As children get older, their imagination grows and evolves, as well as their artistic talents, making drawing increasingly thoughtful and complex. In other words, as the years go by, colouring isn't just about putting colours on a piece of paper anymore. Now it becomes more of an activity in itself where you're not only thinking about what you're doing, but also getting increasingly imaginative with it as well.
That’s why it’s important to introduce more advanced and engaging art activities to kids. With the right creativity and guidance, children can explore new possibilities while building essential skills along the way. At Skillmatics, we have screen-free tools that are thoughtfully designed to grow with your child, making this transition both seamless and exciting.
As children grow older, art becomes a powerful way to hone their creativity.
Together, these benefits make advanced art activities an important part of a child’s learning and growth.
So how can you tell whether your child is ready for more advanced and creative play? Try to look for these simple signs:
With all these indicators, introducing stimulating creative art ideas for kids is the best next step.
Have kids first take their time tracing the shape of an object, paying attention to every little detail. This activity will help develop their hand-eye coordination. Move on to gesture drawing - quick two-minute sketches capturing the movement of your subject matter.
Moreover, teach your children the basic perspective rules, starting with why faraway trees seem smaller vs why near ones seem larger. Consider blind contour drawing, which is when students are sketching without looking down at their work.
Learning watercolour painting activities is fun. Let children watch the colours bleed and blend on moist paper, teaching them patience while learning water control techniques. Try wet-on-wet painting when they paint with watercolours while the paper is still moist.
Acrylic layering requires building texture with multiple layers since it dries quickly. Sponge and texture painting is fun and interesting. Try Resist painting that combines the use of wax crayons and watercolours, where wax prevents paint absorption.
This medium opens up incredible opportunities to express creativity. Try creating collages by combining painted tissue paper and layering it with magazine cutouts or things found in nature (like leaves, petals, twigs, etc.). Children do not need to think about making the perfect picture since it's more about using the technique correctly.
Consider having kids try a mixed media art, where they put everything into their art diary.
Children love the surprise element of printmaking and find it incredibly exciting. You might start with stamp prints made on foam sheets, carved by kids themselves. Introduce vegetable and fruit printing; potato prints specifically are very popular with children.
Monoprinting requires applying paint on glass and transferring the image onto paper.
For sculpting, use air-dry clay as it is safe to use and doesn’t require being placed in fire. Let your child sculpt any animal, bowl or even an abstract shape. In addition, papier-mache is a fun technique for making unique figures. Wire sculpting is also a great way for children to boost their imagination. However, only let your kids try this if they are above 8 years old. Moreover, cardboard construction art is also a 3D sculpture method that kids will love.
It is important to select an activity based on your child’s age to ensure that children remain interested in participating in it too while learning.
Children who are five to six years old love exploring effortlessly and spontaneously. Watercolour washing is a great activity for kids to experiment with by mixing colours and creating washes, whereas stamping and printing provide immediate results. Collage making will also be beneficial at this point, allowing them to learn about the elements of composition without worrying about drawing accurately.
Kids in this age group often focus on detail and as their curiosity rises. Contour drawing encourages them to observe and sketch objects, rather than just imagining what to draw. Moreover, it is best to get them started in acrylic painting as the colours pop up quickly. Collage using mixed media also becomes more interesting for them.
As children grow older, their creativity becomes more focused and thoughtful. Learning perspective drawing helps them understand depth. They can also try printmaking, which builds planning and patience. Art journaling also helps them express ideas through drawings and writing.
Every growing artist needs their own space; even a tiny corner will do! Provide the necessary materials, such as good brushes of all sizes, papers of different kinds (watercolour, sketch, construction), paints (watercolour, acrylic, tempera), pencils from hardest to softest, palette and paint boxes, and containers for storage.
Keep similar art and craft materials grouped for kids to choose according to the media type - everything related to drawing in one place, everything for painting in another, and three-dimensional media in a separate place.
Most importantly, foster the concept that "it is all about the process," and encourage a "process over product" mindset.
Here is how you can help encourage your child artistically:
At Skillmatics, we understand that art needs to evolve with your child. These are some tools that will help your child advance their artistic skills:
The Marbling Magic Paint Kit will give you mesmerising swirls while learning about colours. The Rock Painting Kit offers you three-dimensional shapes to paint on. The Ultimate Art & Craft Activity Chest will offer different materials to work with.
Storybook Art Kit will combine storytelling with art creation. The Foil Fun Kit will bring metallic elements to your art. The Sand Art Activity Kit will bring in textured components using colourful sands.
There are many reasons why teaching advanced art skills to children goes beyond boosting their creativity.
Even though these benefits may look small at first, with time, they gradually transform into something more meaningful.
Each child’s artistic development is unique, but with time they can improve their artistic skills. During this phase, the process matters more than a perfect outcome. Right now, screen-free art is one of the best investments for child development, enabling children to improve their concentration levels while stimulating all their senses in the process.
Children getting frustrated with crayons may seem alarming at first, but take it as a sign rather than an obstacle. This simply means that it’s now time to move on to a higher level of artistic expression that better suits your child’s current developmental stage. Ready for some creative motivation? Check out Art & Craft Kits by Skillmatics.
Watercolour paintings, collages, print-making, sculpture with modelling clay, and mixed media projects suit children of all ages equally well. Only the difficulty of execution changes with each activity.
Encourage observing and drawing what you see, starting with contour drawings. Teach drawing techniques step-by-step while emphasising on practice over perfection.
A wide variety of brushes, different types of paper, watercolours and acrylics, pencils for drawing, erasers, palettes for mixing paints, scissors, glue, and proper organisation. Skillmatics offers art kits for each type of technique.
Mixed media artworks combine several different materials into one project - such as collage paintings using magazines, drawings with scraps of fabric and beads and much more. Anything goes with mixed media!
Choose a dedicated place where there is enough light, cover the surface with a washable material, organise all supplies according to their type in clear boxes, and make sure your child can reach everything easily.
Younger children begin to work with watercolours usually at the age of 4-5 with an adult's help. Using acrylics is a bit more complicated, but children can start painting at around 6-7 years old.
