Kids Art Activity: Life-size Self Portrait

Kids art activity - Life-size self portrait mypoppet.com.au

Well we are only two days into the school holidays, and I’m already hearing the words that all parents dread – “I’m bored!”

Instead of putting up with grumbles, I thought it would be fun to make some art. Emma loves drawing and colouring, so I came up with a plus sized project that would keep her entertained for a long while – A Life-size Self Portrait. She made a similar painting when she was at kinder a few years ago, but now that her artistic skills have developed, it was really fun to revisit the idea.

The only special requirement for this project is a large piece of paper. I bought a roll of cartridge paper for this activity, but you could also use the back of gift wrap, wallpaper or even tape sheets of newspaper together. We used paints for vivid colours, but markers or crayons will do fine.

You will need:

  • Roll of cartridge paper or large sheets of paper taped together
  • Acrylic paints
  • Paint brushes
  • Marker or pencil
  • Plate or containers for paint
  • Water to clean brushes
  • Masking tape
  • A body to trace

kids art - self portrait supplies

How to:

  1. With masking tape, tape down a length of paper slightly larger than your child to the floor to stop it moving around.

  2. Get your child to lay on the paper and choose a pose for their self portrait. Trace around their body. This is a great job for a sibling or friend to take turns doing for each other. Get creative with the pose, try waving, jumping, or a superhero pose. You can include props too.

The outline doesn’t have to be perfect (and probably won’t be if your child is wiggly like mine!)

Kids art activity - Life-size self portrait mypoppet.com.au

Kids art activity - Life-size self portrait mypoppet.com.au3. Time to start painting. Be as creative as you like with clothing design. Emma chose to paint the background too.

Kids art activity - Life-size self portrait mypoppet.com.au

Kids art activity - Life-size self portrait mypoppet.com.au

Kids art activity - Life-size self portrait mypoppet.com.au4. Once done, leave to dry and then hang in a prominent place for the whole family to enjoy!

Kids art activity - Life-size self portrait mypoppet.com.au

Kids art activity - Life-size self portrait mypoppet.com.au

Kids art activity - Life-size self portrait mypoppet.com.au

Kids art activity - Life-size self portrait mypoppet.com.au

This project kept Emma entertained for over an hour. I love how it turned out and that she painted big eyes and a rainbow garden background.

Do your kids enjoy making art?

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