A Communal Art Table as Part of a Family Friendly Home

One of my favorite features of our family friendly home is our big communal art table!

While our monstrous art table takes up a lot of real estate in our home, it’s worth it.

A big art table is a great place for kids and adults alike to gather and create together. Sitting around a table chatting and drawing is the perfect way to enjoy a visit with friends and family, or an afternoon at home with the kids.

Fostering Creativity and Togetherness At Home

Creating art is a great way for kids to feel empowered. Adults are often telling them “no” and “don’t do that”, and so having some freedom to create is a great way for them to take back some control.

Kids and adults also get a chance to express themselves or simply enjoy the experience of experimenting with lines, shapes, and colors.

I also love that a communal art table in a home allows friends and family to gather around a common space and activity in a casual and fun way. Having some markers and crayons out can be a great icebreaker for kids and adults, and small drawings created by everyone can spark new conversations as well.

Additionally, with the table covered in one big piece of paper, the option for a communal drawing to connect everyone is always there!

Kid-Friendly Art Table Supplies

The main thing I have learned about keeping a manageable and family friendly home is to keep things SIMPLE.

There are a billion dazzling, fun art supplies out there, but when it comes to a sustainable and manageable setup, less is more.

With these three simple art supplies, you can have a great everyday family and kid friendly art station.

• A big role of white paper. I bought a big roll that can handle some wet mediums at Walmart for $8 or $9.
• Crayons
• Washable Markers

Markers and Crayons

After some trial and error, I have learned that keeping out crayons and markers is more than enough. Every now and then, we do a special project where I bring out a variety of different art materials, but for everyday purposes, we stick to markers and crayons.

For little ones, WASHABLE markers are key. The other day, I was making lunch, and I looked up from cutting an onion, and my two-year-old was drawing all over the wall.

Luckily, she was using a washable marker, and it came off easily. Crayons also come off pretty easily with a Magic Eraser.

I love putting markers and crayons in cute wicker baskets to make them more inviting and aesthetically pleasing. I got these baskets each for a couple of bucks at the thrift store.

You do not need a ton of fancy art supplies for a good communal art table. A big role of white paper to cover the table and some markers is really at the heart of a good art space for kids, friends, and family.

We also usually have some tape, popsicle sticks, and glue out, but honestly, the fewer supplies the better. My kids go to town with all the supplies, so it often results in a huge mess. Sometimes, the fewer the supplies, the more focused the creativity that happens. 

Witnessing the way kids’ drawings develop is such a fun part of parenthood! From scribbles to cephalopod people, to schematic rainbows and flowers, to more complex compositions and depth, drawing is such an amazing part of childhood development!

Additional Art Supplies

As mentioned, keeping art supplies simple is best in my experience as a mom of two little wild ones.

However, we do love to do special projects from time to time. So I keep the following on hand in a closet;

• tempera paints and brushes
• stick on foam shapes
• pipe cleaners
• googly eyes
• colored and patterned paper
• glue
• clay
• popsicle sticks
• stickers

I’ll bring some of these supplies out to our big table when I’m up for managing an artistic explosion from my kids. For the most part, though, we just keep our crayons and markers out for everyday use. There is not a day that goes by that my kids don’t visit our art table.

Making Creativity a Part of a Family Friendly Home

More than expensive decorations and spotless floors, the creative and communal energy in a peaceful home is what makes a house truly beautiful. A table dedicated to imagination, expression, and togetherness, then, is the perfect addition to a cozy and kid friendly home.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love home decor items and decorating our family home, but the activities and love within a home are the most important.

And the best part is that a communal art table can be simple. Some paper and markers is all you need! Anything else is just extra.

Do you have a communal art table at home or a desire for one? Please share and let me know in the comments below!