Activities for Children & Youths
At a Glance... AGES 1-6 Years: Art's First Sessions:
---- SPA also offers an exciting collection of creative activities on-line for you to try at home. We invite you and your children to participate! We often receive donations of art supplies. Please let us know if you would like to use or borrow SPA supplies. (Scroll down lower on this page.) 
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Creative Fun from Home with SPA!
Art's First Rock Challenges
This series of projects is inspired by our annual SPA exhibit, Rock Solid. 
Art's First Bird Challenges
This series of projects is inspired by our Quick Change Gallery exhibit, Burds with Words by Marcia Vogler. 
We encourage families to come and view the exhibits at SPA for your inspiration.
We invite you to imagine and create! Please let us know if you don’t have all of the items that are needed to work on an Art's First Challenge; we often have spare materials and we would be glad to share! (Just call us at 479-7069.) Share your creations with us! Send photos of your Art's First creations to: [email protected] Tina Logan is an educator and artist who received her BFA in art education in 1987 from Syracuse University, and has been teaching ever since. She currently teaches at Albert D. Lawton Intermediate School in Essex Junction Vt. but also has 20 years of experience teaching elementary aged artists as well. Tina has served as past president and secretary for Vermont Art Teachers Association and participates on many boards and committees that promote the arts and help bring the arts into the community. As an artist, she draws inspiration from her family, students, garden and community. More Art's First Challenges Inspired by Past SPA Exhibits
Click here for a list of projects to try from home that are inspired by our past embroidery exhibit... Click here for a list of projects inspired by our past exhibit, Head for the Hills... “Violaceous” Arts Activities A brief video about the color purple A video about purple for little ones A fun color mixing video for little ones Making Violet/Purple Try your hand at color mixing! Make a galaxy painting Materials: Red, Blue, White and Black tempera or finger paint Black or white paper Paint brushes and cardboard scraps for homemade pallet knives and scrapers and or sponge scraps Old toothbrush for splatter paint technique Q-tips for dots/stars Have fun exploring the color violet/ purple by mixing it yourself and making expressive paintings with your new created color(s)! Add some white and black to your new color purple and learn about tints, tones, and shades. These are great vocabulary words to teach and learn about. (White= tint), (Black = shade) and (grey = tone) (white+ black). You can paint with your hands, or with brushes or try dotting and splatter techniques with an old paintbrush or some Q-tips. Playing with Purple/violet Dough and Goo Make your own purple playdough Make a purple squishy sensory bag Make a sensory bag with flour and water instead Materials: Red and Blue playdough Hair Gel, food coloring, glitter, plastic baggie (Sensory Bag ingredients) Flour, water, mixing bowl, spoon, plastic bag (Natural Sensory Bag Ingredients) Odd objects like legos, forks, corks, shells, etc… Mix some blue and pink or red playdough together to make your own version of purple/violet. Create purple creatures or press different objects in the clay to learn about texture. Make little creatures or ornaments with your dough. Create a story of how your creature became purple. You can also make your own violet sensory bag with hair gel and food coloring or flour and water. Check out the video links above. Purple Monoprinting and stamping Make purple monoprints Materials: Red, Blue, white tempera paints Q-tips Paper, Soft sponge brushes or rollers Paper plates for paints Plexiglass plate or baking dish for printing plate Assorted cardboard scraps for homemade scrapers and mark makers Have fun exploring the color violet/purple by making monoprints. Brush or roll pink and blue paints on