4 Collaborative Art Projects For Your Family to Try

 Looking for new ways to entertain and occupy your children? Engaging in arts and crafts activities is a great way to get your kids to think creatively and exercise their brains. The whole family can get involved and work together. Here are four fun collaborative art projects your family can try.

Host a Family Paint and Sip Night

A popular fad for adults is taking part in paint and sip events. An instructor teaches a group how to create a painting by going step-by-step. Adults are typically given wine to sip as they paint. This event can easily be adapted to be a family-friendly activity. Adults can still drink wine, but serve your kids juice or another fun kid-friendly beverage so they can participate in this aspect, too.

Have one family member be the instructor. Set up a spot in your kitchen or living room for the family to comfortably sit. Be sure to utilize a cover for your furniture so paint doesn't accidentally stain anything. You can find painting ideas online, or the instructor can make up their own idea. Have fun with it!

Students who study art are three times more likely to be awarded for school attendance and four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement. Not only will your family be enjoying a night in painting and spending time together, but your children can explore a new hobby and craft.

Create Vision Boards

Another collaborative art project your family can tackle is creating vision boards. Also called dream boards, these creative posters serve as motivation for children and teens to look to as they grow up. Using pictures from magazines and newspapers or pictures printed from the internet, help your kids find photos that line up with their future aspirations and dreams that can be arranged into a collage.

If your daughter wants to be an astronaut when she grows up, encourage her to find pictures of space and other female astronauts. If your son wants to be a writer, help him find pictures that match this goal, such as a typewriter or a novel. Utilize markers and construction paper to write down goals and other notes your kids will want to remember years from now. Creating vision boards isn't just for children, either. Work together as a family to help one another create your dream boards. They can be displayed somewhere in your home, such as a craft room or your basement, where they can be looked at and admired time and time again.

Paint a Mural

Another painting project that involves even more collaboration is painting a mural. 90% of the average person's time is spent indoors -- so choose a spot in your home where it won't be too overwhelming but still seen frequently. A basement wall may be the perfect spot, as many basements serve as playrooms of some sort for children. Make the space even more creative with a family-created mural.

First, choose a design. Your kids may want to paint a nature scene that includes a rainbow, the sky, grass, and flowers. Your family may choose to paint cartoon versions of everyone in your family. Whatever you choose, make it fun! Next, prepare the basement for the project. Cover the floor to avoid stains, and be sure everyone is dressed in old and worn clothes that can take a paint stain or two. Be sure to air out the basement and to find paint that is chemical-free. Then, get out your paint and paintbrushes and get to work! Use this opportunity to work together collaboratively as a family.

Tackle a Bigger Project and Build a Bench

Building a decorative piece of furniture for your home can serve as another collaborative art project your family can tackle. Perhaps you have an empty space in your kitchen, living room, bathroom, or mudroom. Consider building a bench from a wooden pallet to add a fun and cute touch to one of these rooms.

The average wooden pallet contains over 100 nails -- so be sure to show your kids how to safely use the materials you'll be working with. Tutorials online can show you how to turn a wooden pallet into a bench. The fun part for the family will be decorating it. Take into consideration the colors and other decorations of the room you'll be putting the bench in. Paint the bench in a color-coordinated pattern or design, and as a family pick out a fun pillow or two to adorn the handmade bench. Every time anyone in your family sees the bench or sits on it, they'll think of the fun day spent building, painting, and decorating it together.

Family art projects are a great way to work together and spend time with one another. Plus, you'll end up with a fun product or products to adorn your home! Look to these fun ideas to get you started.