Why I believe in open-ended art play for kids' confidence and wellbeing

4 days ago

7 min read

Why I believe in open-ended art play for kids' confidence and wellbeing

Part 1 of 4 in the Bundabubs art play series. Next up: Part 2: DIY art parties and art kits explained.

I've taught for 14 years, and I've spent a lot of that time watching one particular moment. A child looks at their painting, looks at the one next to it, and quietly decides they're not good at art.

It happens fast. Nobody says anything unkind. It's just obvious, from the way they put the brush down, that they've worked out where they sit in the class.

That moment is a big part of why I run Bundabubs art play in Perth the way I do. I believe children deserve the freedom to explore without worrying about getting it right, and this post is about why.

Child painting freely during an open-ended art play session in Perth

What I saw in the classroom

In many art lessons, everyone makes the same artwork. The teacher shows an example, the class follows the instructions, and the results go on the wall in a row.

Some children are naturally good at copying an example. Others have different ideas, find the instructions tricky to follow, or want to take their artwork in another direction. When the finished pieces are compared, children can start to believe that some artwork is better than others, or that their own creativity isn't good enough.

This isn't a criticism of teachers, who do an enormous amount with limited time and resources. Structured art activities have their place. They help children practise techniques, learn new skills and discover how materials work.

But children also need opportunities to create without a prescribed outcome. When every activity has an example to copy, they can begin to associate art with getting close to somebody else's answer.

Every child is an artist

I believe every child has the potential to explore and enjoy art in their own way, but they need the freedom to discover what that means for them.

They can't develop their own creative style if every artwork is expected to look the same. And they struggle to trust their own ideas if the adults around them keep comparing their paintings with pictures on Pinterest or examples made by grown-ups.

Parents sometimes tell me their child isn't arty. When I ask what makes them think that, it usually comes down to the artwork looking different from what they expected.

But what if that difference is the point?

A painting doesn't have to look realistic, pretty or recognisable to be valuable. Children might explore colours, cover the page in lines, mix every paint together or create something that only makes sense to them. Sometimes art is simply an experience: mixing colours to see what happens, trying different marks, getting completely absorbed in the materials. That doesn't mean a child has failed. It means they're exploring.

Black paint is allowed

My child's favourite colour is black. His artwork looks completely different from the work of children who love pastels, bright yellows and rainbows.

That doesn't make him bad at art. It means he likes black.

If I judged his paintings against a page of rainbow butterflies, he'd lose every time, and he'd learn the wrong thing from it. Children have different preferences and ways of expressing themselves, and their choices should be welcome even when they aren't what an adult imagined. Black is a colour, too. So is every other colour a child chooses.

How Bundabubs evolved from messy play to art play

Bundabubs started in 2018 as messy play in Bundaberg. Back then, it was all about giving children the chance to get hands-on and enjoy the sensory side of play.

As my own children grew, the way we played changed too. Our play naturally evolved from messy play into making art. We would roll big sheets of paper across the kitchen table, get out the stickers, paints, pens and glitter glue, and see where it took us.

It wasn't a sudden decision. The materials changed, the activities evolved, and art became a bigger part of how we played together. By 2022, Bundabubs had relaunched as art play, and that evolution still shapes the way I run my sessions.

What open-ended art play looks like

In my Bundabubs sessions, there's no finished example for children to copy. I offer materials, space and time, and they decide what to do.

One child might spend ages mixing colours. Another might try every brush or cover a huge piece of paper in marks. Someone else might start with one idea, change their mind halfway and end up somewhere completely different. All of it counts.

This is process art, where the experience of making matters more than the finished result. It's also child-led, which means children have real choices about the materials they use, the ideas they explore and how their work develops.

That doesn't mean I step away and leave every child to work it out alone. Some need reassurance, some like having an adult explore alongside them, and others are happiest getting on with it. My job is to work out which, then introduce a new material, show how a tool works, ask an open question or encourage a child who feels unsure. What I try not to do is decide what their finished artwork should look like.

