Megan Schiller is an art teacher, art studio owner, and former preschool teacher. She has been blogging about children’s art and creative spaces since January, 2010. She started her business, The Art Pantry, in 2014 as a design studio to help parents set up creative play spaces in their homes and provide ideas on how to engage children in the creative process. She works one on one with clients and also offers a virtual group course and guides through her website. She lives in Mill Valley, CA.

• Introduction
• What Skills Do Kids Learn from Open-Ended Art?
• The Influence of Art Over the Years (by Barbara Rucci)
• Design Matters

• What Materials and Tools Should be in an open art studio?
• Your Art Space is Not Just for Art
• Using an Art Space for Tinkering and Inventing (By Rachelle Doorley)
• Adding Tinkering and Maker Materials into Your Art Space
• Choosing a Location (By Jean Van’t Hul)
• Furniture, Storage, and Tips on Organizing Art Supplies for Different Ages
• Art Storage and Display
• Adding the Art Supplies

• Keeping Materials Visible and Fresh
• Introducing Your Child to the Materials
• Testing New Materials
• Questions to Ask Your Child When Testing Different Materials

• What are Invitations to Create?
• 10 tips on setting up an Invitation to Create

1. Monochromatic Shape
2. Playdough Sculpture
3. Foil Painting
4. Craft Tape Construction
5. Magazine Collage
6. Peekaboo Drawing
7. X Marks the Spot
8. Confetti
9. Rock Painting
10. Sticky Collage
11. Dot Painting
12. Dreamy Decoupage
13. Grid Drawing
14. Curious Assemblage
15. Scrape and Roll Painting
16. Fine Feathered Fabrication
17. Produce Prints
18. Current Obsession
19. DIY Stickers
20. Sticky Block Building
21. DIY Old Fashioned Tempera Paint
22. Misplaced Mural
23. Wet Chalk Drawing
24. You’ve Got Mail
25. Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall

• “Do it together” Starter Invitations to Create: Art prompts that introduce a new material or technique that act as a simple art lesson when done with an adult
  1. Oil Pastels & Oil
  2. Current Obsession Still Life
  3. Color Mixing

• Mastering Tools (Ages 3-8): Art prompts that encourage the use of creative tools
  1. First Scissor Practice
  2. Early Learning Scissor Practice
  3. Intermediate Scissor Practice
  4. Stapler
  5. Hole Puncher
  6. Glue Gun
  7. Hammer
• Fine motor and Focus (Ages 2-6): Art prompts that help children develop fine motor and focusing skills.
  1. Beading Pipe Cleaners
  2. Delicate Droppers
  3. Twisting from the Toolbox
  4. Do-Dad Mandala
  5. Fuse Beads
  6. Simple Sewing Skills
  7. Labyrinth Pointillism

• Self-Sufficiency (Ages 2-6. Age 2 with adult supervision) Art prompts that guide children towards independent use of everyday items.
  1. Slicing Practice
  2. Kitchen Tools
  3. Squeezing Practice
  4. Pouring Practice
  5. Spraying and Scrubbing Practice
  6. Art Cleanup

• Writing (Ages 3-8): Art prompts that build writing skills through playful activities.

1. Alphabet Stencil

1. Block Letter Dots
2. Alphabet Stickers
3. May I take Your Order?
4. Name Tracing
5. Greeting Card
6. Book Making
7. Comic Strip

• Collaboration (Ages 2-10. 2 years with adult supervision): Art prompts that encourage collaboration between siblings or friends through group projects.

1. Shared Sticky Collage
2. Tape Resist Canvas
3. Collaborative Coloring
4. Shared Sticky Block Building
5. Shared Street Construction
6. Cooperative Garland

• Science and Investigation (Ages 3-10): Art prompts that demonstrate the intersection of art and science through reactive ingredients, testing ideas, and exploring how things work.

1. Eye-Catching Eruption
2. Colorful Dripping Cream
3. Swirling Separation
4. Nature Still Life
5. DIY Nature Paint
6. Magnetic Sculpture

• Making Toys and Accessories (Ages 4-10): Art prompts that introduce ways to make toys or accessories that can be played with when finished.

1. Modeling Clay Creatures
2. Mini Bed
3. Habitat
4. DIY Instrument
5. Dancing Paper Dolls
6. Sticky Sticks
7. DIY Magnet Puzzle

• Having a Designated Art Space in Our Home (by Meri Cherry)
• Final Thoughts
• Resources
• Acknowledgements
• About the Author