As an elementary school teacher, I found that one of the best ways to get kids excited about art is to let them simply jump in and make it. In my classes, when we studied a particular style or artist, such as the cave painters or Henri Matisse, the kids then would create their own artworks in that style. It was fascinating to watch this process unfold; making a painting or collage seemed not only to excite the kids about the specific artist, but also to inspire greater experimentation in their own works. (One student was so taken by a class mosaic project that she insisted on taking her supplies home; the next day, she surprised me with three unique and striking mosaic paperweights.) The following projects, among my students' all-time favorites, are inspired by five styles of art. Easy and inexpensive, the activities are designed to provide you and your child with the tools to explore art together--to make your own masterpieces.
