Fun Picasso Art Activities For Kids
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As part of our new Artist of the Month series, my daughters and I dive into the life and work of a different artist each month, doing a creative activity inspired by their style every week.
Last month, we explored Piet Mondrian, who helped us understand abstraction and the use of geometric shapes in art. For our second artist, we chose Pablo Picasso, a natural progression because of his pioneering role in Cubism, a movement that built on abstract concepts and took them in new directions.
But before we get into the Picasso art activities for kids, let’s take a moment to learn more about who he was and why his influence on the art world was so groundbreaking.
Who is Pablo Picasso?
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was one of the most influential and revolutionary artists of the 20th century. Born in Málaga, Spain, Picasso showed extraordinary artistic talent from a very young age, and by the time he was a teenager, he was already mastering classical techniques. But what set Picasso apart was his relentless desire to break away from traditional art and explore new styles and perspectives.
He co-founded Cubism, a movement that completely changed the way people viewed art by breaking down objects into geometric shapes and showing multiple angles at once. His style was constantly evolving, with notable periods like the Blue Period, where he used shades of blue to express sadness and melancholy, and the Rose Period, which reflected happiness with warmer, pink tones.
Beyond painting, Picasso was also a sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer. His ability to work across different mediums and his fearless experimentation with styles made him a true artistic innovator. Picasso’s creativity was boundless, and his work continues to inspire artists, young and old, to think outside the box.
With over 50,000 artworks to his name, Picasso’s legacy as a pioneer of modern art remains as vibrant as ever, and his influence can be felt across countless creative fields.
Inspired by his groundbreaking work, my daughters and I spent this month learning about him through various Picasso art activities for kids. Here’s a breakdown of how we spent our Picasso-themed month:
Week 1 Of Picasso Art Activities For Kids: Understanding Cubism
We kicked off our Picasso adventure by watching a Tate Kids video on Cubism (link to video). It was fascinating to connect Cubism to last month’s artist, Mondrian, reinforcing concepts like abstraction and geometric shapes. While Cubism can be tricky for little ones, especially Mimi, who’s only 3, we focused on analytical cubism to keep it simple.
Cubism is generally divided into two main types: Analytical Cubism and Synthetic Cubism. Analytical Cubism focuses on breaking objects down into geometric shapes and showing them from multiple angles, creating a fragmented but detailed view. Synthetic Cubism, which came later, involved simpler shapes and often included collages or mixed materials.
To help Mimi grasp this concept, as the first of the Picasso art activities for kids, we played a matching game with 2D and 3D shapes, exploring the differences between polygons and more complex forms.
Afterwards, we used Lego blocks to build a flower out of cubes, encouraging her to think in geometric shapes, and proceeded to draw it. It was a fun and tactile way to introduce abstract thinking!
Week 2 Of Picasso Art Activities For Kids: A Trip to the Picasso Museum
The second week of Picasso art activities for kids was all about seeing Picasso’s work up close! We visited the Picasso Museum in Antibes, France, where Mimi was thrilled to learn that Picasso had lived in a castle by the beach – the one we were actually visiting!
We spent time exploring his art through books, discussing his vibrant, ever-changing style. Two of our favourites were Picasso’s Trousers by Nicholas Allan (available here) and Pablo Picasso (Little People, Big Dreams) by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara (available here). These books helped bring Picasso’s life and work to a level that both my daughters could enjoy and understand.
After diving into his story, we took our own inspiration from his work by sketching one of the beautiful monuments in Antibes during our travels. It was a lovely way to combine art, history, and Picasso’s legacy!
Week 3 Of Picasso Art Activities For Kids: Blue and Rose Periods
Week three of Picasso art activities for kids was emotional and expressive. We began by talking about Picasso’s Blue Period, when he used sombre shades to reflect sadness after the death of his dear friend. Mimi, in her own interpretation, created a drawing in blue to express her sadness about something very real to her – not being allowed to watch Frozen all day (a struggle many of us parents can relate to!).
We then shifted gears to the Rose Period, Picasso’s happier time, and celebrated what makes us happy by drawing our love for each other.
It was a fun way to practice the use of a ruler and a touching moment of reflection on the emotional power of colour.
A great book to explore colours and emotions, especially for younger children, is The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas (available here). This beautifully illustrated story helped us connect different colours with feelings, much like Picasso did during his emotional artistic periods.
We ended the week with a fun challenge: deconstructing pictures of each other, one in front view and another in profile, and making a collage like Picasso’s Cubist portraits.
Lou, my older daughter, found the result a bit “confusing” – an honest reaction to Cubism, I’d say!
Week 4 Of Picasso Art Activities For Kids: Mixed Media Madness
For the last week of Picasso art activities for kids, we tapped into Picasso’s love for using different materials and mediums by making a sculpture out of recycled materials from around the house. Mimi’s choice? A cheetah! Though I wasn’t sure where that inspiration came from, we ran with it, and she had a blast creating her own animal sculpture from bits of rubbish. It was a perfect, eco-friendly way to end our month of learning about Picasso, blending creativity with sustainability.
Conclusion
This month was all about discovering Picasso’s different styles and embracing the freedom to create art in new, unexpected ways. From Cubism and colour emotions to exploring mixed media, it’s been incredible to see how my daughters, even at such young ages, are beginning to understand and appreciate these artistic concepts.
Next month, we’ll dive into a new artist and continue our creative journey. I hope these activities inspire you to explore art with your little ones – it’s a wonderful way to learn and bond together!
TIP:
Children’s learning thrives on routine and repetition. While exploring Picasso’s techniques can be fun for kids, parents might find the need for variety to keep things engaging. To mix things up, try approaching the same concept from different angles, whether it’s through painting, sculpture, or collage. There are countless creative ideas online to inspire you! I’d love to hear from you: What are your favourite ways to introduce Picasso’s art to your little ones? Share your ideas in the comments below! In the meantime, here are some other interesting suggestions I found:
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