rocess art, where the emphasis lies on the journey of creation rather than the final product, is a cornerstone of child development. It offers a unique opportunity to nurture children’s natural curiosity and foster a love for creative expression through hands-on exploration.

I vividly recall speaking at a conference on this topic. After the session, a father approached me and shared his own artistic history. As a child, he had a strong desire to become an artist and enjoyed spending time creating. However, once he entered school, a teacher harshly criticized his work. This profoundly impacted him, not only causing him to abandon his dream of becoming an artist, but also extinguishing his interest in art altogether. This heartbreaking experience highlights the importance of supporting children’s artistic explorations. As homeschool parents, we have the opportunity to nurture a love for art and discovery by understanding the significant benefits of process art.

But first, let’s differentiate between process art and product art. Process art involves providing children with various art materials and allowing them the freedom to explore and experiment with those materials as they see fit. It means that as parents, our only expectation of the art is that the child explores with the materials. What they create or how they create it is up to them.

For example, during a recent visit from my grandchildren, I decided to create a process art experience for them. I saved all the leftover wrapping paper scraps, packing boxes, wrapping tubes, ribbon, and bubble wrap from my Christmas preparations. I set up a table in my husband’s office as a dedicated art space and provided them with these materials along with pipe cleaners, googly eyes, paint, glue, and tape. The result was truly spectacular! They created the most imaginative and joyful artwork without any arguments, disappointment, or frustration—the hallmarks of a successful process art experience.

Product art, on the other hand, focuses on achieving a specific, pre-determined outcome. While there is a time and place for product art, it is generally more suitable for older children. Many companies have amassed fortunes by selling elaborate art and craft kits. While these kits can be fun for older children, they often frustrate younger learners who may not fully understand the instructions or find the tasks too challenging.

• Develops fine motor skills. Activities like painting, sculpting, and collaging strengthen hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and muscle control.
• Encourages sensory experiences. Working with various textures, colors, and mediums provides rich sensory input that enhances brain development.
• Boosts cognitive skills. Problem-solving, critical thinking, and imagination are ignited as children experiment with materials and discover new possibilities.
• Fosters self-expression. Focusing on process instead of product provides a safe and supportive space for children to express their emotions, thoughts, and ideas freely.
• Builds self-confidence. Success in process art is not measured by perfection; it’s about the joy of creation and the satisfaction of exploring one’s own unique style.

While an indoor and outdoor art space is ideal, the key is to create a designated space and keep art supplies readily available to make it easy to say “yes” to process art.

• Bins and Baskets. Use labeled bins or baskets to store similar items (e.g., crayons, markers, paints, brushes). This helps children learn to put things away independently. Use pictures and words for labeling for younger children.
• Rotating Supplies. Introduce new materials periodically to keep things interesting. Store less frequently used items in a separate location.
• Shelves. Open shelves provide easy access to materials and encourage children to choose their own supplies.
• Upper Shelves and Cabinets. Use these for supplies that need to be rotated or kept out of children’s reach.
• Mobile Art Cart. A rolling cart is a convenient way to move art supplies around the house, especially if space is limited.
• Floor Protection. Use an outdoor rug, shower curtain, or tarp to protect your floors from paint and glue. If you don’t want to keep this on the floor at all times, keep it handy, so it is easier to say yes when they want to get messy.
• Smocks. Provide old button-up shirts or inexpensive smocks to protect children’s clothing. Keeping them on hooks near your art area makes it easier for children to access them when they want to create.

• Nature Art. Encourage them to create collages, sculptures, or drawings using natural materials like leaves, sticks,
  and flowers.
• Painting with Unusual Tools. Experiment with painting using objects like cotton swabs, sponges, forks, bottle brushes, or even bubble wrap.
• Playdough Creations. Encourage them to create sculptures, animals, or imaginative worlds with playdough.
• Collage Making. Provide a variety of materials like cardboard, magazines, newspapers, tissue paper, fabric scraps, and stickers for children to create unique collages.
• Glue Exploration. Allow children to freely explore the use of glue. This can be a surprisingly engaging and
  creative process.

Remember that process art can get messy, but it’s important to embrace the messiness! If you don’t have a sink near your art space, keeping a bucket of soapy water and paper towels nearby can be handy.

As your children explore and express themselves, avoid providing models or giving step-by-step instructions. The essence of process art is for children to create from their own imaginations. Instead of giving instructions, ask open-ended questions like “What do you see in your artwork?” or “What would you like to create today?”

Don’t forget to document your child’s artistic journey by taking photos or videos of their creations. Consider saving their artwork for a year and then sending it to a company that specializes in creating memory books from children’s art.

athy Eggers is the award winning author of The Homegrown Preschooler, A Year of Playing Skillfully and more. She has been dedicated to the well-being of children and their families for over 25 years. As a former teacher and administrator, Kathy has extensive experience in the field of early childhood education and is a child development specialist. Kathy is a homeschooling mom to 8, a bonus mom to 2, and Nana to 6.

Kathy enjoys sharing her journey of imperfect motherhood, inspiring others to parent intentionally and authentically. Kathy‘s journey has equipped her to share a range of life experiences, such as the power of play, connecting with people of all ages & stages, and parenting through difficult seasons. If you enjoy Kathy’s articles, check out her podcast, Play Skillfully and follow her on social media at PlaySkillfullywithKathyEggers.