Big Art Idea

This is a big idea to give children a chance to explore art and express their creativity in a giant-size way. Take billboard panels, tack them to a fence or wall with the blank backs showing, and let children create mural masterpieces. I did it with my children and they loved the novelty of this new giant-size art medium.

Local billboard and advertising poster companies usually print overruns of campaigns so they have extras. And those giant-size billboards are made of individual panels that are about 4 feet by 5 feet. They usually throw these extras away after the advertising campaigns have expired, so just contact them and tell they why you want them. Avoid the vinyl billboards, because they don’t hold paint and markers well. Poster paints work best because they cover big areas.

Just tack or push-pin these panels backwards on a big flat surface, such as a fence or wall, and let the children go to town. The whimsy of this new, giant-sized art medium will, in itself, challenge and stimulate their creativity in new ways. When they stand facing this big, empty canvas, they'll be letting their creativity flow as it's never done before. And it’s a great way to get them outside in the fresh air when the weather’s nice.

For more ideas on how to stimulate growing imaginations and make children more creative, visit The Creativity Institute for dozens of articles on creativity in children.

Gwynn Torres

Chief Imagination Officer

The Creativity Institute