Big Kid Art Space

I set up our current art space 4 years ago when I had a toddler and a kindergartener. Now that my girls are 6 and almost 10, I recently realized that it’s time to make some updates to this creative work space.

I want this space to reflect their interests and to inspire them to use a variety of tools and materials in their work. So I sat down with the girls and asked them for their input before planning the new items.

Table and Chairs

The first thing that clearly needed to happen was to swap out the toddler-sized table and chairs for adult-sized furniture. Ora (my 6 year old) had been fine with our toddler table, but in the last year or so, Karuna (my 9 year old) would rarely sit down in there. Who can blame her with a 19″ high table?!

 

I ended up getting this table from IKEA because of the size and the fact that it had a matching bench.

I also got two of these stools from IKEA because they are adjustable and can be set at a higher seat height for younger children so the table isn’t too far away.

New Supplies For the Shelves

To add new materials to the shelves, I went to my stash of supplies that I have kept in my office and used to bring out only for certain projects.

These include:

Yarn, Beads, Wire, Stamps/Stamp Pads, Sharpie Markers, Chalk Pastels, Paint Markers, Fabric Markers, Fabric Paints, Canvases, Origami Paper, and Tinker Tray Materials (magnets, nails, screws, etc.).

Baskets Vs. Clear Stackable Containers

I swapped out a few baskets for clear acrylic, stackable containers (with labels) to organize the supplies.

Baskets are wonderful for younger children to keep things feeling soothing and minimal (to not overwhelm young kids). The clear containers are great for older kids who don’t need such a simple, soothing space anymore. Stackable containers are hard for younger kids to access easily, but older kids can grab what they need with no problem.

I tried adding more of these stackable containers, but it began to feel too visually cluttered. Balance is key! So I kept a few streamlined baskets and might add some labels to remind the kids what’s in them.

Tinker Tray

This tinker tray is from a post I wrote on how to add tinker and maker materials to your art space. I didn’t have anywhere on the shelf to keep this tray at the time, so I would only bring it out on occasion.

Now it has it’s own spot on the shelf and I’ll swap out the items in the tray every once in a while.

Tool Board

This tool board is a great new addition to our art space. It’s an ELFA utility board from The Container Store and holds a good amount of our big kid tools.

Some of these tools had been in a bucket or basket on the shelf, but since we’ve displayed them on the tool board, they’ve gotten more use.

The new tool board additions to our art space are the wire, drawing compass, and the jewelry tools (from my days as a jeweler!).

They’re Still Kids!

The only new art supplies that I purchased for this update are ironically often considered “little kid” art supplies.

I purchased a new huge tub of play dough (affiliate link) and neon squeeze paints that I picked up on my trip to IKEA.

I love using this acrylic jar with an air tight lid to store the play dough. It makes it look so inviting on the shelf.

My girls love using play dough in their pretend play and I knew they would really enjoy having such a big tub of it.

The first day I put it out, they immediately got their little “guys” and started making homes for them out of the dough.

Soon after we made these updates, the girls independently began making new toys for themselves. Ora used some of the items from the tinker tray, wood bits from our wood basket, and the hot glue gun to make little “soldiers.”

Karuna made a 3-D paper teacher and desk, then began making an entire classroom.

These photos below are older pics, but they show some of the other fun “big kid” items that now live in our art space (rather than in storage in my office): Origami Paper, Fabric makers, Fabric Paints, and Sharpies.

I’m sure I’ll continue to update this space as new tools and materials come into our home.

This art space has been so wonderful for us over the years and with just a few tweaks, it continues to be a hub for creativity, exploration, play, and self-expression in our home.

Our Art Space Over The Years

If you’re curious to see how this big kid art space has evolved over the years…

Here are some photos of this space when I first set it up 4 years ago.

Here is a link to my post when I updated this space 3 years ago.

Are your kids needing a re-fresh of their art space? Or are you setting up a big kid art space for the first time? I’d love to hear how it’s going for you!

You can post in the comments below or always feel free to send me an email.