an upside down pie plate or piece of plexi glass to mix a purple. Use a Q-tip to draw a design, pattern or picture on the plate and then press a piece of paper on your plate to see a reversed printed image. You can add more coloring to your print with markers, or crayons after it dries. You can also make your own scrapers and mark makers from cardboard scraps or make your own stamps for the paint with assorted recyclables like caps, cardboard tubes, corks, etc… Violaceous Magic wands How to make a yarn stick Materials: Sticks Yarn Pipe cleaners Scissors Tacky glue or hot glue gun Scrap cardboard like from a cereal box Embellishments like pom poms, google eyes, beads (optional) Create a magical and royal wand by wrapping yarns and or pipe cleaners around a stick or dowel. Add a star topper out of colored cardboard, or scrap paper. Embellish with buttons, pom poms, gems, beads and feathers! Credits The following ideas and images were sourced and gathered from the following sites …… Pinterest and the following links: https://artfulparent.com/monoprinting-with-kids-the-easy-way/ Colour Mixing | Sensory Art Activity Meet Purple! | Kids learn colours! | Series 1, Ep 12 | @Colourblocks Making Rainbows with Indigo and Violet | Kids learn colours! | Series 1, Ep 15 | @Colourblocks How to Make Homemade Play Dough Squishy sensory bags to write on! ----- Making Assemblages Materials: Cardboard scraps and or small boxes and tins Assorted found objects from nature or around the house. Anything you don’t want anymore. Recycled materials Elmers or Tacky glue Scissors Acrylic craft paint (Black, White, Gold) optional Create a visual story or interesting design in a box or on a piece of scrap cardboard by gluing your found objects in your box or on your cardboard base. Use your imagination and intuition to create an interesting composition/arrangement and glue in place. You can paint your entire assemblage one solid color after the glue dries to bring unity to your work. Learn about assemblage artist Betye Saar Learn about Assemblage Artist Louise Nevelson Make your own Nevelson inspired assemblage 
More projects inspired by past SPA exhibits to try from home...
Art's First Whir, Clank, Beep! Challenges This series of projects is inspired by a SPA exhibit that was all about machines. Design your own Rube Goldberg Machine!
Make a Strandbeest Kinetic Sculpture!
Make your own version of a strandbeest inspired by kinetic sculptor Theo Jansen!
Machines for Transportation (Real and Otherworldly) 
Use your imagination to create your own dream machine or steampunk inspired creature. Your imagination is limitless! All you need is paper, pencil and materials from your recycle bin if you decide to turn your idea into reality! Renaissance artist Leonardo Da Vinci was doing this a very long, long time ago!
Watch this video to learn more about Leonardo Da Vinci! Draw a fantastical machine inspired from this song. Create a Robot Assemblage with Recycled Materials
Raid your recycling bin at home and gather up some glue and bits of odds and ends like buttons, beads, google eyes, nuts and bolts etc…. Now use your imagination to create a robotic friend. Add a strand of led twinkle lights to make it shine!
Art's First Envisivivarium Challenges
This series of projects is inspired by the SPA exhibit by Kenny Harris, all about mythological creatures, on view in the second floor gallery through March 4, 2023. 
Draw Creatures from your Imagination 
Create scribble creatures or just draw creatures from your imagination and try adding lots of cool patterns and textures for them.
Practice drawing patterns with this video. Art's First Transformation: Material, Environment, Us Challenges
This series of projects is inspired by the SPA exhibit by the Vermont Surface Design Association, on view in the third floor gallery through March 4, 2023. The following projects have videos to follow along with. The instructor is a pretty famous art teacher named Cassie Stephens. She has a huge following. All you need to do is find her on most social media platforms. 
