So are you looking for Youth Art Month ideas? If so, you’ve come to the right place!

What is Youth Art Month?

First, according to the National Art Education Association (NaeA), Youth Art Month is:

“an annual observance each March to emphasize the value of art education for all children and to encourage support for quality school art programs.”

Since I absolutely love all sorts of arts and crafts, it follows that I also love Youth Art Month! Thus, to help you understand what it is and how you can celebrate, here is some more information:

• Firstly, Youth Art Month was created in 1961 by ACMI, a non-profit association of art and craft materials manufacturers, in cooperation with the NAEA.
• Moreover, in 1984, ACMI created CFAE to administer the national program and encourage funding for the program. Current members of the Council include: ACMI, which provides all administrative support and the majority of funding for national Youth Art Month; NAEA, whose members carry out local activities and whose state affiliates help fund state programs; The SHIP, a group of art materials exhibitors at the annual NAEA Convention; and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, a volunteer women’s organization dedicated to community improvement through volunteer service.
• Additionally, other involved organizations include the Association of Crafts & Creative Industries, Hobby Industries Association, and National Art Materials Trade Association.

What are the goals of Youth Art Month?

Above all, the goal of Youth Art Month is to celebrate visual art education for grades K – 12. Further, the program provides a medium for recognizing skills developed through visual arts experiences unlike any other curriculum subjects, including:

• Art shows
• Special exhibits
• Fundraisers
• School and community activities

Ideas to Help You Celebrate

Undoubtedly, you are now excited about all of the awesome ways you can celebrate Youth Art Month with your students and children! Thus, here is a collection of fun crafts and activities to use both at home and in your classroom.

Here are some great ideas to use art in your classroom and with your children to celebrate Youth Art Month:

General Art Projects

• TONS of kids’ craft ideas from Spoonful.com
• Make Your Own Bath Paint, Playdough and 10 Other Creative Kid Projects
• Superheroes! Robots! Cars! 12 Cool Crafts for Boys
• 35 Easy Animal Crafts For Kids
• 25 Classic Crafts For Kids
• What do you wish you had known about making art with children?
• The Best of Make-Your-Own Recipes
• Craft Ideas for Kids: 10 Homemade Gifts Kids Can Make

March is also the time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Purim and SPRING!

St. Patrick’s Day

First, be sure to see this post FULL of St. Patrick’s Day lesson plans and activities! Then check out these fun ideas:

• Easy St. Patrick’s Day Craft: Shamrock Garland
• Leprechaun Legends Lesson Plan from Crayola
• Clans and Tartans Lesson Plan from Crayola
• To Catch a Leprechaun – Three clever traps for taking a stand against St. Patrick’s Day mischief
• Wee Leprechaun
• Try-On Leprechaun
• 10 St. Patrick’s Day Crafts
• Leprechaun Hat for Chips
• Clay Pot Leprechaun
• 17 Best St. Patrick’s Day Crafts
• 32 St. Patrick’s Day Crafts

Easter

If we are talking about spring holidays then we can’t forget Easter! To that end, here are some perfect crafts to make Easter fun!

• 40+ Simple Easter Crafts for Kids from One Little Project
• 25+ Easter Crafts for Kids – Lots of Crafty Ideas
• 38 Adorable Easter Crafts for Kids
• Easter Crafts for Toddlers
• Easter Crafts for Kids

• 25+ Easter Crafts for Kids
• 10 Easy Easter Crafts for Preschoolers
• 15 Easter Crafts and Activities for Kids – Martha Stewart
• 25 Cute and Fun Easter Crafts for Kids
• 40+ Cheerful Crafts for Easter That Kids Will Totally Love– Good Housekeeping

Purim

To start, check out this post about Purim. Then see below for some great craft ideas.

• Purim Gragger Lesson Plan from Crayola
• Haman’s 3 Pointed Hat (Printable!)
• King Mask Purim Craft (Printable!)
• Make Your Own Crown, Tiara or Very Silly Hat (Printable!)
• Purim Mask: Queen Esther (Printable!)
• Three-Cornered Cookie Basket Lesson Plan from Crayola
• Several great Purim crafts, including a Queen Esther Mask, noisemaker, and more!
• Purim puppets from wooden spoons
• Purim Finger Puppets (Printable!)
• Homemade Mishloach Manot Baskets for Purim

Spring

• TONS of Spring Craft Lesson Plans from Crayola
• 30 Fun Spring Crafts from Disney Family Fun
• Caterpillar Turned Butterfly Craft
• Paper Daffodils
• Butterfly Crafts For Kids
• Coffee Filter Butterfly
• Tons of Spring Crafts from Kaboose
• 10 Spring Kids’ Crafts
• Easy Butterfly Crafts For Kids
• Easy Spring Kids Crafts And Projects

Looking for some great kids’ crafts? Here are our top picks to help you make the most out of Youth Art Month!