Something Playful: The Art Supply Edit
I'm sharing the basic, open ended materials I have kept on hand at home and in my classrooms for over fifteen years. You won't find novelty craft kits. Just sturdy materials and why I chose them.
I believe that children need repeated experiences with the same sturdy basic art materials in order to gain mastery and build confidence. When kids need to learn a new material, a new skill, or a new set of directions every time they come to the table, they stop coming to the table.
Think of how you feel when you sit down to cook a meal. You already know how your stove works, how your oven works, and where the ingredients are in your pantry. You can go ahead and get started cooking, bringing your tastes, creativity and personal flair to your cooking.
Now think of how you might feel walking into a kitchen in an air bnb. You aren’t totally sure of yourself. Where is that pan you need? How does this oven work? Do they have the food processor you rely on? Probably not. And that’s fine. You’ll figure it out, but you won’t feel as confident and in charge as you do in your own kitchen.
And that’s fine once in a while.
One big mistake adults make when it comes to kids and art is that they offer a new experience every time. Kids need to learn a new set of skills before they can begin. And that takes work. (Again, that’s fine once in a while.) It is not relaxing, and it is not where they will do their best work. The learning curve takes their attention, not their ideas.
So, when I am setting up an art space in a classroom or home, I want children to be drawn to creating. I want them to be able to have an idea in their head, and execute independently. That’s empowerment.
And it’s not just about art. It’s about building the confidence to say, I can do this, in all areas of their life! It is proof of their capability, written all over the face of the kid who ran to get started without being asked. Right there, in their own home, where the stakes are low and the ideas are flowing.
I remember Nate, my oldest, as a ten year old, turning to Ruby who was eight, glint in his eye, smile on his face, saying, “Ruby, let’s play that game where we…. “ as they ran out the door with Sloane right behind them. Kids are attracted to things they already know. To things that can offer a jumping off point for creating something new. The same thing happens at the art table. That’s what I want your art supplies to do for your kids.
