Sometimes we all need to press the rest button. But that doesn’t always stop you and your family from getting a little stir crazy. Everyone’s home, the dog is always barking, and dishes are piling up even more than usual (how are there SO many dishes?). Trying to find activities for the little ones to do can feel exhausting and like another job in and of itself.

We want to help you embrace this time and create fun memories with them – with art, of course! Whether it’s with paintbrushes, crayons, or a piece of chalk, art projects are proven to remedy stress and spark a bit of creativity during our time at home. 

In this blog, we’re going to show you how to prep your furniture, what supplies you need (most will be things you may already have lying around), and some fun idea starters and templates you and your kids can follow to create art. So pick up your paint brushes and let’s get started! 

Prep Before You Paint

Protect your furniture before you lay down any colors or supplies. Lay down newspaper on any tables and floors and old bed sheets on sofas and other nearby surfaces to avoid direct hits to your pieces. You can also do your activities outside or set up a tarp if you’re worried about any splatters. 

That said, accidents do happen. Fortunately, that’s why furniture protection exists. If you’ve bought furniture from us, you may still be able to get it covered within a certain number of days after delivery. Check here if you’re interested. 

Art Projects for the Whole Family

1. Paint by Numbers

Credit: kidslearningactivity.com

For your little ones, learning colors and accuracy are key skills as they grow older – and you can accomplish both with a fun painting by numbers activity! You can start simple and get progressively more involved pictures for them to try out. If you’re really feeling ambitious, there are ways you can create your very own paint by numbers images with your house pet or even family photos. Check out this tutorial from The Ambitious Procrastinator. 

2. Glue Art

Credit: artfulparent.com 

Making art with glue is an absolute blast with a little one. Get a canvas and squeeze flowers, their favorite animal, or even go abstract with your glue to make something truly unique and fun. Then, add paint, buttons, glitter – whatever you have on hand! The best part is glue is easy to clean off most surfaces, as it simply dries up and can be peeled away. 

3. Melted Crayon Art

Credit: kidskubby.com

There are so many creative ways to melt down crayons and make art. All you’ll need for this one is to hot glue your crayons to your desired canvas and blow dry them until they start to melt. For extra amounts of fun, use painter’s tape to block off an area you don’t want the splatters to hit. Make hearts where you can put family photos, or trace an outline of your family’s handprints and block them off so they’re visible around the drippage.

4. Chalk Art

Credit: thistinybluehouse.com

If you’ve got a plot of driveway or sidewalk and a free afternoon, get the kids outside drawing what’s on their mind! Whether it’s a spaceship, hopscotch, or a cute flower garden, there are so many ways to get excited. Give your kids a few options to see what they want. You can even make stencils out of cardboard if you want to make sure your circles or other shapes stay even. If it’s a hot day, be sure everyone’s wearing sunscreen!

5. Slime to Pass the Time

Credit: littlebinsforlittlehands.com 

What kid doesn’t like playing around with some slime? We found a fun, easy recipe you can use to concoct all different kinds of slime designs. Make a galaxy design with multiple colors and glitter, or go radioactive with a neon green – there are so many you can create together! 

Benefits of Art

At Ashley HomeStore, we want you to create a home that brings you joy every day. Once you’ve achieved that perfect space, full of relaxation and enjoyment, invest time in staying in and focusing on yourself.

Art activities can bring peace to your home, and possibly give you a renewed view of the space you’ve created. Art projects are proven to offer emotional and mental benefits during stressful times, and can be great for kids! They can improve their communication and problem-solving skills, learn better self-management and strengthen their self esteem!

We hope you enjoyed these fun art activities you can do with kids and other family members right in the comfort of home. With a bit of creativity and your children’s minds being set free to create, we’re confident they’ll be entertained. If they’re missing friends, contact parents to see if you can do a fun face-to-face digital call while everyone does arts and crafts together. Not only is this a nice bonding experience with them, but they’ll also be learning and growing with you. Let’s enjoy these moments – sooner or later, life will get busy again. 

Share your fun creations with us using the hashtag #MyAshleyHome, it may be featured on our Instagram feed. Art is for everyone, so show us what you’ve got!