Fun Freetime: Creative Art Projects

With school nearly over for the summer, finding fun crafts to do with your little ones is important for when the play dates wind down and camp days end. It's the one time of the year when doing messy arts 'n crafts projects is okay, because they can be done outside. Whether it's art with bubbles and straws, or spaghetti and fingers, these three projects are sure to keep your kids busy creating unique art to hang around your home.

1. Bubble and Straw Art – To make art with bubbles, you will need 1 to 2 tablespoons of tempera paint, 1 tablespoon of dish washing liquid, light colored construction paper, drinking straws, a pan, and ½ cup of water. Mix together the water, dish washing liquid, and paint, then pour it into your pan. Give each child participating their own drinking straw and have them blow bubbles into the mixtures as though it were chocolate milk. (Note- you may want to specify to only blow through the straw). Once the pan is filled with bubbles, place the paper on top for a few seconds, forcing the bubbles to pop onto the paper and create an interesting print. For added optional fun, give each child a bubble wand and let them blow their own bubbles directly onto the construction paper.
2. Spaghetti Art – There are two ways to go about spaghetti art, but each one involves a pound or more of spaghetti, paper, and the paint color(s) of your choice. To start, the pasta should be boiled until it is cooked al dente. If the spaghetti is too soft it will fall apart during the project. You can either tie the spaghetti together at the top, like the bottom of an old broom stick, or let it boil freely. If you choose to tie your spaghetti, fill a bowls (one for each paint color) with paint. Then, using the tied and cooked spaghetti, have your child dip the ends into the paint and swirl them around on your paper. If you chose not to tie the spaghetti, put it in a bowl with your desired paint colors, mix them around as though the paint were sauce, and place the spaghetti on your paper. Watch as your child swirls the spaghetti around as much or as little as they'd like, creating a fun piece of art.
3. Good ol' fashion finger painting – As a kid, I dreamed of the day when my parents would gladly let me finger paint. Warm weather is that time. All that's required is paper and the paint colors of your choice. Using as many colors as you'd like, let your child go to town on their sheet of paper. To make it more interesting, give them stamps, sponges, or straws to create different designs with.

No matter which project you choose, each one is sure to keep your child busy during the long summer days. If you don't mind getting messy, join in on the fun! Then hang each piece you make together in a picture frame for great memories to look back on. All that's needed before starting is an outfit you don't mind being stained.