Explore How Making Mistakes Changes an Art Project
Donkey Hodie is excited to make an art project using recyclable materials for the upcoming art show. At first, she’s not sure what she wants to make. But then she gets inspired by her supplies and decides to build a robot. When she adds a nose to the robot, she decides her art project looks more like a bird. As she adds materials and makes “mistakes,” her art project continues to transform.
Take a look around your home to find recyclable materials you and your child can use to make your own art creation. As your child builds, talk about what they are making and how each new piece transforms their project. When your child makes a mistake, encourage them to look at their project in a new way. When your child’s art creation is finished, help them explain what they made to family and friends with their very own art show presentation.
Materials
Directions
First, gather several different kinds of recyclable materials and lay them out on the table for your child to explore. Ask them questions about the materials such as, “What does this paper towel roll look like? What does this oatmeal container remind you of?” Invite your child to come up with an idea of what they would like to create using the materials.
Next, help your child think about what they want their art creation to look like. For example, if your child would like to make a robot, ask your child questions about what they want their robot to look like. Will it have moving arms? An antenna? Encourage your child to use their imagination to help them decide what features the robot should have.
Get started by gluing two different materials together. For example, if your child has decided to make a robot, perhaps they want to make legs for its body by connecting paper tubes to the bottom of an oatmeal container. As the glue dries, ask your child questions about the robot they are making. What materials could they add to give the robot a face?
Help your child add another piece of material to continue to build the art creation. For example, your child may decide to give their robot a silly mouth cut out from a piece of construction paper. Does the mouth make the robot look like something else, such as an animal or silly monster? Encourage your child to look at their art creation and decide if it's still a robot — or if it’s turning into something else.
Continue encouraging your child to add more materials. If they make a mistake, look at the art creation together and talk about if it has transformed into something that your child didn’t think of before. Ask your child what materials they could use to make accessories for their creation. For example, if their robot has transformed into a bird, does the bird need a nest to sit in? What could you use to create a nest?
After your child has added several different materials to the art creation, ask your child more questions about what they have made. Is it what they set out to make in the beginning, or did their art creation transform into something else? Ask your child how they felt when they made a mistake. Was it easy to move forward and continue making the art creation? Or was it hard to accept that they were making something else after all?
Explore Further
Invite your family and friends to an art show — in-person or virtual — and learn more about each other through art and creativity. Create guidelines for the art creations (such as using only recyclable materials) and share stories about what you made with each other.
We hope you had fun together! Snap a photo of you and your child doing the activity and share it with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. We’d love to see how it turned out!
Want more “Donkey Hodie” activities? Check out the Make a Donkey Hodie Puppet craft and the Singing Our Waiting Song activity to continue the fun!
Author: 
Emotions & Self-Awareness
Social Skills
Character
Arts
- Activity Type
- Craft
- Topics