Art – Bringing the generations together…

As we enter week two of Children’s Art ‘Week’, the focus is on connecting generations of grandparents, parents and children through shared creative activities.

Throughout the week, we are encouraging creative ideas that can be done with grandparents or at a distance, all with the aim of bringing generations of family closer and making everyone smile J

For those lucky enough to have grandparents and family nearby, here are a couple of ideas you can all do together…

1. Create a family tree

A family tree is a fantastic way to teach little ones in a fun and interactive way about their family history. Encourage them to ask elderly relatives, on the phone or face to face if they can, about their own grandparents and great grandparents and see how far back you can go! Draw leaves, use pictures or use other art materials to create something unique to each family member. You could speak to little ones about their favourite thing about a grandparent, or perhaps you could get them to colour a shape in their favourite colours. You could even simply cut out hand prints to hang from the tree. It’s a great keepsake for them in years to come.

2. Make a superhero mask

This one is most definitely not just for kids!!! Let’s face it, us adults all like to think we have a little bit of superhero in us, right?

Superhero masks are easy to make and can be used afterwards to create hours of imaginative play and entertainment – double win!

You could ask little ones to think of what superhero their daddy, nanny, great grandad etc is and why, and then help them design a mask for each of them to wear.

Whether you choose Captain America, Spiderman, Thor, Wonderwoman, Supergirl, Black Widow or Iron man, be as creative as you can.

We think the twinkl template is great to get you started, then just let imaginations run wild and the rest will be easy! https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/t-t-9305-design-a-superhero-mask

3. Recycle art

Using recycling is a great way not only to just create art together, but also helps kids understand about the importance of recycling and waste management. It’s also ideal if you don’t have any art materials close to hand, or want to keep costs down. You could try making a recycled rocket using a plastic bottle or kitchen towel roll or animal characters out of wine corks. We love this egg carton caterpillar from No Time for Flash Cards - https://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2008/04/caterpillars-dont-meow.html

4. Make food jewellery

When was the last time you made a pasta necklace? Something many of us did as a kid, and you can pass that creativity on through the generations. Now pasta is back in plentiful supply, why not grab the nearest bag of penne, tear open the bag of rigatoni, grab some string and some paint and get creating!

For those whose family are afar or cannot be near at this time, you can still use art ideas to bring generations together and make everyone a little less lonely.

5. Send a card

Get creative by making a card for an elderly member of your family! You can make someone's day even brighter by letting them know you are all thinking about them. The whole family can get involved with hand and footprints made into art such as flowers, butterflies and other animals, or you can just use what you have around the house – it is the thought that really counts. Get some ideas here: https://tinkerlab.com/40-homemade-cards-for-kids-to-make/

6. Create a time capsule

Encourage little ones to create a time capsule full of their favourite things, drawings, and pictures of their family and friends. Encourage them to decorate the time capsule and then bury it together in the garden or pop it somewhere safe for generations to come. Make sure you involve all the family – call a close friend or family member and ask them to contribute something too. They can email it or send it in the post. You could even pull a time capsule Zoom party together, so everyone is involved every step of the way. There are some good step by step instructions here - https://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/family/things-to-do/covid-19-time-capsule-538121 and plenty of creative time capsule ideas on YouTube and Pinterest.

7. Send a virtual hug with a homemade photo album or photo book

There is nothing more comforting than a hug, but at the moment that just might not be possible. Remind loved ones how special they are, with a hug in the form of a handmade photo album, to remind them of all the memories over the years. This is great for your little one to get involved in, as you can talk about when mummy and daddy were little too. What’s more, that special grandparent will be so happy to receive it. That alone makes it all worthwhile.

Want more ideas for grandparents? We love the ideas on this site : https://lifeasmama.com/10-diy-craft-ideas-to-make-your-kids-grandparents-melt/

Worried about the mess?!!!

Want to let your little Picassos explore art and keep clean at the same time? With our Wipeezee® collection you will be creating your own mini art galleries minus the mess! Check out the range here:

https://www.bibetta.com/collections/wipeezee-collection/

Children’s Art Week is a UK-wide programme run by Engage, The National Association for Gallery Education https://engage.org/happenings/childrens-art-week/ and runs from 29^th June – 19^th July

Don’t forget to share your creative masterpieces with us on our social channels (insert links)

#ChildrensArtWeek