Art Ideas for RV Travel: Roadschooling 101
There are so many perks to raising kids on the go. Opportunities for artistic expression are among the greatest. Art is a powerful way for children to engage and connect with the world around them. It can be the lens through which they process what they see. Painting the sunrise at your campsite is more than just an activity to pass the time. Adding art to roadschooling can foster countless creative ideas for kids in an RV. Further, it’s a great opportunity to reinterpret and reexperience the terrain. Few things can spark creativity like the constantly changing landscape you are traveling through.
Let’s channel that inspiration into our children’s artistic endeavors. Here are some amazing — and easily available — art ideas for RV kids who are roadschooling.
Lean into Discovery and Exploration
I like to use travel itself as a means of inspiration. Children naturally gravitate towards a joyful disposition. The tiniest spark can inspire them to build a rocket ship to the moon. There doesn’t even have to be anything there for inspiration to take root. My daughter is eternally obsessed with woodland gnomes. She will spend hours chasing them through the forest and following their tracks. Eventually she will come inside to draw pictures of them, and make little reports of their habits. (All this in the absence of any actual gnome encounter.)
Point is kids are both primed to discover and eager to relive (and reimagine) their experience. Here’s an example of what that process looks like for our family.
Discover. When our family arrives at a new campsite, we go on discovery hikes or bike rides. There is no agenda here. We simply take it all in. The smells, the sounds, the flora and fauna. If we see something that sparks our interest, like mushrooms, wildflowers, or a blue ghost sighting, we try to find more of it, and variations of it if we can.
After Exploring. After our family has traversed our new surroundings, we settle on a common theme that interests us. Maybe we saw a field of butterflies, or a new bird, or a simply stunning view from the mountain top. If it inspires joy and curiosity, the possibilities are endless. The simple equation is this: If they find it interesting and beautiful, we take it to the craft room.
Turn Imagination into Art
OK! OK! We don’t actually have a craft room in our RV. It’s more like a table. (Our very-small dining room table to be precise.) But hey, when it comes to art, challenges can be transformed into beautiful surprises. You just have to let the process lead you.
No space? No problem. Make it tiny. Nothing says “woodland gnome” like tiny terrarium necklaces. If your kids can only fully express themselves on a three-foot sheet of paper with paint splattered up and down like a Pollock masterpiece, I get it! Just take it outside and roll up the paper when finished. (These craft paper rolls are so handy for making big art in small spaces.)
Gather Natural Materials
I pride myself in being something of a minimalist. I don’t hoard; I purge. But, as a traveling enthusiast, I do find myself hoarding these essential items:
- Sea shells
- Feathers
- Dead bugs (yes, I have bowls of dead bugs all around my house)
- Shark teeth … the list goes on.
Needless to say, when I die, my kids are going to inherit some weird stuff. But all of these things can be used in artistic creations that tell a story of memories and discovery.
Here are some artistic crafts you can do with natural specimens:
- Sea shells: seashell mobiles
- Feathers: dream catchers
- Dead bugs: etymology shadow boxes
- Shark teeth: DIY shark-tooth jewelry
Look for Local Inspiration
Another great way to inspire young artists is to visit local artists at work. If your RV is parked near a town with an artists’ community, don’t pass up an opportunity to visit the studios. Seeing artists at work is inspiring and informative.
Don’t overlook indigenous art. RVing in the United States means you are probably near a place with Native American history. Look to see if there is a museum nearby that showcases local Native American art. Pottery, weaving, beadwork, basketry and carving are just a few of the rich artistic traditions that can inspire your young artists. The exquisite beadwork is especially inspiring to my little ones. We even picked up a loom and tried the art of seed beading in the RV.
Whether you are exploring the Southwest, Pacific Northwest, the Great Plains, or the forests of the East Coast- chances are you will encounter indigenous artistic traditions rich in history and inspiration.
Don’t Just Make It — Sell it!
If you and your kids are serious about art, you don’t have to stop at the making. Take it out into the world and sell it! This is a great opportunity to segue art into a business lesson. Our family spent an entire summer in our RV while participating in a local farmer’s market. I made jewelry while my kids made little terrariums with clay mushrooms, seashells, and tiny massages inside. We sold our creations each week and made friends in the local community.
If you aren’t sticking around one place long enough to participate in a local art fair, you can always start up an Etsy account. It’s easy, and your kids can participate in this process as well.
Art Ideas Put You in the Present … Wherever Your RV Parks
At the end of the day, the goal isn’t to create a masterpiece. It’s to pay attention. And what teaches us to pay attention more than travel? Everything is new and different. The smells, the sounds, the air, and — most of all —t he sights are all intoxicatingly fresh. By giving our children an opportunity to explore and express themselves creatively, we are helping them do so much more than make art. We are encouraging their curiosity. The finished product is just a bonus. It’s all about the process.
Olivia de Soria
You might also like
