5 Fun Process Art Ideas to Reuse Your Child’s Artwork

As a preschool teacher and a mum of 4 girls, I’ve seen children (mine included) create piles of artwork in just one day. Oftentimes, children would be so engaged in the creative process that they would churn out one artwork after the other. You might get a couple of beautiful pieces to hang on the wall but then what should you do with the rest? (other than to toss them out sneakily when your child isn’t looking 🙈)

Well here are five creative ways to reuse and repurpose your child’s artwork using a few of our favourite process art ideas.

Table of Contents

Invitation to Add a Second Layer of Art Medium Over An Existing Artwork

One thing I love about it is the chance to give new life to old artworks—it’s like adding a fresh layer of fun and imagination while showing your child how to appreciate their earlier efforts. This not only deepens their creative experience but also gives them the chance to explore their piece from various angles.

Setting Up the Invitation

Select an existing piece of your child’s artwork to use as a base. You can use artwork created on cardboard and painted blocks too.
Offer a new art supply and let your child use it to add a second layer. Here are some invitations that we love.

Coloured glue and glitter
Drawing tools like coloured Sharpie markers or glitter markers
Paints and brushes
Salt and watercolour
Craft materials

3. Experiment and see how the new medium interacts with the original art.

When you’re thinking about how to invite your toddler to add a second layer to their artwork, consider diving into mixed media! What new materials can you introduce that sparks creativity but also allows your child to play with different art supplies and discover their limitless possibilities? Experiment and see how the new medium interacts with the original art.

Invitation to Draw on Mini-Sized Recycled Artwork

Drawing on mini-sized papers is a fun and creative activity for kids, sparking their imagination and developing fine motor skills. Using recycled artwork as a canvas adds a sustainable twist, teaching children the value of reusing materials while exploring colours and textures.

Setting Up the Invitation
1. Cut up some of your child’s old artwork into mini-sized papers.
2. Offer an assortment of markers or any other drawing tools.
3. Invite your child to draw and create on these smaller canvases.
Tips:

Offer a variety of paper sizes and shapes to keep things fun and engaging. If your child has started using scissors, why not encourage them to create their own mini canvases as well? It’s a great way to spark their creativity and give them a sense of accomplishment.

Invitation to Create a Collage with Recycled Artwork

Setting Up the Invitation
1. Choose a canvas for the collage (You can use corrugated cardboard, a black paper or a canvas as a base too).
2. Offer your child pre-cut bits of paper from an old artwork and some glue (I love to offer glue in a squeezy bottle).
3. Invite your child to stick the paper to create a collage.
4. You can also offer craft materials to create the collage.
Invitation to Create a Mosaic Artwork

This invitation enhances your child’s creative experience by providing a grid canvas, allowing them to practice fine motor skills and spatial awareness while arranging cut papers.

Setting Up the Invitation
1. Draw lines to create a grid on a blank sheet of paper to create the canvas.
2. Provide your child with pre-cut papers (matching the grid size) from a previous artwork, along with some glue to create a mosaic pattern.
Tips:

Alternatively, you can also offer some paint chips to your child. Here is an invitation to create with paint chips that I did with my toddler.

Invitation for Older Siblings to Get Creative with Younger Siblings’ Recycled Artwork

This is a fun one but requires all siblings to agree to swapping and adding layers to artwork prior to getting started. This can also be a fun activity between parent and child.

Setting Up the Invitation
1. Go through old artwork and choose a piece that they would like to add new layers to
2. Encourage them to think creatively about how they can expand and enhance the original piece. They might want to use paints to add backgrounds, markers to define and outline shapes, or glue to add collaged elements.
Final Tips:

If your child is new to the idea of repurposing old artwork, start by offering suggestions e.g. encourage your child to outline shapes, draw patterns, or add new elements to the existing artwork.

Reusing existing artwork for new creative projects not only fosters creativity but also teaches children the value of their efforts. By exploring these prompts, you can engage in meaningful process art activities with your toddlers and preschoolers.

If you try any of these ideas, we’d love to hear about your experiences and see the masterpieces created by your little artists! Share your stories and tag me on Instagram at @storiesofplay 🙂