We’ve made simple art activities to help your wee ones take time to enjoy making while at home during the Easter holidays. 

We know that art can help in lots of ways. It can distract and entertain us, help us process thoughts, tell stories, communicate and connect with others and lots of other good stuff!

Transform a stone into a work of art

You will need:

• Paint/pens/oil pastel or chalk.
• Stone.
• Optional: collage materials (like glue, feathers, interesting paper, cut out bits from magazine).

 Method:

• Use paint, crayons, pens, oil pastels or collage materials to decorate your stone.
• You could write a nice message, ask a question or decorate with doodles.
• ​You could add lots of colours or keep it simple with one or two.
• Think about how it might make someone feel when they stumble across it.
• Leave it outside for someone to find.

Play with clay

You can make anything you like with clay! You could make a ‘pinch-pot’ and give it to someone you care about, or fill it with your favourite things.

• Roll a small ball of clay about the size of a wee orange.
• Hold the clay ball in your hand.
• Push your thumb into the middle of the clay ball.
• Softly pinch the clay between your fingers on the outside, and your thumbs on the inside.
• Try to keep your clay the same thickness on the walls and edge of the pot.
• Give it a flat base by carefully tapping it on the table.
• You can add details by scratching marks and patterns into your pot.
• It takes a few days for your pot to dry completely before you can paint it. 

Magic eyes

This style of painting is a bit magic. When you look at it really closely it looks like a random pattern made up of little dots and dashes, but when you take a step back you see a joined-up, clear picture, with shadows and depth. Your eyes blend the dots and dashes, and contrasting colours, together.

You will need:

• Watercolour paint.
• Cotton wool bud.
• Water to wet your paint (in a jam-jar or container).
• Card. 

Method: 

• Dip your cotton wool bud into your paint (add a bit of water to get the paint started!) and dab it on your page.
• Put different colours next to each other to see what kind of effect you can create, like this artist has.
• Remember to take a step back to look at your painting every so often – to see how your eyes blend the colours together!
• Don’t overthink it, just enjoy dabbing and playing with the paint and making marks