Visual arts activity
Make-Your-Own Gallery
Pick your best 3 pieces of art. Tape them up on a wall and give a tour.
Materials and setup
- your existing artwork
- tape or sticky tack
- paper for labels
- markers
Parent note
The 57-inch center-line for hanging is a real museum standard (average adult eye level). Hosting a show teaches kids that art is also communication.
How this changes by age
Pre-K (ages 3–4)
Pick your best 3 pieces of art. Tape them up on a wall and give a tour.
Steps
- Find 3 of your favorite drawings or paintings.
- Tape them up on a wall at eye level.
- Put a little sign under each with the title.
- Give a grown-up a tour of your 'gallery.'
- Take a bow!
Learning objectives
- Curate favorite works
- Present art to an audience
- Practice public speaking in a safe setting
Kindergarten (ages 5–6)
Curate 5 pieces of your art with labels (title + what you learned). Invite family to a simple home showing.
Steps
- Pick 5 artworks of yours.
- For each, write a title and one sentence: 'I made this to learn ___'.
- Arrange them on a wall in an order that flows.
- Make a paper 'invitation' for family.
- Hold a 5-minute home showing and answer questions.
Learning objectives
- Curate a series of work
- Write simple labels
- Host a simple family art showing
Early elementary (ages 6–8)
Curated gallery of 7 pieces organized by theme or chronology. Proper wall labels and a welcome sign.
Steps
- Decide on a theme or arrangement (by medium, by subject, by time-made).
- Select 7 of your best works that fit.
- Hang them with consistent spacing at eye level.
- Write proper wall labels: title, date, medium.
- Make a welcome sign with the exhibition name and your artist name.
Learning objectives
- Curate by a rule (theme or chronology)
- Use proper wall-label format
- Present a cohesive exhibition
Upper elementary (ages 8–10)
Home solo show: 8-10 works, a short curator's statement, clear labels, and a family feedback station.
Steps
- Pick 8-10 works. Decide on a theme sentence that ties them together.
- Write a short curator's statement (3-5 sentences) to post near the entrance.
- Write proper labels: title, year, medium, 1-sentence context.
- Hang with consistent spacing at a comfortable family viewing height.
- Host a family showing and provide a note page or guestbook for feedback.
- After the showing, review feedback and write 3 sentences on what you'd do differently.
Learning objectives
- Produce a curator's statement
- Use clear labeling and consistent hanging choices
- Host a home exhibition with feedback loops
- Reflect on audience response
Safety and evidence note
Read the full activity before beginning. An adult should supervise tools, heat, food, outdoor work, movement, and experiments as appropriate. Completion records that the activity was done; the child’s explanation, work sample, photo, or demonstration is stronger evidence of learning than a completion check alone.
Related visual arts activities
Artist Spotlight: Georgia O'Keeffe
Look at O'Keeffe's huge flower paintings. Draw one flower really, really big.
Artist Spotlight: Hokusai
Look at 'The Great Wave' by Hokusai. Talk about the big wave and the little boats.
Artist Spotlight: Jean-Michel Basquiat
Look at Basquiat's energetic crown paintings. Draw your own crown and scribble-words around it.
Blind Contour Drawing
Look only at your hand (not the paper!) and draw it with one line. The drawing will look silly — that's the point.