Why I connect art play with wellbeing

I'm a teacher, not a psychologist, so I want to be clear about what I observe in my sessions and what I can claim about children's mental health.

What I see is children making decisions, experimenting and getting the satisfaction of creating something themselves. When a child chooses their own colours, tries a new technique or changes direction halfway through a painting, they're practising trusting their ideas. When something doesn't work, they can try again, adapt or do something different. There isn't always a right answer, and there doesn't have to be a perfect result.

I also love watching children get absorbed. They might be fascinated by how two colours mix, the feel of paint on their hands or the marks an unexpected tool makes. Sometimes they spend ages on one material, and sometimes they move between lots. There's value in being allowed to follow that curiosity.

School and other parts of life can involve lots of instructions, expectations and assessments. Art play is a different experience: a space where work isn't constantly judged or compared. Children so often come away from my sessions telling me they love being able to do whatever they want, without an adult telling them what to do. It gives them a break and lets them be in control for a change.

I can't promise art play will improve every child's mental health, and it isn't a substitute for professional support when a child needs it. But I think there's real value in giving children the chance to create, explore and do something for themselves.

The beachy art play session that stayed with me

One experience has stayed with me. It happened during a beachy art play session, where children were encouraged to paint from their imagination instead of copying an example.

One child arrived with parents who were very concerned about mess and paint on clothes. They were also directing what the child should paint, step by step.

I encouraged the parents to step back and let their child make their own decisions. The child went on to create a painting independently, felt proud of it, and didn't make a mess. Afterwards, the parents told me it was a real reality check, that they do give their child too many instructions, and that it was nice to see them flourish by themselves.

That's what open-ended art play is about for me. It's not just the painting that comes home. It's a child making choices, trying things out and finding out they can do something without an adult directing every step. Children sometimes need help, and we all do, but there's a difference between supporting a child and taking over for them.

The mess wasn't the problem. The pressure was.

What you can do at home

You don't need a studio, expensive materials or a perfectly organised craft cupboard.

Step back and offer choices. Put out paper, paint, crayons or collage materials and let your child decide where to begin. You don't need to provide a finished example.

Ask instead of guessing. Rather than "What is it?", try "Tell me about what you're doing" or "What happened when you mixed those colours?"

Avoid comparisons. Try not to compare your child's work with another child's painting, a Pinterest picture or an adult's finished artwork.

Focus on the experience, not just the result. Notice the choices your child made, the persistence they showed or how much they enjoyed the materials, not only how good it looks.

Display their work if they want you to. A painting doesn't have to look a certain way to earn a spot on the fridge.

A bit about me

I'm the founder, teacher and host of Bundabubs Art Play, a mobile art play business serving families across Perth, from Joondalup to Coogee, and Mandurah.

As a qualified primary teacher, I've spent years thinking about how children learn, develop confidence and express themselves. Bundabubs is my chance to put my belief in child-led, open-ended creativity into practice.

This year, I was named a finalist in the AusMumpreneur Awards. It's nice to have that recognition, but what matters most to me is still the child with the paintbrush deciding what happens next.

FAQ

What is open-ended art play? Art where children choose what to make and how, with no prescribed finished product or single right answer.

What is process art? Art where the experience of making matters more than the finished result. Children explore materials, make decisions and change direction without needing to copy an example.

Is it okay if my child's art doesn't look like anything? Yes. A child's artwork doesn't have to look realistic or recognisable to have value. The experience of creating can matter as much as the finished piece.

How can art play support children's wellbeing? In my sessions I see children making their own choices and being free from constant judgment, which can support confidence and a sense of agency. Every child is different, and art play isn't a replacement for professional mental health support when needed.

Where can I try open-ended art play in Perth? I run art play parties and sessions across Perth, and I have DIY art party kits for hire, and art play kits for kids you can buy to use at home. Part 2 explains how they work.