What if, instead of setting yourself a list of lacklustre New Year’s resolutions, you chose just one that you could genuinely look forward to?
This year, we’re encouraging families to make creativity part of everyday life – not as another thing to achieve, but as something to enjoy together. A small, shared habit that can fit into busy routines and bring a sense of calm, connection, and enjoyment into your week.
The idea is simple: choose an art project that you and your family can work on together over time. It might be something you return to each day, or just at the weekends when there’s a little more breathing space. It’s not about perfection or finished results – it’s about the process, the joy of making, and the feeling that creativity can give you. When done alongside loved ones, it also builds connection and a shared sense of achievement.
Here are some of our favourite art projects that you can do as a family at home and can be built up gradually, one small creative moment at a time.
1. The Family Sketchbook ✏️
Each family member has their own sketchbook, big or small to do 10 minutes of doodling, whenever you can. Set a simple prompt for everyone to respond to – it could be your favourite place in the house, a happy memory, or a treasured item. Sit together, put distractions aside, and allow yourselves to relax into the process.
If a ‘mistake’ happens, don’t rub it out or start again. These moments are an important part of the creative process and help children understand that art isn’t about getting things right – it’s about exploring, experimenting, and enjoying the act of making.
As an added element to this ritual, you could swap sketchbooks the next time you sit down to draw. Build upon the drawing someone else started the day before, adding your own ideas in your own way. The following time, swap again. Over time, each sketchbook becomes a shared artwork, shaped by many hands, and it’s always fascinating to see how drawings evolve when everyone contributes.
2. The Collaged Canvas 🖼️
This project is about creating one large artwork to display proudly at home. Start with a canvas or sturdy piece of card and gradually build a collage using cut-out figures, shapes, and details from different artworks.
You might create artwork specifically for this project, use pages from your family sketchbooks, or even revisit old drawings and paintings that don’t currently have a home. Cutting, rearranging, and combining these pieces allows children to see their work in a new way and gives forgotten artwork new life.
This is a lovely project to return to daily or weekly, watching it grow and change over time. Seeing something slowly come together can be incredibly rewarding for children and helps them appreciate the value of patience, persistence, and the journey – not just the final outcome.
3. The Scavenger Hunt Sculpture 🧑🎨
With this project, children are encouraged to hunt for unwanted or recyclable materials from around the house and give them a new lease of life through art. Cardboard tubes, toothpaste boxes, newspaper, foil, bottle caps, and packaging can all become part of the creative process.
Once you’ve gathered your materials, the aim is to transform them into a 3D sculpture. This might happen over several days as ideas develop and structures grow. Alongside encouraging creativity, this project also helps children become more mindful of waste and shows them that materials don’t have to be thrown away to be valuable.
Creativity doesn’t need to be time-consuming or complicated to be meaningful. Even a few minutes spent making together can become a grounding and joyful part of family life, and a creative pause before bedtime. Some days you’ll do more, some days you’ll miss it altogether – and that’s absolutely fine. What matters is returning to it when you can and enjoying the process along the way.