Credits
The following ideas and images were sourced and gathered from the following sites ... Pinterest and the following links: https://cassiestephens.blogspot.com/2016/03/in-art-room-my-fave-fiber-arts-lessons.html Simple Machines, by D. J. Ward and Mike Lowery https://docs.google.com/document/d/12-cj_rmdXe2ZRKVDCHHonyJQKtx5VpB9JbZdwiJtDoY/edit https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GCEB_enUS904US904&tbm=vid&q=who+was+rube+goldberg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi-x8Ci6-r8AhWWF1kFHUTNB4EQ8ccDegQIOhAD&biw=1280&bih=577&dpr=1.5&safe=active&ssui=on#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:63245a1c,vid:BZh93OrKssw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMpmit5YMcg https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/strandbeests-beach-creatures-theo-jansen-video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97iPAmER7a4 https://www.instructables.com/Jansen-Mechanism/ https://www.google.com/search?q=leonardo+da+vinci+inventions+for+kids&rlz=1C1GCEB_enUS904US904&biw=1280&bih=577&tbm=vid&ei=aJvVY-a7KuSf5NoP-JyG-Ac&ved=0ahUKEwjmj-mUouv8AhXkD1kFHXiOAX8Q4dUDCA0&uact=5&oq=leonardo+da+vinci+inventions+for+kids&gs_lcp=Cg1nd3Mtd2l6LXZpZGVvEAM6BQgAEIAEOgUIABCGAzoGCAAQFhAeOggIABAWEB4QD1D-C1j8HWCDI2gAcAB4AIABYYgB7wWSAQIxMJgBAKABAcABAQ&sclient=gws-wiz-video&safe=active&ssui=on#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:1cf46f34,vid:3ddu2ZjZ6A8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Fl8nEJFnSI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTcjNcbwB6I https://www.google.com/search?q=Iman+Joy+El+Shami-Mader&rlz=1C1GCEB_enUS904US904&source=lnms&tbm=vid&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi8jamv0PD8AhVTkYkEHYuOB5YQ_AUoAnoECAIQBA&biw=1280&bih=520&dpr=1.5&safe=active&ssui=on#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:e7803ec7,vid:7m1tujcXisQ https://www.exploratorium.edu/tinkering/projects/creature-construction https://www.google.com/search?q=drawing+patterns&rlz=1C1GCEB_enUS904US904&source=lnms&tbm=vid&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiQsoyZ1fD8AhVWjYkEHTGyAlAQ_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=1280&bih=520&dpr=1.5&safe=active&ssui=on#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:05a099b7,vid:p3vQwed5yu4 Art's First Challenges - Face It & More This series of projects was inspired by the SPA exhibits, Face It on view in the Main Gallery during 2022, What the Machines Told Me by Ned Richardson on view on the Second Floor Gallery, Call and Response by the Photographers Workroom on view on the Third Floor Gallery and Discarded: Daily Views of Trash by Sonya Sagan-Dworsky on view in the Quick Change Gallery. While these shows have concluded, the projects are rewarding and fun! 
Art's First Face It Challenge #1
Portrait Drawing and Painting Try your hand at drawing a self portrait! You can practice shading techniques or paint your portrait however you like. Fill your background area with pictures or symbols that reflect your identity or with shapes, colors and patterns. Materials: Paper Pencil Markers Paints of any sort Mirror Inspiration: Portrait drawing tutorial for kids (a silly watch) Portrait drawing tutorial for kids (more traditional) 
Art's First Face It Challenge #2
Abstract Portraits Inspired by Artist Sandra Silberzweig Make your own abstract portrait or a portrait of your pet, inspired by contemporary artist Sandra Silberweig. Draw your portrait with white or yellow chalk then either outline with glue and let your picture dry before coloring it in. Or begin coloring your spaces/shapes in with colors and patterns that come right from your imagination. Don’t think too hard! Just let your intuition guide you! Materials: Black Construction paper Elmer's glue (optional) Chalk pastels or colored chalk Inspiration: Learn about contemporary artist Sandra Silberzweig Happy little artists creating Sandra Silberweig portraits 
Art's First Face It Challenge #3
Collage Portraits Create an abstract portrait in collage. You can do it in the style of Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo by using food or flowers as your theme, or in the style of Canadian artist Sandra Silberzweig using bold shapes and colors. Materials: Assorted colored paper scraps from magazines, weekend food flyers etc… Whilte or colored paper for background Glue stick or elmers glue Scissors (optional) Inspiration: Learn about portrait artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo More wonderful works by Arcimboldo 
Art's First Face It Challenge #4
Cardboard Portraits Try different cutting, scoring and folding techniques with cardboard construction and create your own magnificent portrait! You can make it either realistic or abstract. Materials Cardboard Scissors Paints (optional) Oil pastels (optional) Craft glue or hot glue Inspiration: Great tutorial for cardboard construction techniques 
Art's First Face It Challenge #4
