Curiouser and Curiouser

Creative processes emerge from a place of exploration; often, artists choose something they have questions about and investigate it through their art.

Prompt your kids to consider something they’re curious about—a naturally occurring phenomenon like shooting stars, an important historical figure like Martin Luther King, Jr., or something else entirely!

Upon deciding, ask kids to research the thing they want to explore in depth and, simultaneously, track their learnings in the form of a collage. For every new thing they learn, task them with adding something—a drawing, a cutout, a printed picture—to their collage that represents this new bit of knowledge. Challenge kids to not only look online, but consult with friends, adults or the local library to discover all they can about their topic.

When they’re finished, they should not only have newfound knowledge about their topic, but also a visual map of where their curiosity took them. Display all the completed collages together so that kids can take a gallery walk and appreciate how exploring the unknown inspires beautiful art.