When art teacher and writer Ann Sayre Wiseman brings out the crayons for a project, the first thing she does is invite students to snap a couple of them in half. That way, nobody gets inhibited. "They're going to do it anyway," she says. "So I ask them to do it on purpose, to show that breaking crayons isn't bad."

Children shouldn't be afraid to break materials, use them up, or make a mess, says Wiseman, so let them. "Establish a mess-up center where those freedoms are available," she says. If you're cringing every time the paint water tips over, your kids will sense the tension.

ART IS MEANT TO BE MESSY

"Art requires a totally different psychological attitude for children who have heard 'Don't spill' since they were born," continues Wiseman. "Art is often messy." It's like cooking, explains Wiseman. Making a meal usually entails cluttering the kitchen. Of course, adds Wiseman, children have to learn to clean up after themselves, too.

Until they do, think about creating an art space that both you and your artist can live with. Set up a small table in the kitchen so she can keep you company while you prepare meals. Or, establish her studio in another room and lay down a shower curtain for a drop cloth and two wooden boxes with a door across them for a table. Use old shirts for smocks. Make a few shelves available for supplies. Cleanup won't be so overwhelming if work surfaces are washable and you keep old towels on hand for spills.

To turn your work space into an art studio, set up an area behind the table where your artist can display her artwork. She might also want to hang postcards featuring art she finds inspiring. Keep old magazines handy and bring them out when you're starting a project--when you need to remember what shape a tree takes, for example. You can flip through them for ideas.

The place you make for artwork is meant to encourage imaginative adventure. Keep it set up and it will serve as a constant invitation to your children to sit down and dream up creations all their own.

CREATIVITY TIP
Stock your work space with materials that will spark a kid's interest. Ann Wiseman, for one, has used old window shades for roll-up murals, nylon stockings for puppets, wood scraps for block printing and chicken bones for beads. Think about how your supplies could best be used by your artists. Choose a clay that's not hard for a child to work with. Set up their paintings on a flat surface, like a table; paint can run and drip down an easel. Above all, says Wiseman, don't get hung up on how materials should or shouldn't be used. Children often enjoy peeling the paper off crayons, so let them. "Keep it simple," she says.