We always start class with an invitation to create. These activities are open-ended and inspire infinite possibilities. Open-ended activities in art, encourage students to explore their creativity freely, experiment with different materials, and follow their imaginations. You can just see their eyes light up when presented with an opportunity to be themselves.
There are no right or wrong answers, and this is huge! This creative independence fosters a real sense of freedom and self-expression. It empowers kids to truly make art their own and find their own voice.
Open-ended invitations extend beyond the classroom, helping students become lifelong artists and thinkers.
Here are some of my favorite open-ended invitations to create:
Draw what you see: this one is really cool because it can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. They can draw whatever appeals their eyes or you can provide materials such as building blocks and have them build a structure and then draw what they see. This was a favorite!
Nature Sketching: being outdoors provides so many open-ended opportunities already. Go on a walk and find the most colorful leaf or perhaps an interesting looking twig. Forage materials that inspire magic! Ask you child to find inspiration in their findings and draw what they see. We usually pare this up with magnifying glasses for added curiosity.
Continuous Lines: Challenge your kid to draw an entire picture using just one continuous line, never lifting their pencil from the paper. This encourages them to think creatively and adapt as they go.
Doodle Challenge: Provide a blank sheet of paper and draw a crazy doodle on it. Challenge your child to transform that doodle into a complete artwork. We love using the question: what do you see? Maybe, if you turn the paper you may find more shapes or figures.
Playdough Creations: one of the studio favorites. By providing a small amount of playdough and some simple tools they can let their imaginations fly!
Let me know if you try any of these invitations to create. If you do, make sure to share your art with us by tagging us @paintedleafstudio.