How to Design an Art Space for Kids
Sophie Shay | October 2023
I have a soft spot for creating art spaces. My 5 year old Thea absolutely lives for her art table. From the moment she wakes up to the second she steps in from school, she's at her art table immersed in drawings, crafts, and making the most precious little cards for us (her all-time favorite thing to do!). Do you have a little artist in your life too?
“Art has the role in education of helping children become like themselves instead of more like everyone else.”
- Sydney Gurewitz Clemens
I'm excited to share my top 5 tips for creating your very own kids' art space. Whether you're working with an idle corner or have the room for a dedicated space (just like my recent client project), I can promise you it's absolutely worth it!
Project: It's Cool to be Kind
1. Clutter-Free Art Table
A clutter-free table - a blank canvas if you will! - is the perfect place for the magic to unfold!
Let’s take a look at what kinds of activities can be had here: Young toddlers can start gliding crayons on paper. Older toddlers can start diving into watercolors, scissors, gluing and playdoh. Sewing is also a fantastic option, even from as early as 2.5 years old - it's a personal favorite in our home!
The key to keeping a table clutter-free is having a storage and organization system in place, keeping kid-sized cleaning supplies within reach so kids can learn to care for their space, as well as an easy (and stylish!) way to manage and display kids’ artwork. And that’s exactly what I’m going to cover next!
Project: It's Cool to be Kind
2. Art Materials: Quality over Quantity
Consider choosing fewer but higher quality art materials. This might seem like a minor detail, but I would rather buy a few good-quality pencils than have many cheaper ones that break easily and do not have rich colors.
3. Simple & Accessible Storage
A place for everything, and everything in its place.
- Benjamin Franklin
Make use of open and closed storage for different types of supplies. For materials that I am happy to have the kids grab for themselves without my supervision, they go in the open storage, or even in the portable art caddies to take to the table.
I also have a dedicated spot for paper to help the kids help themselves - without having to request it from us every time!
For other items that need a bit of adult setup, such as paints, I store them behind hidden storage. Excess art materials that are currently out of rotation go in here too.
Project: It's Cool to be Kind
3. kid-sized cleanup Supplies
Make putting things away and cleaning up after themselves easy: having a place for artwork to dry, a place for scraps of paper that can be reused, a place for recycling, and even kid-sized cleanup supplies like this mini brush and dustpan set pictured below.
We love this mini brush and dustpan set that’s perfectly sized for little hands.
4. stylish artwork display
Hang beautiful artwork your kids are proud to showcase on the walls of your art space (and around the home! Check out 6 stylish ways to do so) and at child height too - for the whole family to appreciate.
Project: It's Cool to be Kind
5. an open mind
I’ve talked about the concept of “Process Art” here on a previous blog post (psst.. if you feel guilty letting go of your kids’ artwork, it will set you free!)
What I’d like to add here on the topic of setting up your own art space for kids is: having an open mind.
Shifting our own mindset from guiding kids through specific arts and crafts projects to encouraging the kids to take charge of their own creative experimentation is easier said than done!
You’ve done your best to set up a space for art. You’re role modeling putting things away and cleaning up. Now it’s time to take a deep breath and learn to embrace the mess - it’s all part of the journey! A safe creative space matters more than tidy finished products.
Now sit back, enjoy your hot cup of coffee, and let your little ones surprise you with what they create and how they take care of their new space.
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If you’re still a little overwhelmed about setting up your playroom, I’ve got you covered! Check out which kids’ space design package is right for your family or book a free discovery call.
