Art Project can be an exciting way for middle schoolers to develop original ideas, learn about the things going on in their immediate environment and express these ideas creatively while having fun. With art projects and activities, learning can be done without subjecting students to the conventional learning methods, which they are likely not to find as exciting as engaging in art projects. In most schools, art projects are either a part of the school syllabus or part of the extracurricular activities that the student can engage in, while some families use these projects to spend family time and bond with their kids.
Kids in middle school are at a developmental stage where they are curious, willing to learn, and quickly acquire new creative skills or improve on old ones. With the introduction of the right art projects both in schools and at home, these kids might be on their way to being the next Pablo Picasso or Leonardo da Vinci. Middle school art projects and activities are fun. They also increase children’s interest in learning and help them channel their energy and eagerness into something useful.
Here are some of the middle school art projects that you can be carried out in school or in the home to help middle schoolers to get creative while learning.
- Doodling
Doodling is one of the most efficient middle school art projects that can help students to explore their creativity without any constraint. Doodling, by definition, involves scribbling absent-mindedly without much attention to the outcome. However, this activity can also be curated to ensure that the students’ imagination can be focused on doodling a specific outcome. Doodling serves as an outlet for students to express their emotions creatively and bring other ideas to life. Students can be asked to doodle their favorite places, animals, or plants to make this activity more enjoyable.
- Get their hands on sewing
Apart from being a very handy skill for students to learn, sewing can be a fun middle school art project for students to participate in. The cool thing about this particular activity is that the students do not need to use sewing machines since they can make do with needles and thread. Sewing helps students to enhance their focus and refine their hand-eye coordination. To give the students a sense of direction, ask them to sew something for their toys or pets or something as simple as using a needle and thread to write their names on a piece of fabric.
- Papier-mâché
Do you want your students to get their hands sticky and dirty in the most creative way? Then you may want to consider adding Papier Mache to the list of their art projects. Papier-mâché is a French word meaning “chewed paper” in English, and it involves using paper, water, and starch to make paper pulp which the students can use to mold different shapes and objects. An alternative to Papier-mâché is molding with clay, however, unlike clay, paper can be easily sourced, and it involves less dirt.
- Let’s design maps
Whether treasure maps or maps of their communities, map decoration is a middle school art project to introduce to your extracurricular activities. Not only does it help the student to develop their creativity, but it will also encourage them to pay more attention to their surroundings and increase their knowledge of the world in general. With crayons, pencils, and white papers, students can design maps of the school area, neighborhood, or places of interest using basic shapes and symbols to represent buildings and other structures. Treasure maps design is also a similar activity that students will be interested in participating in. Students will need papers, pencils, crayons to draw, and maps for inspiration for this activity.
- Mural Painting
Young children love experimenting with colors, and what’s the best way to get them to get involved in this, if not by organizing middle school art projects that involve painting. Since murals are usually done directly on walls, students can creatively explore with the guidance of their teachers or parents. If there are walls in the school or at home that can do with a revamp, you can get the students to develop ideas on what to paint on the walls and provide them with paintbrushes and paints. Murals will help students to be expressive with their ideas, appreciate art, and enhance hand-eye coordination.
Something Extra – Season-based Art Projects for Middle School Students
These are some of the other interesting middle school art projects that students can have fun with;
- Pumpkin Design for Halloween
Which other way can you get students involved in art projects if not by getting them to do something they find interesting and can relate to? Pumpkins have long been associated with Halloween, and you can also get kids to get artistic with pumpkins designs during this time and wear their hand-made pumpkin costumes during their trick or treat runs around the neighborhood.
- Paper Snowflakes and Snowman building
The Christmas season can also be an excellent time for middle school students to participate in Christmas-themed art projects, especially in the home. Making paper snowflakes and building or painting a snowman can be a fantastic way to spend the cold days indoors. With white paper, scissors, crayons, and cotton balls, you should be set to go.
Benefits of Middle School Art Projects
- Enhancement of creativity
Research has shown that art projects and activities are part of children’s efficient ways to develop their creativity and imagination. These middle school art projects help the brain recognize patterns and develop faster, allowing children to creatively represent their thoughts and imaginations.
- Self Confidence
There is a sense of achievement when students complete their art projects and activities, which boosts their self-confidence helps them believe in their abilities.
- It helps students develop their motor skills
Most middle school art projects like painting, knitting, drawing, etc., require the interaction of the eye and hand to represent visual information coming from the brain. This helps to improve the hand-eye coordination of the student and sharpen their motor skills.
- Promotion of socialization
Since middle school art projects usually involve a small or large group of students collaborating, interaction and social skills are also being developed. Group projects will allow students to understand the value of team-building and good communication.
- Appreciation of art and culture
Arts projects and activities in middle school help students understand and appreciate art and culture from a very tender age.