Group quilts are a fun way for kids who have limited verbal ability to come together.  I work with children with cognitive disabilities and we created  special quilts that include a contribution message and flower from each child.

I've worked with kids, making art, for the past 5 years in a after school art program I created mundolindobeautifulworld.blogspot.com LOVE it!

I have a 7 y/o grand-daughter who spends all her time with me in my art studio!  We create art quilts, canvas art, paper art… you name it. lol  We sell some to one day pay for her art schooling and the rest are usually gifts she enjoys giving to special people.  She is the apple of my eye.  She learned how to hand sew a quilt binding last winter and no Nana could be more proud!  The tradition carries on. :D   You can see one of many of my blog posts about us playing in the Studio here cileniacurtis.blogspot.com/.../it-doesnt-stay-clean-very-long-playing.html

When my grandchildren come to visit, they know I have a spot in my office/workshop where they can gather supplies, get comfortable and creat! I usually recieve a picture drawn for birthday and holiday gifts.  My favorite. Judith, Texas

I did a quilt show & tell to a German preschool.  We talked about colors, pattern names, identified shapes... Then I had them collage fabric shapes onto 12x12 solid fabric (glue stick for fabric).  I took them home and appliqued them all * turned it into a quilt.  It was gorgeous and was auctioned off at their St Niklaus Day fundraiser.

I've also done the same trunk show / craft time with Mixed Media Postcards in elementary schools for Mother's day & Valentine's...  

Monika Kinner-Whalen

Saskatoon Canada

ATC is a great idea. When my kids were young I cut animal and other shapes from felt and while I worked on the upper part of my design wall they would create fanciful stories on the lower half - fun time making art while being together!

mysweetprairie.blogspot.ca/.../valentine-postcards.html

Here's the Kindergarten class blogged....

My grandchildren usually want to do whatever I am doing.  So I have taught them to pin weave, nature print, make paper, crochet, and many other things.  One of my favorite things is finding their handprints throughout my sketchbooks, dated and with the child's name.

Great project for kids!  I have used crayons and made fabric transfers from colored pictures. A great addition for a special quilt.

Mary Lachman

My grandchildren, ages 3 and 5, spent an afternoon in my studio making prayer flags.  Though I manned the sewing maching and iron, they chose the fabrics from my stash, picked out their favorite embelishments, decided on the layout and created the prayer.  We all had so much fun.  

last week I tried my first ever hand drawn rubber stamp.  then I showed it to my Grandson and asked him to draw one, too.  Mine is so blah next to his!  He drew a very complex 2 headed monster with horns and fangs...  I just drew a few daisies!

I have so much to learn from him!

The last project I did with my 4 and 3-year-old grandsons was a painting of a tree or a flower.  We used painters tape or freezer paper to make a resist and then they colored in the backgrounds with water colors.  They were so happy with the results.  I scan their work and use it in my quilts or quilted items such as purses.  They wanted to do the same, so we scanned the pictures, printed them on fabric and sewed them into some drawstring backpacks.  They were so proud!  It was a lot of fun.

My granddaughter has a special place in my studio.  She learned skills on the sewing machine at age 4. Her favorite are the "Modes" ( all the fancy stitches).  She has her own table and access to a wide variety of supplies, i.e. glue, papers, fabric, fibers, markers, paints, stamps, etc.

In September, I began volunteering in her 1st grade classroom.  We made quilt blocks with crayon and fabric markers on batik squares.  I put them together with sashing

and it sold at the PTA Auction for $100.  They were very proud.  They had made practice squares on cotton, so I fused those onto T shirts with "heat and bond lite",

and stitched around the edges.  The students are fascinated with the sewing machine.

They are very respectful and grateful for various art projects.  Since the school budget has been trimmed,  regular art and music programs are no longer part of the curriculum.  I am so happy to have the time and resources to share with these budding artists. Kathryn Oftedal, Camas WA

Hi hi-

I too like to have the kids in the studio.   We do all kinds of things.  I begin when they are about five with pancake dolls and animals.  Even now when a gift is called for the 8 year old use ally designs and  sews a pillow of some sort.  His last one was a big round  red pillow with a big M appliqued on it  for his 13 year old brother.- who loves M&M's.  What fun.

Carol

For my paying job I am an occupational therapist with second and third graders. This year I had my students sewing their letters on black card stock with white thread. They even attempted french knots to dot the i. I also cut up white erasers and used them to stamp people in action as featured in a Quilting Art article. My daughter also now sews, knits and embroiders. We ice dyed our christmas t shirts and shabori dyed her t shirt for her violin concert. This summer we hope to make dolls together.

such fun! Meg

My students and I enjoy creating batiks with melted crayons.