Reduce, Reuse & Reach Your Inner-Artist: By Joyce Hemphill

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Missing the art studio? Recreating the experience of Madison Children’s Museums crafting space in your own home might seem like a reach given the limited resources and reduced access to materials many families are currently facing. A dearth of traditional art supplies can be discouraging when trying to meet the needs of any art-hungry children in the household. But fear not! Did you know that most of the materials in MCM’s art studio are everyday recyclable items that community members donate instead of throwing away? Yep.

Approach art as an extension of your child’s imagination. They’re not limited by the materials around them. All your family needs is a little bit of space and some child-safe materials you won’t mind seeing reshaped into a new creation. Children are a creative force. At the museum we foster a learning environment that is open-ended, providing a space for children to let their ideas guide them to pursue their interests, experiment, and express themselves. Learn through play.

And recycled materials are some of the most accessible and versatile. Homes are filled with items that can be repurposed instead of tossed. All it takes is some ingenuity to come up with a use for the mundane objects many of us don’t think much about. 

Before you know it your family has an engaging, eco-conscious activity that stimulates. It’s a bridge to learning that reflects MCM’s approach to art, and by extension the community members who support this mission by stopping in during their free time to drop off materials otherwise destined for the garbage.

Get the crafting activities started with a do-it-yourself jigsaw puzzle! Supplies needed? What do you have? Paper? Cardboard? A cereal box? Food containers are great for this. Tools needed? A scissors if it’s available. Otherwise hands work just fine. Give that paper a tear. Adults can help! Again, there are no hard rules here. Find what works for you and your child, and before you know it your family is bringing the spirit of the art studio into your home.

Supplies:

Cereal box or other paperboard packaging material (give your recycling container a looksie.)

Calendar pages, greeting cards, photos or drawings

Scissors (optional, but handy)

Glue, tape, something sticky if you have it

Paint, markers, or crayons (if you’ve got them, use them)

To Make:

If using calendar pages, greeting cards, photos, etc., glue onto paperboard materials for some added sturdiness. Allow to dry.

Note: IF using the design on the packing material you don’t necessarily need to glue onto another piece of paperboard.

Cut around the images and lettering to create the puzzle pieces. Et viola!

Joyce Hemphill, Ph.D, is a nationally recognized author and expert on the importance of play in child development. Often called the “queen of play” Joyce has volunteered with Madison Children’s Museum in support of the American Girl Benefit Sale since 2001 and as a guest blogger since 2016. Joyce gives a special thanks to Garrett McCarty for invaluable editorial assistance and to Bailey Martin for original illustrations.