I want to start an outdoor art center... but not exactly sure where to start!

I have one of those plastic carts with 3 drawers in it. I am thinking sidewalk chalk for sure, and wondering about painting a strip of chalkboard paint on the outside of the shed where we store the bikes. The drawers will probably stay in the shed too...Maybe?

My DH mentioned possibly being able to make an art easel out of PVC pipe and plexiglass. What else would you do?

If you already have an outdoor art center, what do you like best and worst about yours? If you have pics, PLEASE post!! I would love to get some ideas on this...I think the kids would love it!

Thanks

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I actually don't use easels outdoors,BUT I do use clothes pins to pin up large pieces of paper to my fence and they paint away there and love it. I use sidewalk chalk as well. Water play/sand play, Love the idea of painting a chalkboard out there (I have the paint, but have yet to paint it), homemade playdough, science projects are great out there, glue, crafty stuff, art table that's easy to wipe clean or an art table cover, smocks, old clothes for the kids to wear while outdoors ( I have had them bring in from home and I also have some here).

Have fun! I love the warm months. My kids get really dirty, but they are clean when they go home and while here have so much fun

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i have chain link fencing, so i couldnt clip the paper right to it. i took a piece of plywood my hubby had laying around and propped it up against the fence. i did drill holes and zip tied it so it wouldnt blow over. its probably 4x4, big enough for two kids. i took an old wood flower box and screwed it to the bottom to hold paint cups, and screwed clothpins on top to hold the paper. we havent gotten to use it yet, because we went stright from snow to rain. ugh!! someday we'll get out there....

i also have a table to do art on as well. we do chalk right on the sidewalk.

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don't forget a clothesline to hang all the wet paintings on to dry, out of the way of little heads walking by.

I would probably suggest that you have a standing-height table, an easel type situation, running water nearby if possible, and the rest you can just rotate around to keep it fresh and exciting. They can see what's new and 'belly up' to it.

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I also have a chain link fence, so I was wondering how to get the paper to clip to it (that's why I mentioned the easel), but I LOVE your idea!! I may steal it.

Love all the other ideas from SimpleMom and missnikki too!! Thank you all so much!!

I am thinking about getting spray bottles and putting water and paint in them for them to spray paint big poster size paper or something...We actually did that last year with t-shirts for the 4th of July and they LOVED it!

Keep the ideas coming...I am getting ready to get started!

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We bought a panel of shower board from the hardware store and hung it on the fence for the kids to use as a dry erase board. They have had tons of fun with it, and it's been up for 3 years.

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I have a chain link fence. I just use clothes pins to hang up the paper by the top and bottom corners.

I love the idea of the flower box to hold paint cups!

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since the weather is gettin warmer, I am also trying to get my back yard ready to go... what are shower boards? I tried to goole it and nothing came up..


never mind I just found it at home depot online...lol thanks for posting that wonderful idea

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we do alot of chalk..... has anyone every tired the paint on chalk board??? I am thinking about doing this for outside?????

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I have, and I've found that it doesn't erase well so you just hafta clean it often. I used the spraypaint type, and every so often, I just respray it to clean it with the leftover paint in the can.

Also, if you do chalk, keep the crayons away from it- trust me- they'll manage to put 2 and 2 together and your chalkboard will have crayon, trust me!

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I use a scrap piece of linoleum tile and attach it to the fence (works on both chain link and wooden) then I let the kids paint directly on the linoleum and hose it off afterwards. So much less mess, paper, etc.

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do you think it was worth it?

I have a box of about 200 large pieces of chalk that a famliy gave me from the dad's worksite....he builds houses....

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My idea was to use our gardening table and change it into our art table for outside. It's just a child height table with one shelf underneath. I stock a rubbermaid container full of glue, glitter, paper, scissors, crayons, markers, stamps and then store it on that shelf. The kids can go to it themselves and create anything they want. And who cares if they make a mess? It just goes in the grass. They love it!!

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did you mean me? I do think so, they don't care if it's clean but I do

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I am thinking about puttin one outside this summer.... I am total OCD so if it looks dirty all the time I just might not like it.....lol

thanks for the info

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You are all so inspiring with all your outdoor ideas! I always have a nature table set up with cardboard (sides of cereal boxes etc) and as long as they are willing to gather for the table, they are more than welcome to use white glue (and lots of it!) to make a nature page. Like everything else, it ebbs and flows, but they love thye are in charge of the glue. And yes, sometimes it does take days to dry!

And sidewalk chalk...we love it!

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I didn't have much time to think of ideas and I'm really tired, but here is a link with a few outside art activities. I really like most of these ideas here: http://www.suite101.com/content/summ...ildren-a120968

Make sure to include large paint brushes, small spray bottles, small buckets for water, classic bubbles.........those would all come in handy for outdoor art activities. Not sure if you would want to keep some colored construction paper and glue outside at all, but just remember many things from inside could be brought out for an organized art activity.

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last year we made bubble "snakes"

not really art, but cool enough i had to share....

take a 16 oz disposable water bottle and cut the bottom inch off

wet a washcloth and wrap it on the bottom of the bottom, hold with a rubber band

dip it into a tray of dawn dish soap (it HAS to be dawn, it works better)

and blow through the top of the bottle (you know- where you drink from)

some of our snakes were 30 feet long, if you are slow and steady about it

it was really cool!

here's a pic of the kids blowing them through the fence

IMG_5160.jpg

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You could have them make bubble snakes on large outdoor toys and then give them sponges to scrub it! LOL

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