Hello! I'm Emma, founder of Smudge Artspace, artist, teacher, and mum to two wonderfully imaginative kids. Smudge started with a simple dream: creating a place where kids could be exactly who they are through art. Curious, messy, brave, joyful, and completely themselves. Ever since we first opened our doors, I've watched that dream unfold again and again. I've seen that when children have genuine freedom, their creativity grows in ways you can't predict or plan.
This little guide is here to help you bring that creative magic into your home, school, studio, or wherever you love to make.
Why we love Process Art
At Smudge, we don't believe art is about making something perfect or pretty. It's about experimenting, exploring, and having the courage to follow your own ideas.
When kids create freely and without pressure, amazing things happen:
- They grow their confidence
- They build resilience
- They learn problem-solving skills
- They connect deeply (with themselves and others)
- And most importantly, they find oh so so much joy!
Process Art lets kids simply focus on creating, without worrying about how it might turn out. And honestly, that's exactly when the magic happens.
What makes Smudge different
Every Smudge experience is inspired by the things I love most: teaching, early childhood development, art theory, motherhood, and creating most of all.
Here's our recipe for creativity:
- We honour how kids make, not what they make.
- We truly listen to kids; valuing, encouraging, and celebrating their ideas.
- We carefully choose materials that invite open-ended play, beauty, and sensory exploration.
- We create spaces filled with wonder, never pressure or expectations.
There is no one right way to create at Smudge. We celebrate all the wonderfully different ways children express themselves.
Our favourite ways to inspire creativity
These are some of our favourite experiences at Smudge. You can easily recreate them at home:
Collage stations
Gather scraps of paper, stickers, tape, fabric, old artworks, and invite endless creativity.
Big, open surfaces
Tape a giant sheet of paper to your floor or wall, grab some crayons or paints, and let kids dive in.
Potion and water play
Petals, herbs, coloured water, glitter, jars, ladles. Suddenly you've got your own magical potion station.
Collaborative murals
Making art together is magic. Whether siblings, friends, or a class, shared artworks build memories (and a beautiful mess).
Sculpture and building
Wire, beads, pipe cleaners, cardboard, tape. Give kids freedom to build and invent without needing a plan.
Making magic with what you have
You don't need a full art studio to spark creativity. In fact, simple everyday materials often inspire the most imaginative creations.
Look around your home:
- Cardboard scraps
- Old paintings ready to cut up
- Fabric scraps, ribbon, gift wrap
- Nature treasures, leaves, sticks, petals
- Kitchen tools, forks, spoons, cookie cutters
Trust me, kids will know exactly what to do with these. Your job is simply to say yes and watch the creativity unfold.
Sensory play, the Smudge way
Sensory play is something we adore! It engages all the senses as kids mix, pour, explore, and create.
Our favourite sensory materials:
- Coloured rice (I have a how-to on the blog!)
- Split peas (safe and easy for little hands)
- Oats
- Desiccated coconut
- Water
- Dried petals and potpourri
- Recycled paper confetti
Just add bowls, jars, scoops, or liquid watercolour and watch imaginations ignite.
Our beloved materials
Here are the things you'll always find at Smudge:
- Paint sticks: vibrant and mess-friendly
- Liquid watercolours: for painting, sensory play, potions
- Poster paints: perfect for colour mixing
- Collage bits: magazines, fabric, party scraps
- Wire, beads, pipe cleaners: ideal for building and sculpture
- Canvas drop sheets: to protect your floor and encourage freedom
- Reusable squeezy bottles
- Salad spinners: for spinning artworks into magic
- Household tools: forks, sponges, scrapers, cookie cutters
- Sensory staples: rice, oats, petals, split peas
These materials invite exploration and imagination, rather than instructions or expectations.
Final thoughts (and permission to make a mess)
Process Art isn't about finished projects or perfect results. It's about small moments filled with curiosity, surprise, and pure joy. So lay down a drop sheet, gather some simple materials, and let the magic unfold.
You don't need to be an artist. Just trust that kids already are.