Feathers, birds, butterflies — and a whole lot of flutter.
Introduction
Wings make everything feel a little more magical! Feathers, butterflies, birds swooping through the sky... they catch our attention and spark that beautiful mix of curiosity and wonder that we love so much at Smudge.
This theme is all about things that fly, flutter, and float. We'll paint with feathers, build a giant cardboard aviary, print with gelli plates, and set up the softest sensory play. From the calm focus of our Peacock Still Life to the beautiful chaos of Egg Rolling, there's something for every kind of artist.
From Smudge to You
Below you'll find the collection of creative activities we've used to bring this theme to life at Smudge. Each one is an invitation to play, experiment, and see where the materials take you. Pick and choose what excites you and adapt them to your own space.
A taste of what's inside
sculptureAll ages
Birds bursting with personality.
Gather these before you start.
7 more inside this theme
Experience 2
creative-exploration
Roll wooden eggs through rivers of paint in big, bold, beautiful chaos.
Experience 3
creative-exploration
Craft your own magical painting tools from sticks, wire, and real feathers.
Experience 4
print-making
Press, print, and peel for the most satisfying surprises.
Experience 5
It's all about personality and was inspired by the wonderful Colourful Minds Kids, who themselves were inspired by Chris Haughton's illustrations in his book Shh! We Have a Plan. Every bird turns out completely different, and the placement of the wings is what really brings them to life. Angled up and they look like they're mid-flight, tucked down and they're resting, spread wide and they're showing off. It's amazing how much character a cardboard bird can have!
Pre-cut a selection of bird body shapes in different sizes, along with separate wing pieces and circles for eyes. Lay these out so artists can mix and match. Curate pipe cleaners and beads for creating dangling legs, paper straws for extra structural details, and any kind of collage material you like: feathers (of course!), tissue paper, fabric scraps, buttons, sequins.
Artists choose a body shape, attach wings wherever they like (this is the fun bit... there's no right place), add eyes, and then decorate to their heart's content. Thread beads onto the pipe cleaner legs before bending the end into a little foot shape. They dangle beautifully and add so much character. If you want the birds to stand, fold the cardboard at the base to create a little stand, or prop them up with a blob of play dough.
These look incredible hung up together as a flock! Connect them back to your Cardboard Aviary if you're running both art experiences.
painting-drawing
Squeeze, smoosh, scrape, and reveal
Experience 6
painting-drawing
Look closely at real feathers and capture every gorgeous detail.
Experience 7
installations
Build a towering world of cardboard birds, giant feathers, and flight.
Experience 8
sensory-play
The softest place for imaginary play