How to make a Valentine Matisse inspired collage

Before we began our project, we took a look at some collage examples from Matisse.

Here’s some great information on Matisse written for kids from the Tate Galleries art museums in London.

Once we looked at examples and got some ideas, it was time to start.

Matisse painted the paper that he used for his collages, but we skipped that step and just used red and pink construction paper. You can certainly do this, but it does take more time.

There really is no “right” way to do this project. You can cut out all your shapes at once and arrange on the paper. Or do each shape individually. We did a combination of both.

Since this project was for Valentine’s Day, we included a few heart cut-outs to go along with all of our other shapes.

We cut and arranged. And, once everything was perfect, we glued it all down.

And in the end, we had some awesome collages that we inspired by Matisse. We did our own take and each collage reflected our personalities. Isn’t that the best?

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How to adapt this for younger kids

This art project was perfect for my elementary-aged kids, but you can certainly do this with younger kids.

If your kids are comfortable with scissors (or are working on scissor skills) have them cut various shapes from your pink and red paper. Then, they can arrange them on paper and glue it all down.

If your kids are too young to do the cutting, you can prep this project by cutting the shapes and then let your child do the arranging and gluing.

This Valentine Matisse inspired collage is a great activity choice for a group of mixed age kids!

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You may also like one of these Valentine activities:

Silly Heart Puppets

Paper Plate Valentine Bear Craft

Valentine Watercolor Resist Painting

Cotton Ball Heart Painting from Sunshine Whispers

Our recommended art supplies:

The supplies we used for this Valentine art project are ones that we like to keep on hand. We use them all the time! If you want to stock up on supplies, here are some that I recommend:

Do you want to do more activities with your kids?

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.

Snow Painting Art Activity

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What do you do when it’s too cold to go and play in the snow outside? You bring a little inside!

When I originally planned this snow painting art activity, we were going to suit up in the winter gear and do some fun outdoor art. But thanks to the recent polar vortex (Brrrrr…) and wind chills hovering around -50 degrees F, I was forced to scrap my original plans.

That’s when it hit me, we should bring some of the snow indoors!

Use snow as your canvas and use a simple DIY snow paint to get creative with this fun Snow Painting Art Activity for kids.

We created a simple DIY snow paint and got ready to create. It was fun and a great way to spend a cold and snowy day!

Are you ready to do some snow painting? 

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Set up your Snow Painting art activity

I mixed up a few colors of paint before I braved the cold to fetch our snow.

The paint is simple. To make it, I filled the cups of a muffin tin about 2/3rd’s full of water. I then added about 3 – 4 drops of food coloring in each.

We went with shades of blue and green only because I was completely out of red food coloring.

I cut up a sponge into small pieces to use instead of a paint brush.

After freezing my rear off fetching snow, I filled up two square baking pans.

We patted the snow down and tried to make it level. These were our painting canvases.

The girls were eager to get started.

Have fun creating!

The took the sponges and started painting.

And start they did. One painted stripes, the other opted for a more random design.

They giggled and they squeezed their sponges.

Then, they experimented to see what would happen if they pressed down hard or if they left their sponge sitting on the snow for awhile.

Use snow as your canvas and use a simple DIY snow paint to get creative with this fun Snow Painting Art Activity for kids.

My girls used up every single drop of paint by the time they were done and we were left with some snow masterpieces.

Unfortunately, these masterpieces don’t last very long. It’s a good thing I was taking pictures!

Have you ever tried snow painting?

Use snow as your canvas and use a simple DIY snow paint to get creative with this fun Snow Painting Art Activity for kids.

You may also enjoy one of these fun winter activities:

Winter Art Projects for Kids

Melting Snow Science Experiment

Winter Nature Books

Snow Science Explorations for Kids at Inspiration Laboratories

Homemade Snow Recipe at Red Ted Art

Do more art at home with your kids

Have you heard about the online Art Spark workshop hosted by Cathy James at NurtureStore? It’s so good! Cathy will guide you and your children through a month of art projects that are easy, fun, and hands-on. She’ll introduce your kids to famous artists and art works, and even weave in lessons about science, character, and confidence. The workshop includes two bonus ebooks full of inspiration and practical tips, so you are fully supported and all set to get creative!

Join the Art Spark workshop here.

Are you looking for more kids activities?

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.

12 of the Best Winter Art Projects for Kids

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I love to decorate with kid art.

I know all parents say this, but I truly think my girls’ artwork is the best in the world. And, while best could be disputed, what can’t be disputed is that their art is more special to me than any other artwork I could hang on my wall.

