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Summer Fun Art Activities for All Ages

As of July 6, Give Kids Art started its virtual summer programming in proud partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica. We are happy to announce that The Boys & Girls Club in Mar Vista Gardens has safely reopened its doors to participants although outside partners and volunteers are still remote. We are running our art programs on Zoom with the kids at the Mar Vista Gardens branch every Tuesday and Wednesday for the next six weeks. The children who have signed up for our program are joining us by tuning in from the local branch art room. It’s wonderful to see old and new faces and to come together for more fun and creativity.

The critically short supply of art materials for children in this community remains a real need. Thanks to your donations, Give Kids Art is committed to making and providing the kids with Art Kits filled with a variety of materials, so they can continue creating fearlessly from home as well as with us on Zoom. The Art Kits that we deliver are distributed at the Grab & Go Meal center and are given to children, whether they participate in our programs or not. The latest round of custom Art Kits contain: watercolor paper, crayons, colored pencils, watercolor paints, an extra paint brush, a canvas panel, one pair of scissors, one No. 2 pencil.

If you or your little ones have paper (or old cardboard to draw on) and some crayons, pencils, or markers at home, you can participate in the fun, too. We will share our weekly Zoom art projects so you can join us! We’ll be adding new projects every week. If you have any questions, comment below.

Week 1, Zoom Art Project:

Who I Am Name Drawing

Week 2, Zoom Art Project:

Imperfectly Perfect Tie Dye Paper Paintings

SUMMER Update:

We will temporarily postpone the remainder of our Summer Zoom Sessions as The Boys & Girls Club in Mar Vista Gardens had to close their doors on July 17, 2020 due to COVID-19, and many of the children do not have access to technology at home until the school year starts next month.

We will continue to post our Summer Art Activities weekly for anyone who wants to participate! Thanks to our supporters, our recent delivery of Art Kits to the children will keep them creating fearlessly from home for weeks until our Fall programming starts.

Week 3, Zoom Art Project:

Creative Collage of Courage

 
“Creativity takes courage.”
— Henri Matisse
 

Week 4, Zoom Art Project:

Friend My Monster Drawing

Week 5, Zoom Art Project:

Colorfully Diverse Creation

Week 6, Zoom Art Project:

My Most Beautiful Sky Painting

STAY TUNED FOR OUR FALL PROJECTS!

Our Fall 2020 programming will start late August. We’ll keep adding to our blog every week, so you can follow along with us!

"Cozy-up" Creative Art Activities with Your Littles

In proud partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Monica, Give Kids Art was invited to participate in virtual Zoom programming. As of April 14, we are running our art programs on Zoom with the kids at the Mar Vista Gardens branch every Tuesday. Our first week was a blast, and we loved reuniting with the kids and seeing all of their smiling faces!

Since art supplies are very limited for children in this community, we made and provided the kids with art kits filled with a variety of materials, so they could continue creating fearlessly from home as well as with us on Zoom. Our custom art kits contain: watercolor paper, crayons, colored pencils, watercolor paints, and paint brushes.

If you or your little ones have paper (or old cardboard to draw on) and some crayons, pencils, or markers at home, you can participate in the fun, too. We thought we’d share our weekly Zoom art projects so you can join us! We’ll be adding new projects every week.

If you have any questions, comment below!

Week 1, Zoom Art Project:

Rainbows Filled with Love

 
“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”
— Maya Angelou
 

Week 2, Zoom Art Project:

Connect-the-Dots Adventure Painting

 
“You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So... get on your way!”
— Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!
 

Week 3, Zoom Art Project:

Grateful for You Card

 
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”
— William Arthur Ward
 

Week 4, Zoom Art Project:

How You WilL Change the World Drawing

 
“Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world.”
— Roald Dahl
 

Week 5, Zoom Art Project:

Sunburst Painting

Week 6, Zoom Art Project:

My Day at the Beach Painting

Week 7, Zoom Art Project:

My Healing Heart Painting

 
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
— Martin Luther King, Jr.
 

Week 8, Zoom Art Project:

Unique Butterflies

Week 9, Zoom Art Project:

Summer Fun Painting

Week 10, Zoom Art Project:

Picasso Portrait

Week 11, Zoom Art Project:

Fireworks for Days Drawing

Stay Tuned for Our Summer Projects!

Our summer programming starts the week of July 6, 2020.

We’ll keep adding to our blog every week, so you can follow along with us!

Our First News Feature!

Exciting news! We were featured on the front page of the Santa Monica Daily Press on Saturday, April 25th. See how we’re helping kids create fearlessly while at home!

#QuarantineArt Resources

For Kids

Art Activities for 3+

Assuming you don’t have many supplies at home, here are some art activities you can do with children of various ages (some of them are even fun for adults!):

  • Print free coloring book sheets from here

  • Cut up cardboard boxes and build abstract 2D or 3D sculptures

    • Projects:

      • Make your dream home (color or paint or collage on cardboard) OR just get in a box and color from within

      • Paint or color various cardboard cut-outs / shapes and then glue them together to make your own abstract art

      • Make a self-portrait layering and gluing cardboard shapes

      • Cut out a large hand and paint it

      • Design a tree (make it a wishing tree!)

