Kids creativity workshop...an art synergy

Every 3-4 months I conduct a Kids workshop where kids of different age bands work together on art and crafts for a series of days when they learn about drawing, painting, paper crafts, basic craft techniques like collage, gift packing, card making, simple origami, basic quilling, flower making, stamping, misting , embossing etc.....These sessions are great especially because kids come with no reservations and are always willing to unlearn, not copy and think unique.


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However, this was the first time I had kids below the age of 4 attend this one day session. Of them 3 kids (including my own) were between 16 to 19 months, who cant speak, read or write (while their mommies were sitting in the room n chit chatting). I thought to myself it would be challenging to get them to do artwork. But I was wrong, they were wonderful. I am completely amazed at them and myself!

Here is the final artwork they produced.


With the toddlers I used safe non toxic colors with special toddler grips, and home made paints like turmeric (haldi), Spinach (palak), beetroot extracts and their hands/ feet.

For the kids above 2 years let them use crayons, paint brush, gum/glue.


Now here is what they did  simultaneously but independently (I couldn't capture all pictures as I was too involved with the children at times, plus my hands were messy with veg colors.

This is how beautifully the toddlers smeared haldi all over a huge sheet...The other kids pointed out that their finger traces looked like tree barks or animal stripes...

I taught the 2.5 yrs old drip painting which is a form of abstract art where you intentionally pour paint in some spots and turn the canvas too let it flow on its own.

 

 

After practicing on this sheet of paper she ddid the same on the haldi smeared paper to create black / red trees effect (when you mix spinach green and beet red in equal proportion you get black..they discovered it!)

 

Initial session to get the kids acquainted to each other

 

 

In the mean while the 3 year + olds made some random sketches, paintings etc.

 

 

 

Then finally came the fun part. They cut the pieces to their own imagination and stuck it together and color over it using similar techniques. The team (without speaking) mutually decided to let the eldest 4 year old take over this job....

 

The leaves that you see are not painted but are vegetable prints made from a cut okra (bhindi) and little gourd (tindora)

 

......And finally what a beautiful piece of art they put together. . . This was a great learning from me, them and their mothers (especially some who thought their kid didn't like arts and craft)...It was great to see the otherwise helter skelter kids sitting in one place, taking inspiration from each other and producing this beauty of synergy..Will do something similar soon. I hope you feel inspired too