The following article is brought to you by Zen Windows, the top-rated Austin window company for quality installation and service.
Here in Austin, parents and families know that there are many days out of the year when it’s just too hot to get outside with the kids. If you’re stuck inside during the sweltering summer heat, why not try a new arts and crafts activity to stay busy?
With around 300 days of sunshine a year, your home’s windows are almost always a brightly lit backdrop for an art project. The creative team here at Zen Windows Austin put together this guide for how to use windows as a canvas for your kids’ creativity (and we know a thing or two about windows in Austin)!
Construction Paper Cutouts
Our first window art idea for you and your children is likely the easiest to do without having to go out and buy supplies. All you need to get started is
Kid-safe scissors
An assortment of construction paper colors
Tape for windows (office tape should work, but you might need to use several strips to keep pieces up)
Optional: any writing utensil to outline your cutouts
Once you’ve gathered your supplies, use your pen/pencil to design fun shapes on the colored construction paper. The only limit is your imagination: you could outline a star shape on yellow paper, clouds on white paper, birds on blue paper, or flowers on just about any color. And, you might find that your kiddos come up with some of the best ideas!
Use the scissors to cut out your shapes and the tape to affix them to your window. You can plan out a whole scene of shapes (combine the clouds, animals, and flowers into a sunny scene) or take a more random approach.
You can try this idea with tissue paper as well to let more sunlight through your designs.
Colorful Cellophane for a Stained-Glass Effect
You don’t have to go to a local church for that magical, multicolor stained-glass-window experience; you can make it at home! All you need to get started is
First, make your adhesive mixture of dish soap and water at a ratio of 2:1. This is all it takes to get cellophane to stick to a glass or vinyl window with ease. Next, decide what designs you want on the window. If you have a nice gradient of cellophane colors that go together, such as a rainbow, you can cut the colors into simple rectangular strips. You might instead want to cut out shapes and designs like we did with construction paper.
Once your cellophane is ready, use your tool to apply the adhesive soap/water solution to your window. Make sure the surface is sufficiently covered for the size of your cellophane. If you’re covering the entire window with a gradient of rectangular colors, you should cover the entire window with the solution. Tip: you’ll want to have towels on hand to clean up any excess water, especially if you’re making art with little kids.
Finally, stick the cellophane to the window! It’s only a mild adhesive, so don’t worry if you don’t line it up perfectly on the first try. The finished product should create a dazzlingly colorful stained-glass effect that’s easy to take down whenever you want.
Paint Your Window Canvas
The most obvious (and perhaps messiest) option for turning your windows into a fun indoor arts project on hot Texas days is to use window-safe paint. You can easily find washable window paint online or at craft stores. The most common window-safe paint for crafts is tempera, and some parents report success with mixing the paint and dish soap together for a less runny substance.
Before getting started, you should lay down a drop cloth to protect your floors and nearby furniture from any splashing or dripping. Then, let your imagination run wild! Whether you prefer to sketch out an idea with your kiddo ahead of time or jump straight to the window canvas, you can paint to your heart’s desire. Some fun ideas to consider:
Paint fireworks for Fourth of July
Make it Texas-themed with cowboys, the Lone Star flag, or get even more local and paint some bats
Encourage your kids to paint characters from a cartoon or video game they like
Once the paint has dried, you can leave it up for you and your neighbors to admire or wash it clean to have a fresh canvas for next time.
With a little creativity and some basic supplies, you can transform your windows into fun, colorful masterpieces that will keep the kids entertained and the house bright and cheerful—even on the hottest summer days. Whether you're cutting out shapes from construction paper, creating a stained-glass effect with cellophane, or painting your own window canvas, these projects are a great way to stay cool and stay busy.
And remember, if you ever decide you need more than just an art project to brighten up your space, Zen Windows is here to help with top-quality window installations that let the sunshine in—without the heat!
So grab your supplies, unleash those little artists, and let the window art begin! We can't wait to see what creative scenes you come up with.
Want to leave the teaching to the professionals? Find arts classes for kids near you in our Kids Directory.