30/01/2019

Inspire your heart with art!

If you lead a busy working life while trying to juggle family needs, then it’s likely that you won’t regularly get the time to indulge artistic impulses with your little ones.

Well, 31st January may be the perfect excuse to do an art and culture project. It’s national Inspire Your Heart With Art Day, so why not get out the painting brushes, crayons, felt tips, or any other implement that can be fashioned into an art tool?

It’s also a chance to recognise the impact of art in our lives, while exploring a wide variety of artistic expression for all ages - and your children will love getting involved in the fun.

It doesn’t have to be art in the traditional sense. After all, art can take many forms, from painting to drawing, playing music, dancing, or just appreciating your environment in new ways.

So how best to celebrate Inspire Your Heart With Art Day? Here are a few of our ideas:

Visit an art gallery or museum

You’re never too young to start enjoying great art. Why not take a trip to a local gallery or museum to begin teaching your youngsters and show them just what can be achieved with simple tools? There are also plenty of great art activities for kids that can be planned around such visits – from having a go at drawing your own versions of works of art, to playing a treasure hunt by tracking down five of the best displays and giving a prize to the winner who finds them all first. And be sure to ask them what they like best and why.

Go and photograph something that inspires you

Take your little ones on a photography trip. Buy them a disposable camera and let them take pictures of what they like most in the local area. They’ll love getting their pictures developed and seeing the results.

Host a painting party

Of course, our list of art activities for kids includes an actual art project. Your day wouldn’t be complete without cracking out the easels, paint brushes, felt tips, potato stamps, or anything they like. Let their imaginations run riot. Invite their friends over and you have a fun little party – and when the art is done, turn it all into a mini-exhibition around the house for everyone to enjoy.

Go to the theatre

There are always great productions being staged at your local theatre, and little ones will love the chance to immerse themselves in its delights. It’s also an opportunity to make a real day of it, let them choose which show they’d like to see, and encourage them to wear themed fancy dress for the show.

Explore new music

Share the music you love with your children and encourage them to find their own, whether that’s through YouTube or taking a trip into the city to discover the best buskers playing music on the street. You can discover all sorts of new music forms by simply taking a trip down the high street, or even going to a concert. Encourage them to dance and react to the music as they hear it for the first time, ask them how it makes them feel, and then see if they can make their own music.

Got your own great artistic ideas? Share them with us in the comments below!