If you feel like there’s never enough time for art you’re not alone. Many of your students probably feel the same way! Some students would draw or paint the day away if they could, which is why providing art projects as an option for after school programs is such a popular idea.
Whether students are participating in an informal art club, spending supervised time on the school yard, or participating in a more structured Child Development Program, odds are they’ll delight in the afterschool art projects outlined below. These projects require minimal supplies and can be created indoors or out, at a table or on the ground. Give them a go and be sure to show us your students’ end results.
Take It Step by Step
Learn-to-draw books are a fun and easy way to get kids engaged in creating. Simply supply the book, paper, and colored pencils, crayons, or markers and leave the rest to your students. Origami books are another favorite.
Resist
A rainy day is the perfect time to try out a resist project. Supply students with squeezable glue (clear or white), which they’ll use to design rain drops, puddles, and more. When the glue is dry, watercolors are the perfect medium for clouds, grey skies, and grounds. If glue (or time) is in short order, crayons can also be used to create a waxy resist which will repel the watercolors.
Get to the Point
Introduce pointillism and challenge the children to create their own scene using acrylic paint and Q-tips.
Weave It Alone
Kids can create colorful paper weavings using nothing but construction paper. First, have students choose a sheet of paper and, using child-safe scissors, cut the paper into horizontal strips about 2.5” wide. Then students can choose a complimentary color and fringe cut it so that each strip is still attached to the top of the page, with an inch or so to spare. Finally, the magic begins, with students “weaving” a loose strip into the attached strips, alternating each loose strip to start over or the next attached strip.
Look Sharp
With a set of Sharpie markers, wax paper, and painter’s tape, students can create their very own stained glass artwork. First, tape the wax paper down to any flat surface. Next, have students section off their papers into various shapes. Then, encourage them to color each section with a different-colored Sharpie marker. Finally, tape their work to a classroom window to see the sun shine through.
Providing art projects as an option for after school programs isn’t just fun; the benefits of art are nearly endless. From enabling self-expression to building confidence, creativity, and even motor skills, art is good for everyone.
