The Jackson's Pollocks. After school activities to give you a #KickUpTheArts.

With this wonderful quote in mind, this week I'm giving hoping to give you a #KickUpTheArts with some easy peasy, cheap, artyfarty activities to do at home. At Arts Crusade HQ, we've been doing one thing a week and it's been brilliexcellent. Here are some of our highlights, there's loads more fun activities and inspiration on pinterest.
 

Melty Crayons - "The Jackson's Pollocks"

It was Mr. Pollock's birthday this week, so we did this one in his honour.

 Materials:
⚡️Box of crayons (£1, Poundland)
⚡️Heavy paper or card - it needs to be heavier than average to absorb the oil (£1 or recycle old stuff)
⚡️Hairdryer - borrow someone else's if you don't have one of these...
⚡️Cotton buds - optional

Method:
1. Peel the crayons
2. Stick some crayons to a piece of paper. Stick the paper on the wall / chair / box. BLOW!
3. Watch the crayons melt and drop their gorgeous colours creating magnificent, warm, artwork...
4. Squish the melty crayon nubs onto paper to create Jackson Pollack style art. You can also achieve Jackson Pollock style by not using a nozzle on your dryer and using the highest wind setting...
5. Hang art on wall and see the kids feel well proud.

Total distraction time: 90 minutes 

What the kids learned: "Is this what artists do all day??? I'm definitely being an artist then." Nuff said.

What I learned: Hairdryer without nozzle creates wax splashes in the weirdest places. And a #KickUpTheArts is very good therapy for adults prone to OCD (that would be me...)

#KickUpTheArts rating: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

DIY giftwrap - "Wrapping with my homies"

With birthdays happening every weekend this month, we decided to stock up on our own wrapping paper.

Materials:
⚡️Roll of brown paper (£1 in the poundshop, or just recycle anything you have left around)
⚡️Markers, crayons, colouring pencils (found in most houses were smallies reside)
⚡️Tape and scissors (as above)

iPhone camera at the ready and here's what happened...

Total distraction time: 40 minutes
What the kids learned: It's fun to make n do
What I learned: I will never buy wrapping paper or birthday cards again. Instead, I will spend that money on shoes. Or chocolate. Or both.

#KickUpTheArts rating: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

Airy Fairy Play Dough

Materials:
⚡️Bottle of hair conditioner - strawberry scented (£1 in Poundland)
⚡️Box of Cornflour (£1.79, corner shop)
⚡️Food Colouring (dregs of what's left in the cupboard) & Glitter (if you have it)
⚡️Bowl, spoon, rolling pin (a bottle or mug will do), dough cutters, forks, eggcups, the possibilities are endless....

Method:
1. Squeeze all the conditioner into the bowl - FUN!
2. Add the Cornflour - POOF!
3. Mix - WHEEEEE!
4. Drop in some food colouring (glitter would also be most excellent) - OOOOH!
5. Mix again - AAAAHHH...
6. Knead, knead, knead - OH YEAH
7. Play - YAY!

Total distraction time: 90 minutes (plus extra - you keep the dough in the fridge and they can play again)

What the kids learned: Play dough is squishy. Cornflour feels like "an angel's bum". It's good to get messy.
What I learned: As above, plus... Messy play is bad for the kitchen but very good for the mind.

#KickUpTheArts rating: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️


Yes, I know they ALL get a 5 flash rating, but it's just because it's so much fun, good for the soul and good for the kids to do this stuff. If we encourage their creativity now, hopefully they'll maintain it as they go through life.

I'd love to hear your stories and suggestions, feel free to comment, to follow the Arts Crusade on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest and to give yourself a #KickUpTheArts.

Swoosh!
The Arts Crusader ⚡️