Found Object Faces Let your imagination run wild while creating faces (creature or human) out of found objects around your house or yard. Assemble them and take a snapshot to document your creativity or glue your artistic face assemblage to a piece of cardboard and hang it on the wall! It could be fun to make a series of faces and document them with your camera. You could print them out and make your own portrait gallery! You could even make a Giuseppe Arcimboldo inspired portrait using fruits and vegetables. Materials: Cardboard for a base (optional) Glue (optional) Assorted found objects from indoors or outdoors 
Art's First Face It Challenge #5
Clay Funny Faces (Human or Creature) Create a self portrait or whimsical creature faces out of clay. You can use the pinch pot technique as shown in the link below, or roll a slab out and add features to it. Have fun adding textures and details. Explore different expressions to add to your face. Materials: Self hardening clay or Model Magic Real clay if you have access to a kiln for firing the clay Rolling pin and assorted tools for making textures like a pencil and fork. Inspiration: Clay Funny Face Art Tutorial 
Art's First What the Machines Told Me Challenge #6
Create some digital art works through the lens of the relationship between the natural world and the world of technology. Then try printing some of your images out and finding ways to incorporate them in a collage, painting or sculpture using objects from nature. Below are several links to get your creative juices flowing. Materials: Ipad or Computer with some digital drawing and editing apps or programs like, chrome canvas, photoshop,etc… link to free drawing apps Inspiration: 10 Digital Art Projects that will Spark Creativity The Best YouTube Tutorials for Digital Learning Ideas for Combining Digital and Traditional Media for Artwork How to make pixelated paper 
Art's First Call and Response Challenge #7
Abstract Drawing or Collage Call and Response activities are intended for collaborations with friends and or family. The idea is to build off of each other's ideas to create collaborative pieces together or as a response to each other's work. Create an abstract collage, drawing or painting inspired by the work of contemporary artist Reggie Laurent. Do this with a partner. Take turns drawing or adding shapes and lines to your drawing or collage and watch your collaborative work evolve together. Take a peek at some of the cool links below. Materials: Black or white paper Scrap papers in assorted colors Glue for collage Scissors for collage (optional) Colored pencils, markers, paints, pastels (any or all) Inspiration: Who is Reggie Laurent Reggie Laurent collage tutorial A short video with Reggie Laurent 
Art's First Call and Response Challenge #8
Creature Call and Response Call and Response activities are intended for collaborations with friends and or family. The idea is to build off of each other's ideas to create collaborative pieces together or as a response to each other's work. Have fun with a friend designing creatures together. You can either draw or collage a creature yourself and then let your friend make their own in response to yours, or you can build one together by adding different body parts and features in response to what was added by your partner. What a fun way to collaborate and make art with a friend! Materials: Collage materials (assorted papers, glue, scissors) Colored pencils, paints, oil pastels, markers (any or all) Inspiration: Check out some call and response creatures made by young and “not so young” artists 
Art's First Discarded: Daily View of Trash Challenge #9
Trash Drawings Try your observation skills out by making drawings and or paintings inspired by trash and the work of local artist Sonya Sagan-Dworsky in the Quick Change Gallery. Find some wrappers or packaging from your daily consumption and study it closely. Notice the wrinkles, colors, shapes and begin to draw. Add color if you’d like. Make drawings of items individually, or arrange them in a still life. You could make a daily drawing log of your own “Discarded Daily Views of Trash.” Materials: Paper or canvas Watercolors, colored pencils, pencil, oil pastels (any or all) Used food wrappers and containers 
Art's First Discarded: Daily View of Trash Challenge #10
Collage Using Discarded Wrappers These whimsical collages were made by design students in Japan as a design project by famous designer and instructor Akihiro Mizuuchi. Look at some more fun character collages by Mizuuchi's students Try making scenes of your favorite characters by collaging your discarded food wrappers! Materials: Assorted food wrappers and boxes (I.e. cereal, poptarts, mac and cheese etc…) Glue Scissors Paper or cardboard for background Credits
The above ideas and images were sourced and gathered from Pinterest and the following links:
Up & Away! This series of projects is inspired by our current SPA exhibit, Up & Away (a show all about flight) that was on view in the Main Gallery in May of 2021 
Up & Away!
