Art Party | #FreeToBe Creative!

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When thinking about heading back to school, I wanted to do something to celebrate the end of summer! It has been a summer of change and figuring things out with our new routine (or lack there of). My boys have gotten to spend a lot more time this summer with their cousins they spent so much time with pre-preschool and as we head back into a school year where they won't see each other quite as much, I thought, let's get creative and celebrate our artistic sides with an Art Party! One last afternoon of creating and being creative! Arts and crafts are at the top of their list of favorite things to do, just behind pretending to have super powers! 

I have always loved the idea of an Art Party for Birthdays and took a lot of inspiration from Pinterest, but decided to really keep it super simple!  

Here is how I was able to create this party, keeping costs down, make mess AND make sure the kids were free to be creative! 

The Supplies: 

1. Gather all of the art supplies you already have! We have so many unused markers and coloring books and this gave me a chance to put them to use. I also borrowed some art supplies from my mom who keeps an arsenal in her closet for this lucky kiddos! Don't hesitate to ask the attendees to bring some extra paint brushes or any cool drawing tools they have and would like to share! More than likely, they've got some extras too. 

2. Keep it simple. Pick a couple of directions you know you want to do and let the main project just be free creation! (see below for more details on how to make this less stressful for you!) 

3. Shop the dollar stores and Walmart! Unless there's a specific project you just have to do, stay away from the art supply and craft stores, you will most likely overbuy, and remember you are planning for small children, everything should be appropriate for their age! 

• washable non-toxic paints
• brushes
• crayons
• paint tray (optional but cute!)
• brushes varying in size
• paper
• small canvases
• paper plates
• smocks (oversized t-shirts)
• table covering (reusable painters drop cloth)
• washing detergent free of dyes and scents that still gets this big job done! ( all® free clear)

Let the kids #freetobe messy, creative,  and use their imagination! 

The Food + Decor:

• Banners: These banners made a huge impact on the kids! I found them for 50 cents at Walmart!
• Signage: I created all of the signs for free on Canva.com. I used famous artist quotes and signage for the supplies! 
• Cookie Cake: I made a mini cookie cake from our monthly Foodstirs kit! It was the perfect size for this small party. 

• Kid favorite foods: pizza, fruit, pretzels and flavored water drink packs. Since we were having a small party, we were able to keep our food cost to a minimum and only fixed what we truly thought they would eat! 
• Tip #1 : Use left over icing for Fruit Dip. Add food coloring to add an extra artistic element. You can find natural food coloring online for not much more than you would pay in the store!
• Tip #2: Use Cupcake liners for small snack cups for the kids. This way they can snack throughout the party and they are still #freetobe creative... one-handed!

Let's Paint aka the Mess-Making Project:

Painting was on the top of our project list for this party and the kids were so excited! Here's how the kids and adults were #FreeToBe creative and worry free!

1. Pick what you will paint.  I bought each child a tiny canvas (they come in four packs at Walmart) and laid out a large piece of project paper. We had back-ups in Artist's Supply, but each child had the same objects in front of them as their blank canvas.

2. Protect their skin and clothing. Each child was truly free to be creative (and messy) with their personal smock, a slightly oversized t-shirt worked perfectly!  I picked up enough for the party from the dollar store for $1 and one from Walmart that I think was under $3. I pre-washed them in all® free clear so that there were no worries about skin irritation for the super sensitive littles from the clothing.

 3. The Paint - I bought a non-toxic washable paint kit with every color you could think of, so you don't have to worry if someone accidentally gets it in their mouth. There was an almost  2-year-old and an accident prone 4-year-old in attendance, so safety first and worry-free moms! 

Tip: I used a painter's drop cloth on my kitchen table, pre-washed in all® free clear detergent and dried with all® free clear dryer sheets for extra softness since they come from the store pretty stiff, it's really nice after a few washes!

4. Put everything within their reach! This was so important for making this a party and painting project that was ALL about them! I created the Artist's Supply on a small table and let them choose their brushes and tools! They were free to paint their canvas or create a picture. We also had coffee filters and paper plates. 

5. Free to Be Creative! You know at the end of a recipe when it says something like "enjoy hot or on taco shells" or whatever? This is the part of this party and project where everyone just enjoys themselves! Preschoolers and a 1st grader really got to just enjoy themselves painting and creating with no time limit, no instructions to follow, just free time and a few helpers. Honestly, the helpers even got to paint a little. One helper might have even encouraged self painting... 

The messier the hands, the more beautiful the art. 

Is that a thing? It should be!

The Cleanup! 

 This was almost the easiest party cleanup I have ever done. First of all, all of the paint and food were confined to one small space in the kitchen. Secondly, the kids just pulled off their "smocks" when they were done and we threw them in the wash to be ready to go next time! 

We have had skin issues on and off with both kids forever and I have found, as I've mentioned here before that we love all® free clear.  It's my go-to when buying detergent for the kids and it's always in stock at Walmart - convenient since I got most of the party supplies here too! 

I pre-washed the kid's smocks and the drop cloth and threw them all together in the wash after the party! We'll store them with our art supplies and have them ready to go anytime we feel like having a mini Art Party! 

• all® free clear is the #1 detergent recommended by Dermatologists, Allergists, and Pediatricians for Sensitive Skin! It is also formulated to fight tough stains, whiten whites, and brighten colors
• all® free clear detergent and softener were awarded the Seal of Acceptance by the National Eczema Association for having no dyes, perfumes, certain chemicals, and irritating residues

Don't forget to buy all® free clear for your next adventure with the kids, whether it's creative partying or romping in nature! 

Join the conversation by signing up for the  all® free clear connection where you will be the first to try and discover new products, content and offers from all® free clear. Join the all free clear connection and Accept the Welcome Mission for an entry to win a year of all®  free clear!