If you’re anything like me (and I bet you are), you’re always looking for ways to inspire your kids to create.

All of these winter art projects would look great hanging on the wall. And, better yet, they’d all be tons of fun to create.

Explore all the sights, sounds, and colors of winter with one of these fun and beautiful winter art projects for kids. You'll want to make them all.

All of these projects are perfect for winter. They feature snow, ice, and all the colors you associate with winter. You’ll find projects perfect for every level, some are more process art and others are more detailed.

No matter which of these winter art projects you choose, they’re all fun to do and you’ll get a beautiful result.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Snowflake Art Projects

Use a water color and oil pastel resist method to make stunning snowflakes like these at Arty Crafty Kids.

Or, use a similar method to make this colorful and fun Snowflake Painting at Art Projects for Kids.

This Snowflake Blotto Art project from Fantastic Fun and Learning uses a fun method to make their snowflakes.

Beautiful Winter Art Projects

Buggy and Buddy shows you a simple way to use oil pastels to make beautiful winter trees.

Get out the glitter for this fun projects. Go to I Heart Crafty Things to find out how to make a Swirly Glue and Glittery Snowman.

Have you ever worked with bleeding tissue paper? It’s fun art method that can help you make some beautiful winter art like these Bleeding Tissue Paper Snowflakes from The Pinterested Parent.

Explore texture and the colors of winter with these art projects

Try some new methods of resist art. To Be A Kid Again shares four different resist methods that make great winter art.

Make some sparkly art like this Mixed Media Winter Art Project from Stay At Home Educator.

Nighttime in the winter can be so beautiful. Buggy and Buddy shows you how to capture that beauty with this Starry Night Sky art project.

Winter Process Art

Try your hand at painting with frozen paint. Teaching 2’s and 3’s shows you how to make these Frozen Sparkly Watercolors that would be so much fun to create with.

Have you ever tried to catch a snowflake in your hand? Capture the moment with this fun Mitten Art project at Teaching Fourth.

Make a sculpture. To Be A Kid Again used clay and sticks to create a beautiful Snowy Scene.

Which of these winter art projects do you want to create today?

Do more art at home with your kids

Have you heard about the online Art Spark workshop hosted by Cathy James at NurtureStore? It’s so good! Cathy will guide you and your children through a month of art projects that are easy, fun, and hands-on. She’ll introduce your kids to famous artists and art works, and even weave in lessons about science, character, and confidence. The workshop includes two bonus ebooks full of inspiration and practical tips, so you are fully supported and all set to get creative!

Join the Art Spark workshop here.

You may also like one of these winter activities for kids:

Hot Chocolate Science

Winter Nature Books

Snow Painting

Hockey Science

Are you looking for more kids activities?

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.

Turkey Art Projects for Kids

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You can never have too many ideas for turkey projects. Am I right?

Get creative this Thanksgiving with these fun turkey art projects for kids. You’ll get creative, have some fun, and create some cute Thanksgiving art.

I love that these projects use so many fun materials to create art. They’re all inspired by turkeys but allow you to be creative and focus on the process.

And, once you’re done making turkeys, check out all of our Thanksgiving crafts for kids. You’ll find plenty of fun activities to fill up your holiday season.

Have some Thanksgiving fun when you try one of these turkey art projects for kids. Get creative with these fun Thanksgiving arts and crafts.

Keep reading below to find all of these fun turkey art projects. I’ve done my best to divide them by age, but I do think most of these projects will be fun for a wide range of ages.

Which of these Thanksgiving art ideas are you going to try with your kids?

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Turkey art projects for preschoolers

Turkey Art Projects for Preschoolers

Use fork painting to create the tail to this cute paper plate turkey from I Heart Arts n Crafts.

Make turkey tracks art with this fun printmaking activity from Fun-A-Day.

Create a turkey using DIY puffy paint with this fun art project from Natural Beach Living.

Turkey art for kids

Use your dot markers to create this Do-A-Dot Turkey from The Resourceful Mama.

Get creative with feathers and paint with this fun turkey process art activity from Stay At Home Educator.

Try printmaking to make this cute Bubble Wrap Printed Turkey from Crafty Morning.

Thanksgiving art projects

Paint with watercolors to create the tails on these beautiful Watercolor Coffee Filter Turkeys from Typically Simple.

Try marble painting to create an awesome Marble Painted Turkey from What Can We Do with Paper and Glue.

Paint with feathers to create these cute turkeys from Crafts on Sea.