Art's First Challenge #1: Paper Plate Balloons! Materials: Paper plates Colored construction paper or wrapping paper scraps Paper or plastic cups Markers Glue stick Yarn, string or straws Scissors Have fun designing and making your very own hot air balloon with paper plates and cups. You could also fold your paper plate in half and cut vertical lines in it to make a woven design in your balloon. Make or find a little friend to sit in the basket for a ride in the sky! Another variation of hot air balloon to make Link for making a woven basket for your balloon 
Up & Away!
Art's First Challenge #2: Recycled Flying Machines and Creatures! Materials Recycled materials (cardboard scraps, tubes, corks, buttons, caps, clothespins, etc..) Embellishments like push pins, google eyes, pipe cleaners, pom poms, etc… Poster or craft paints Markers or crayons Tacky glue or hot glue Brass fasteners Hole punch Build planes, helicopters, spaceships, time machines or winged creatures out of recycled materials. Let your imagination take you to new places in the sky or universe! Make a UFO from paper plates! Make a flying dragon from paper plates! 
Up & Away!
Art's First Challenge #3: Found Object Insects! Materials: Natural objects found in nature such as rocks, leaves, sticks, seed pods, Man made objects like recycled bottle caps, buttons, paper scraps, clothespins, wire, google eyes, etc…. Craft glue or glue gun Create your own insect collection from natural and manmade objects. Invent your own species or make some of your favorite buggy critters from observation! You could display them as a pinned collection or make a mobile with your new insect friends! Make an insect collection with clothespins and other found objects. Make a Bug collage from nature 
Up & Away!
Art's First Challenge #4: Paper Mache Birds and Balloons! Materials: Newspaper Masking tape Craft paints Paper mache paste Wire and string or straws Cardboard Table covering for messy work Paper mache recipe Paper Mache bird tutorial Paper Mache Hot air balloon tutorial 
Up & Away!
Art's First Challenge #5: Winged Cardboard Construction Creatures! Materials: Cardboard Scissors Brass fasteners Scrap paper Craft glue or hot glue and or cardboard tape Assorted embellishments like wire, feathers, pompoms, google eyes etc… Try different cutting, scoring and folding techniques with cardboard construction and create your own magnificent winged creature! Great tutorial for cardboard construction techniques 
Up & Away!
Art's First Challenge #6: Painted and Collaged Winged Creatures! Materials: Watercolor paints Tissue and assorted scrap papers for collage Glue stick Markers for details Books for reference (optional) Try your artistic hand at creating a winged creature that inspires you! Think about color, pattern, texture and composition or space while you create your beautiful work of heART! More Projects...
This series of projects is inspired by past SPA exhibits including:
Art's First Challenge #1
Rolling On Prints! Materials: Acrylic or tempera craft or poster paints Plastic table covering Styrofoam trays for holding paint Toy vehicles with different types of wheels Assorted papers for printing on. This is a fun monoprinting activity for your young artist! Find some old toys with wheels and let your young artist roll their toy trains, cars or trucks through a paint puddle onto the snow (White Paper) or pavement (black paper) to create some cool tracks! This is a great discovery lesson for color mixing and noticing differences or similarities in the track marks. You can talk about overlapping and colors, lines and patterns as you create some fun abstract art together. You can add collage or drawing on top of the prints after they dry. NOTE…. To make colors show up on the black paper, add some white to each color to tint them) 
Art's First Challenge #2
Woven Wheels Materials: Scrap construction paper in assorted colors Scissors Brass fasteners and or paper clips Glue stick Markers or crayons Car or circus books for inspiration Woven Wheels Practice paper weaving techniques with your young artist by drawing and cutting out a basic car shape out of colored construction paper. The bigger the car, the more space for weaving. You could even turn a bigger car weaving into a fun laminated placemat! Once your car is drawn and cut out, you fold it in half (lengthwise or hot dog style) Then you cut some vertical slits in it. Make some assorted paper strips and weave a design in your car. Have your young artist trace around a cylindrical object on a piece of paper to make wheels for their car. Windows can be added with scrap paper and a driver and passenger can be added with collage or by drawing. 
