Need a fun and creative summer art project to do with your kids? Teach them how to make a mural! In this activity, kids use a white bed sheet as an extra large canvas for them to decorate any way they like. While they're being creative, they''ll get to work outside and enjoy the warm, summer sun!
What You Need:
- White bed sheet
- Markers
- Paint
- Large paintbrushes
- Painter's drop cloth
- Cups for the paint
What You Do:
- Have your child choose a summer, outdoors theme for her mural. She can make a landscape of your backyard, a picture of a park, a beautiful sandy beach, or anything else she can think up! Brainstorm what will be included in the design.
- Set up your work space by placing the drop cloth on the ground outside, then spread the bed sheet flat on top. This way you can have fun working outside without getting the canvas all dirty.
- Before she draws on the bed sheet, it can be helpful for her to draw a rough draft on a piece of construction paper. This way, your child can plan what she wants to draw and where she wants to put different objects.
- When she's done with her rough draft, help her outline the design on the sheet with markers. Discuss the different shapes she draws them such as circles, squares, and triangles. What object will each shape represent?
- When she's done outlining, it's time to paint! Let her get creative and use whatever colors she chooses.
- Set the mural aside to dry.
When it's dry, it's all ready to hang! Display your mural by taping it to the outside of your house, hanging it on a clothes line, or simply draping across a picnic table. Now anyone driving by your house can see your child's fabulous artwork!
By Erica Loop
Erica Loop has an MS in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Education. She has many years of teaching experience working in early childhood education, and as an arts educator at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh.
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