Only a short while into working from home, and it has already proven quite the challenge. Days are filled with semi-successful Zoom meetings (‘can you hear me?’). Coffee breaks are spent discussing which Barbie is the best with your kids, who are bouncing off the walls. They – and quite frankly you – are in dire need of some entertainment!
Luckily, many famous museums and other creative institutions have got you covered with art ideas to enjoy during self-isolation. These online art activities for kids are now available to awaken their inner creative caterpillar! And yes, these activities are pretty fun for adults too. (Psst: should your kids be more into music, this video of a drumming lesson by the Musical Instrument Museum should hit the right note.)
Disclaimer: Apologies in advance for any colourful and/or art-class-style mess created by said activities, but you’re welcome for the afternoons filled with fun!
Art activities for kids organized by museums
The Tate – Tate Kids
A large chunk of the Tate’s online offering is explicitly aimed at children through Tate Kids. This particular website is filled to the brim with creative content of which there are five different segments: “Make”, “Games and Quizzes”, “Explore”, “Videos” and “Tate Kids Gallery” (a showcase of the kids’ work). The combination makes this website a valuable source of art activities, but also educational content for children.
Rijksmuseum – Online Rijksmuseum for Families
The Rijksmuseum – arguably the most famous museum in the Netherlands – has also created an online creative space for the whole family. Not only can you view most of the Rijksmuseum’s pieces online, but they also incorporate art and culture into interactive games. Famous paintings are downloadable for free as colouring sheets, and they publish informative art magazines online regularly.
The Guggenheim – Guggenheim Art Classes
The Guggenheim is also playing the online field as they offer a wide range of live-stream art classes. On select dates, they have different artists offer a free workshop online. Stay up to date about these events through subscribing to their newsletter.
Metropolitan Museum of Art – Metkids
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) has also got you and your little ones covered with a host of much needed creative activities and educational videos. With over 5,000 years of art history covered – and almost as many hours of art classes footage – they provide you with a large variety of art activities.
The National Gallery of Art – NGA KIDS Artzone
If the previous online creative content sources haven’t proven to be enough, The National Gallery of Art will knock your socks off with their (free!) art app. This app will give your little one access to all the tools to evolve into the next Leonardo Da Vinci. Not only does it contain eight interactive creative activities, but they all also range in complexity, making it fun for most age groups (yes, even mom and dad!).
Whitney Museum of Art – Kids Guides
The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York has launched multiple kids’ guides regarding past and current exhibitions online. These online ‘Kids Guides’ are filled with creative assignments that are based on specific exhibitions. Not only are these assignments fun to do with the specified artworks, but you can also apply them to other artworks.
Art classes and activities organized by industry professionals
Aside from museums, many industry professionals also have taken the initiative to go online with fun art activities for kids. Enjoy these activities presented by illustrators, animators and art teachers.
Marvel
Calling all superhero fans! Marvel, the famous comic-book franchise, has taken to Instagram to give livestream drawing classes on how to draw Marvel characters. So far Brian Crosby, who used to work at Disney and is now the creative director of Marvel, has taught these classes. Keep an eye out for more lessons by following Marvel on Instagram.
LUNCH DOODLES With Mo Willems!
Mo Willems is a renowned American writer, animator, voice actor and creator of children’s books. He has won multiple prizes for his works and is the first-ever ‘Education Artist-in-Residence’ at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC. And luckily for us, Mo has taken to the web as well. Through his website and his YouTube channel, he invites you to join him in his studio for daily ‘Lunch Doodles’, which are informative, engaging and fun!
Carson Ellis – Quarantaine Art Club
Award-winning American children’s book illustrator and artist Carson Ellis has started a “Quarantine Art Club”. On weekdays, she posts assignments on her Instagram for kids and adults to do at home. The fantastic artwork of participants can be found on her Instagram as well!
Cassie Stephens
Cassie Stephens is an art teacher from Tennessee with years of experience under her belt. She runs a popular blog, Instagram profile and YouTube channel with instructional videos for themed art projects. All these mediums are filled with inspirational ideas on how to get creative at home. Keep on the lookout, as she occasionally goes live to make art with her followers!
#colourourcollections
Colour Our Collections is a yearly initiative where famous cultural institutions from all over the world share colouring sheets, or books, based on their art/history/particular subject. People can download these for free and colour them in! Fun and educational for all ages!
Draw Every Day With JJK
New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka has also created a free virtual learning environment. Through his YouTube channel, he gives daily drawing classes focused not just on the creative but also on the technical aspects of drawing. He aims to inspire kids and adults to draw more, so he incorporates interactive games often in his lessons.
All Kids Network
The All Kids Network is more of a gateway to creativity instead of one person inviting you into their studio. Here, you can find over 1,000 craft ideas, worksheets, and interactive creative games. They also provide resources to make teaching at home easier, which might come in handy when you’re homeschooling your kids.
Google Arts & Culture
Should your kid want to continue his or her creative streak, the collections of over 2,500 museums across the globe are accessible online through Google Arts & Culture. This tool allows you to learn about dinosaurs, play art guessing games or have a casual online stroll next to the Tower of Pisa. And the list of online activities they offer just keeps growing.
Put your new skills to the test: Easter art activities for kids
It is simply too close not to mention: Easter. In most countries, Easter revolves around good food and many different creative activities for kids. In short, it’s an eggcellent opportunity for you and your children to apply all your recently acquired art skills in honour of the holiday!
Painting Easter eggs
In many countries, it is a tradition to decorate eggs during Easter. So whip out a carton, and let’s get cracking (not literally). Not only is this a fun family activity, but the eggs (and other crafts) will also double as your décor for Easter lunch! People decorate their Easter eggs by dying them in bright, vivid colours. But you can truly take it to the next level by rolling them in glitter, using nail polish for a marbleized look. And, there are a bunch of other creative ideas when it comes to Easter egg decorating.
Once you’re done decorating, use the eggs in an Easter egg hunt. That should keep ’em busy for an afternoon!
Easter Baskets weaving
After making/hiding all those eggs, you gotta have a place to keep them. This is where Easter baskets come in to play. You can find multiple tutorials online on how to create these cute baskets and many other types of Easter decoration!
A lot of people and institutions have started incentives to get creative together online. Let’s make this weird and crazy time more bearable together, and use it to our advantage by getting creative!