Art's First Challenge #4
Recycled Wheels Materials Recycled materials (cardboard scraps, tubes, corks, buttons, caps etc..) Embellishments like push pins, google eyes, pipe cleaners, pom poms, etc… Poster or craft paints Markers or crayons Tacky glue or hot glue Brass fasteners Hole punch Build cars, trains, wagons, skateboards or animal pull toys out of recycled materials. Let your imagination take you to new places on wheels. Tutorial for toilet paper train project 
Art's First Challenge #5
Plastic Bottle and Jug Mobiles Materials Plastic soda, water or detergent bottles Wooden dowels or bamboo skewers Plastic bottle caps for wheels and or drivers Stickers, Sharpie or permanent markers for decoration Yarn or string for a pull cord (optional) Scissors and or something pointy to cut into the plastic is wanted and or to poke holes in the bottle cap wheels. Let your imagination run wild while creating bottle or jug mobiles from recycled materials! You can create a caravan or parade or even have your own mini NASCAR race at home! 
Art's First Challenge #7
Collage with Shapes and Colors Materials Colored construction papers Scissors Glue stick Crayons and or markers (optional) This is a fun activity to reinforce learning about color and shape with your young artist, while creating things with wheels! Also a great way to introduce the concept of overlapping and talking about things that move. 
Art's First Challenge #11
Accordion, Flip, and Paper Bag Books Click here to learn how to make accordion books, flip books, and paper bag books... 
Art's First Challenge #12
Altered Books Find an old, discarded book and turn it into a personal work of art! You can paint, collage, fold, cut, and glue in any of the pages and on the cover. Making an altered book is so much fun! 
Art's First Challenge #13
Story Quilts Click here to Learn about American Artist Faith Ringgold... Then create your own story quilt with paper and/or fabric scraps. 
Art's First Challenge #14
Gee's Bend Quilts Learn about Gee's Bend Quilts... Make a Gee's Bend paper quilt... Look at some Gee's Bend Quilts... Stay tuned for more fun Art's First projects coming soon. SPA's next exhibit is titled Up, Up, and Away! -- a show all about flight!
Credits
The following ideas and images were sourced and gathered from the following sites ... Pinterest and the following links: www.alunoon.com https://play-trains.com/ http://www.learnplayimagine.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhlQj9ceUxc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NHcaqB31-k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0HyqkzH3lg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzG1aPw7YBc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqZsMPe9g14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsCsytnAEec https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Axr7hPTkVg8 https://www.craftymorning.com/spinning-3d-hot-air-balloon-craft-for-kids-to-make/ http://krokotak.com/2016/07/ufo-from-paper-plates/ http://www.pinkstripeysocks.com/2015/09/how-to-make-paper-plate-dragon-craft.html https://www.littlepassports.com/craft-diy/insect-craft-for-kids/ https://www.thecrafttrain.com/nature-art-bugs/ \https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKA6qjj6ckU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTKQGMy1Joo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxGqVUWFxsM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpjyOjPj98I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5giqUYdeuw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDZTX95yz7Y http://goodbooksforyoungsouls.blogspot.com/2013/03/book-making-ideas-for-kids-part-2.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuAbZW-RiRs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RscpfkvVaP4&t=2s More Art's First Challenges from Past Exhibits at SPA:
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