Have some Thanksgiving fun when you try one of these turkey art projects for kids. Get creative with these fun Thanksgiving arts and crafts.

Turkey Art Projects for Older Kids

Learn to draw and paint a colorful Thanksgiving turkey with this guided art lesson from Deep Space Sparkle.

Draw a cartoon turkey with this tutorial from Art Projects for Kids.

Make a lovely watercolor turkey using this turkey drawing tutorial from Art Projects for Kids.

Use watercolors and salt to make a fun Turkey Salt Painting from Natural Beach Living.

Create with black glue to create a pretty Black Glue Turkey from I Heart Crafty Things.

Have some Thanksgiving fun when you try one of these turkey art projects for kids. Get creative with these fun Thanksgiving arts and crafts.

You may also like one of these fun Thanksgiving activities:

Gratitude Conversation Starters

Fun Cranberry Activities for Kids

Printable Thanksgiving Word Searches for Kids

12 Turkey Crafts for Thanksgiving

Recommended Resources for Thanksgiving Crafts

If you’re looking for easy crafts, I love the limited addition Thanksgiving Box from Green Kid Crafts. It comes with all the supplies and instructions you need to make some cute Thanksgiving Crafts. We’re big fans of Green Kid Crafts boxes. They’re fun, easy, and contain only natural and sustainable materials. And, if you’re not interested in their Thanksgiving Box, there are plenty of other art and STEM boxes (including a monthly subscription) to choose from.

Find the Thanksgiving Box here.

Check out all the other boxes here.

Do you want to do more activities with your family?

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.

Butterfly Symmetry Art with Warm and Cool Colors

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There are so many examples of symmetry in nature, from the perfectly matched halves of a leaf down to the tiny perfectly symmetrical snowflake.

One example that I find most beautiful is the butterfly. It was the perfect subject to use in this simple art project.

Not only did we explore symmetry, but we also explored the concept of warm and cool colors.

Keep reading to find out how we made our Butterfly Symmetry Art with Warm and Cool Colors.

Explore the concepts of symmetry and warm and cool colors with this simple and fun Butterfly Symmetry Art project for kids.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Supplies Needed:

White paper
Black paint
Paintbrush (a wide paint brush works best for this project)
Oil pastels

To prep this project, all you need to do is fold your white piece of paper in half.

Make your symmetry butterfly art

The first part of this project is all about symmetry.

Using only one half of your paper, paint half of a butterfly.

Do it quickly and don’t get too fancy. You don’t want your paint to start drying.

A simple way to start is to paint a thick black line next to your folded crease. Add one antennae coming from the top and then your wings. You don’t need to add too much detail at this point. You just want a simple butterfly shape.

Keep your paint thick – thicker than you normally would paint.

As soon as your butterfly half is done, refold your paper. Press the two sides together for at least a minute.

Unfold your paper and you’ll have a full butterfly!

My girls used the black paint to trace over some of their lines. They wanted thick black lines on each side.

You can do as they did or leave one side lighter than the other.

Explore the concepts of symmetry and warm and cool colors with this simple and fun Butterfly Symmetry Art project for kids.

The next part of this butterfly symmetry art is all about warm and cool colors.

Have your kids learned the concept of warm and cool colors yet? Basically, you split your color wheel in half. The hemisphere with orange, yellow, and red are your warm colors and the hemisphere with purple, blue, and green are your cool colors.

For this project, we’re going to color half of our butterfly symmetry art with warm colors and the other half with cool colors.

There’s no right or wrong way to do this part of the project. You can get detailed like my oldest daughter who included snowflakes in the background of the cool half and suns in the background of the warm half.

Or, you can do like my youngest daughter who took a handful of each grouping of colors and combined all the colors together.

Add details to the butterfly wings. Use solid colors, stripes, or checks. Don’t forget, you can always color the back ground!

Explore the concepts of symmetry and warm and cool colors with this simple and fun Butterfly Symmetry Art project for kids.

This butterfly symmetry art is a fun and easy art project to do at home to reinforce a couple of different concepts: symmetry and warm/cool colors.

You may also like one of these art projects for kids:

Matisse Inspired Suncatchers

Black and White Apple Prints: A Lesson in Contrast

Beautiful Spring Art Projects for Kids

Stained Glass Butterfly Art at Rainy Day Mum

My must-have kids art supplies

It’s easy to do fun art projects with you kids if you keep some simple art supplies on hand. Here are some that I recommend (and all you need for this simple butterfly painting):

Do you want to do more activities with your kids?

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.