Art And Play

Do you ever wonder how to incorporate an art space into your child’s play space? Whether or not you have a dedicated space for either, art and play go hand in hand.

These pics are from a space I recently finished in a client’s sunroom. It used to be a dramatic play space for her two kids, but she knew they would use it more often if it was an art studio. My client wasn’t sure what to do when her 3 year old daughter wouldn’t let her move the play kitchen and “market” out of the room.

When I got a worried text asking if we could somehow use the play items in the space, I was super excited to bring in some new elements that would bridge the two worlds. As a preschool teacher, this is something we did in the classroom all the time!

Materials That Bridge The Gap

One thing I immediately wanted to do was to create a writing center for the dramatic play area, which was inspired by an awesome course I recently took on playful learning spaces. I chose mini clip boards, writing utensils, rulers, calculators, and paper pads for messages, and sales receipts. These materials work well for dramatic play, but they also can be used with the art supplies.

For storage, I though about making a wall-mounted peg board, but when I saw this wire wall rack at The Container Store, I knew it would be an easy alternative. This also answered our question of where to hang the aprons!

The shelving for the art supplies holds other writing tools and materials that can cross over into dramatic play. Located next to the paper rack is a mail sorter to hold blank bookmarks, blank greeting cards, and envelopes.

I also made sure to include plastic animals and cars (amazon affiliate links) which I do for most toddler art spaces. These can be used to paint with or make prints in play dough. Kids might also be inspired to build a habitat for their animals out of all the available materials.

For the kitchen area, I included play baking/cooking sets from Ikea that are easy to wash when used with play dough. This large tub of play dough (amazon affiliate link) can be stored in the play kitchen for whipping up goodies whenever inspiration strikes!

The art table is where both worlds come together, where art and play support each other. When kids can flow seamlessly between the two worlds, they are often engaged in their work for long periods of time. Moving from play area, to table, to shelf, and back to table, kids are empowered within this little space. The deep learning and joy that comes from such work is incredible!

For More Ideas

If you are looking for more ideas on how to set up art spaces that encourage play and deep engagement, check out my e-guide, The New Playroom, here.

What do you think about encouraging dramatic play with art materials? Would you be worried that your toys would end up covered in glue or paint? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.