Resources for the Curious Creative

Ideas for artistic and scientific activities for children and adults

Parents Corner

Here are resources for homeschooling or just keeping the kids busy, learning and having fun.

Not only do fun educational activities keep the children occupied, the parents get a break, and they get to enjoy being a kid themselves. Children give all of us an excuse to do playful things, like scribble, doodle and finger-paint without risking the usual embarrassment that we are getting color all over our faces. So why not give yourself permission to play with the art supplies too! Kids learn by example, and we are demonstrating to children how to express themselves creatively. Perhaps all the parents out there get to rediscover the joy of art that you may have ditched long ago because you thought you should be all adult now.

Imagination Time: I truly believe that accessing and the practice of using imagination is one of the most powerful abilities any person possesses. Take a moment to make up a story about your favorite pet or just that strange bird who landed on your windowsill. Here is my children’s book for an example.

Imagination Time is a children's workbook to help young creatives flex their imagination with storytelling, writing and artistic activities.

Paperback copies can be found at Kindle Direct Publishing.

Young Ecologist Training: The purposes of the following activities are to encourage free thinking and curiosity. Even if it can be annoying and it may make you feel inadequate if you can’t answer, we want children to ask lots of questions. But the thing about science is that we seldom know the answers. We have to figure out how to find them through observation. Every day you can try one of the following activities and create ecology training in your own household.

1. Scavenger Hunt: Make a list of birds, bees or even clovers and see if we can find them outside in a garden or park. This is the first trick to observing nature! Get curious and record your observations. I have included an example of a Scavenger Hunt below.

2. Survey the Garden: Record and count what you see! This is a genuine technique scientists use. Not only will we have fun and be occupied, we will learn valuable skills too.

3. Be a Naturalist: Observe and ask questions about everything you see! You just might discover your inner scientist.

4. Free Creative Time: Just take time out to make stuff inspired by your trip in nature. I notice this is usually what everyone finds the most fun and affords hours of entertainment and learning. Be experimental to discover your own preferred medium or just chop and change like I do!

Free Scavenger Hunt

Art Spa

Think of a creative practice as a spa therapy. Take a moment for yourself to be creative in your journal. Get out those emotions, whether they are happy or sad.

Art journaling does the following:

Gets the creative juices flowing.
Can be cathartic.
More importantly: it’s fun!

For weekly journaling prompts, visit the Curious Creative Studio Substacks or The Artistic Journey Blog.

Nature Journaling

Take your art journal out for a spin on a walk in nature.

The benefits of nature journaling:

Teaches skills in observation, writing, drawing, imagination, and curiosity, bridging the arts and sciences.
Increases connection with nature and creates a better understanding of how we can impact the environment around us and in turn, how it impacts our own lives.
Promotes happy and healthy living through increased mindfulness and the enjoyment of learning and creativity.

For weekly journaling prompts, visit the Curious Creative Studio Substacks.

Just Play

Just remember, art isn’t serious. It is play. If you are getting frustrated, step away and try something else for a while.

Experiment with Mixed Medium

Don't be afraid to try different types of art supplies and even use them together. Experimentation is where your own authentic expression lies.

Get Messy and Bad!

Another technique I use is to create messy, BAD art to silence that inner critic and enjoy my inner child. I will go out of my way to explore mixed-medium with a fun new challenge every week with the pure intention of making it BAD. It is my way of discovering a new technique and possibly an authentic form of artistic expression I didn't have before.

For regular lessons on art journaling, please visit the Curious Creative Studio YouTube channel and subscribe to be alerted to videos as they come available.

Creative Art Retreat

Have you always wanted to go on one of those uber expensive art retreats where you get to escape from it all into an idyllic setting and be inspired by nature? Personally, I haven’t had the budget for this. BUT, there is no reason why we must spend heaps of dough not to create one, especially on a weekend!

Take yourself on a remedial art retreat in your favorite park or urban landscape.

For tips on how to create your own retreat, visit The Artistic Journey Blog.

The ebook for Nurturing the Curious Creative has all these activities in detail for a small price on Kindle Direct Publishing.