      • Create your own construction set

    • If your child is not old enough to safely use scissors, cut up a bunch of different sized pieces and shapes for them to use.

    • Kids can use markers, paint, or simple pens to decorate the cardboard

    • Use any type of child-safe glue to stick together

  • Use acrylic pens to decorate old clothes

  • Create a collage, using magazine cut-outs and whatever other materials you can find (stickers, stationary, pom poms, etc.)

  • Make a scrapbook – use this kids’ guide to scrapbooking!

    • This fun activity was tested and recommended by our friends, Luke and Ben (9 & 7 years old). We thank them for this awesome resource!

  • Make butterflies:

  • Make your own puppets

  • Create salt dough ornaments

  • Use markers to paint rocks (if you have white paint, paint the rocks first)

  • Have old egg cartons? Make a caterpillar, a monster, and more. Here are 25 craft ideas.

  • Don’t have much supplies? Here are some resources:

    • Play with homemade playdough

    • Have food coloring? Make homemade paint

    • Use cardboard, paper plates, old packaging or shopping bags, coffee filters, etc. in place of paper (if you don’t have it)

Tip: Don’t focus on the end product or making something “beautiful,” let your child enjoy the process of creating during these activities.

Join artists that post fun daily art tutorials and activities for kids:

  • Check @CarsonEllis for her #QuarantineArtClub activity prompts

  • #DrawTogether with @WendyMac: 10am pst M-F: Instagram Live, up for 24 hrs in stories.

  • Join Michaels on Facebook Live every Wednesday noon CT

Want more? Check out of our favorite art blogs with TONS of activities:

Art Supplies Discounts (for Kids + Adults)

When accounting for price and delivery or pick-up speed, you can’t go wrong with ordering art supplies on Michaels or Amazon.

Michaels always has discounts on their website (hint: we see 40% off online orders every couple weeks). Now, they have curbside pickup too! As of March 26, 2020, we’re loving these deals:

Amazon has competitive pricing but many products have longer shipping delays right now. Here are some that appear in stock and ready to ship ASAP:

Apps for Kids

At Give Kids Art, we prefer tactile activities to screen time, but here are some app recommendations that may be helpful:

Art EDucation

Teach art to kids at home (Pre-K - Grade 12) using these easy lesson plans.

Visit 2,000+ world-class art museums through virtual tours and online galleries:

Check out this ULTIMATE list of free education resources (beyond art). We had to share.

For Adults

Unleash Your Inner Artist Too!

Even if it’s just 15-30 minutes a day, take a moment to follow @bellyeye_arttherapy instagram prompts like “Draw Yourself as a Tree”.

Create a zen tangle – it’s incredibly easy, meditative, and relaxing. Plus, you only need a piece of paper and pen. Learn how here.

Make a blind contour drawing! You might create a Picasso masterpiece. Take 10-15 minutes, grab a piece of paper and pen, look at something carefully while drawing - don’t look at your piece of paper and don’t lift your pen off the paper.

Download and print free adult coloring sheets.

Learn watercolor with Let's Make Art.

Explore your preferred craft(s) using Bluprint (with free online classes through 4/9)

No paper? Invest in a drawing journal or use cardboard from boxes.

Up for something new? These knitting kits look fun.

Know how to sew? Help our healthcare providers and sew some masks. WeNeedMasks.org has instructions you can follow. Check GetUsPPE, which lists numerous hospitals in need of protective gear.

Interested in learning more? Here are some books you can read to help inspire your creativity or to communicate with others more effectively through art:

“Nobody will stop you from creating. Do it tonight. Do it tomorrow. That is the way to make your soul grow... The kick of creation is the act of creating, not anything that happens afterward. I would tell all of you watching this screen: Before you go to bed, write a four line poem. Make it as good as you can. Don’t show it to anybody. Put it where nobody will find it. And you will discover that you have your reward.”
— Kurt Vonnegut
“Creativity is a combination of discipline and childlike spirit.”
— Robert Greene
 
There is no time like the present! Grab a piece of paper, a pen, and maybe some crayons. Look at something beautiful around you, like a plant, and go for it. Here’s a quick drawing from our Give Kids Art member, Kara Anton.

There is no time like the present! Grab a piece of paper, a pen, and maybe some crayons. Look at something beautiful around you, like a plant, and go for it. Here’s a quick drawing from our Give Kids Art member, Kara Anton.

Coronavirus Update

To our supporters and friends, we hope you are staying safe and positive during this time.

Given the current state of affairs with Coronavirus, we have taken all art programming virtual. We are carefully monitoring the situation and will resume on-site programming when everything is safe for all involved.

We are currently making and delivering Art Kits to children in the underprivileged communities we serve. These kits are full of essential art supplies to keep the kids entertained at home and creating fearlessly for weeks. Just $10 gives one kid an Art Kit! We’re working with partner organizations to safely deliver these art kits at “Grab & Go” food centers.

Help From a Distance:

If you have magazines, we always need clippings and cut-outs for collage making! #QuarantineAndChill Find a good Netflix movie, and enjoy some sip and clip time. You can mail us the materials.

Also, you can make Give Kids Art your charity of choice on AmazonSmile! Go to smile.amazon.com

In the meantime, please stay connected and follow us on instagram @GiveKidsArt.