How to Set Up a Mini Atelier in Your Home

As the Atelierista (or art studio educator) in a Reggio-inspired preschool, I am no stranger to setting up expressive experiences for young children. But how can the same principles I use in the classroom be applied in another context? Consider creating a mini-atelier in your home! An atelier is simply a designated space for creativity, with lots of accessible materials. A mini atelier would just be on a smaller scale, similar to what we might think of as an art shelf. 

3 considerations for setting up a mini atelier in your home

1. Arrangement and space:

One of the most important considerations is space. Where is the mini atelier going to live? It's not always easy or feasible to find ways to entirely rearrange our homes. But luckily, there are lots of options that can work on a smaller scale. 

Some space-saving ideas for home would be: 

1. A small shelf, like the ones from the EdQ Furniture Collection, stocked with purposeful and accessible materials. Easy access to a child-sized table nearby is a plus, but could also just be your dining room table. 

2. A child-sized easel with built-in storage or a rolling cart stationed next to it. Easels and rolling carts are a great space-saving pair. The Desk to Easel Art Cart is a great, multi-functional option. 

3. A designated child-sized art table with built-in storage like the Deluxe Art Center, the Martha Stewart Art Table or even the Design Studio are great options. Storage is everything when it comes to keeping things organized, especially if it's built-in! 

Whatever option we go for, we want to make sure there’s enough room for children to freely move. When things are confined, it's more likely that spills and messes will occur. Even if your option is using a small corner in a room, utilize the walls! Shelves and peg boards add easy storage that doesn't take up a lot of space

2. Organization and aesthetic: 

We also must think about the arrangement of the materials and how we can make them easily accessible. Materials should have a home, clearly defined and organized in a way that invites children to create. I am a strong believer in the idea that children appreciate aesthetics and deserve beautiful things. When we display materials with intention and care, children rise to the occasion and treat those materials in the same way. I love to organize my materials by color, but you can also arrange them by type or by most used. 

*Tip:
Leave some materials out and available while others are stored nearby. This will allow for rotation as your children become familiar with the materials. 

Stackable storage bins are great for housing colored pencils, crayons, markers, etc. 

3. Materials

There are so many amazing artistic materials available, it's hard to know where to begin! Here are some of my tried and trues:

Must Have Art Supplies 

•Paint: liquid tempera, tempera sticks & cakes (check out Kwik Sticks for all things paint sticks!)

•Watercolors: liquid and palettes

•Pastels: oil and chalk

•Watercolor pencils (STABILO makes the best 3-in-1 chunky pencil!)

•Sharpies (yes, I know they're permanent!)

Other materials include: 

•Clay or Sculpey

•Collage materials (pom poms, felt shapes, glue sticks)

•Craft materials (washi tape, pipe cleaners, beads, scissors, stickers)

•Stamps and stamp pads

•Coloring books

Tips during the creative process: 

Focus on the process over the product. Process-oriented experiences are self-directed and invite freedom of expression and organic creativity. 

Use an old t-shirt or a smock to cover clothes 

Offer new materials in small quantities and over time until children have developed an understanding of how the material works. 

Model techniques like dabbing, swirling, tapping, stamping, and more!