How to Master Messy Art Play at Home Without the Stress

How to Master Messy Art Play at Home Without the Stress

 

Hey there! I hear you want to start doing fun art activities at home with your little one. That’s wonderful! There are so many options out there for caregivers. On Pinterest alone, I’ve seen hundreds of adorable art activities for little learners.  I even used a few in my classroom!

However, I want to talk about something we should address more when we encourage messy play at home. Caregivers can understand the value of messy art and still find it extremely stressful. That is completely understandable and very normal! The pressure on caregivers to let their child experiment freely is daunting. So, let’s talk about it, shall we?

 

Everyone encourages it, but WHY is messy art even important?

1.       Art in general is fantastic for little ones because it can help build fine motor skills. Basically, you want to strengthen those muscles in their little hands. Learning how to use art supplies (crayons, paintbrushes, scissors, etc.) is fantastic for this.  

2.    Creative Play: As caregivers, we want our little ones to feel free to be creative. With open-ended messy art, there is no ultimate goal or bar to meet. They can express themselves in different ways, and they can say when they're done. So, grab some paper, crayons, markers, paint, etc. (maybe not all at once) and let your little one have some fun!

Quick Tip: The smaller the child, the bigger the paper! I love using big rolls of paper that can cover the top of a table or a big section of the floor. For some reason, many little ones LOVE a huge ‘canvas’ to work on. This helps manage the mess too!

3.    Regulating Emotions – There is a reason why so many people choose art as a hobby or career. Picking up a crayon, marker, or paintbrush can help a child regulate their emotions. Messy art has few limits, and your child can express how they are feeling. If they ever feel overwhelmed, taking a step back with art can help.

4.   Bonding time with your little one: chances are your child will see you having fun, and they will too.

5.    Boost Confidence! I mean, we love that moment when a little one proudly shows off their artwork, and you are beaming too.

Quick Tip: When your child is finished, try not to ‘guess’ what they made. I recommend this because if you are wrong, it may potentially make them feel bad. Instead, describe the colors used (ex., “Oh, I love the way you used purple here ") or the bold lines of their artwork. The point here is to let them tell you about it!

 

Now, Let’s Be Real and Talk About the Problems

1.       Setup and cleanup can be exhausting. Kids are MESSY.

2.    You risk staining furniture or walls.

3.    Taste Testing: It’s happened to the best of us… Look down or turn your head for just a moment, and your little one is trying to give the glue a taste.

4.   Sensory Overload: Sticky textures and bright colors can overwhelm some little learners.

5.    Space: We don’t all have a designated playroom for our little ones. I don’t. So, the thought of paint near your favorite shoes or purse does not sound like the best idea.

6.    Supervision is a must: We can’t just leave our 3-year-old with art supplies and get some laundry done for 15 minutes. It’s not realistic.

 

The list of potential headaches goes on ……

 

Managing the Mess

Ok, I know that list was a bit off-putting, BUT I still recommend messy open-ended art for little learners. So, for your sanity, here are some tips to keep the mess at least somewhat under control:

1.       Use old clothing. This is why many early childhood educators prefer their students to wear play clothes to school. That way, they can express and create without worrying that a nice dress or favorite shirt will get stained.

2.    Go outside. This is one of my personal favorites for really messy art. Just take your art supplies outside (or grab some chalk) and have at it.

3.    Stick to supplies that are made for children. These products are specifically formulated to be washable… just in case it gets on anything. Although it may look cute to have your child using one of your pens or Sharpies, trust me, the mood changes really quickly once they get too close to the book you’re reading. Grown-up art supplies tend to be more permanent, so keep those high up or locked away if you can.

4.   Try having your child eat before art time. With some kiddos, I've noticed they're more likely to put art supplies in their mouth if they're hungry. Mind you, this doesn’t work for everyone all the time, but it can help.

5.    Put your child in an art smock. You can find these online or take a trip to IKEA (that’s the one we have at home).  An old oversized T-shirt of yours is a great alternative too. 

6.    Have an old towel or paper towels at the ready because… you never know.

7.    When using paints, you can squirt some on thick paper. Slip the paper in a Ziploc bag (seal and tape over), then have your child smush the paint around. The mess stays in the bag and not on hands. I did this one quite a bit when my son was still a baby.

8.    Use an old curtain liner and place it on the floor. Boom! Designated art area.

9.    Repeatedly remind them where they CAN use the supplies. Mention that we only use these supplies on certain objects (paper, cardboard, etc.) and not on the walls or furniture. Write it down with pictures too. If they purposefully get it on places they shouldn’t, pause, have THEM help clean it up if they are old enough (I cannot stress enough how important this part is), and say we can try another time. For teachers, make an anchor chart with students, then place it somewhere on the classroom walls for quick reference throughout the school year.

10.   Have an ‘after art’ routine. Before they do anything else, have a routine to go to the sink or tub to get cleaned up. 

 

Whew ok! I hope this helps with managing the mess and stress of art play in your home. Keep in mind, though, if it still seems too overwhelming … don’t worry about it. That doesn’t make you a bad caregiver. Do what you can.

Do you have any other tips for messy art for little ones? Share below and let’s help each other out!

 

 

Related Reads

Lisa Murphy on Play by Lisa Murphy (this book was a required reading during my master’s program, and I still refer back to it!)