Detail from the Growing Together collaborative painting created in a Primary School Vacation Care inclusive group art project

‘Growing Together’ Inclusive Painting

Primary School Vacation Care Group Painting Project

Project:

To create a collaborative art project with a group of 30 R–6 children and staff.

Process

We began with the Messy Play stage, using spontaneous circle play and mark making in greens, aqua, and white. Children explored big and small circles, dots, ovals, eggs, blobs, spirals, and simple clustered patterns. This stage helped everyone settle into the process, relax, and enjoy free creative exploration.

Next was the Exploring stage, where small brushes were introduced. Using green, purple, aqua, and white, participants built layered patterns across the surface, responding to and extending each other’s marks. The artwork gradually developed a shared visual language as ideas were added and reinterpreted by the group.

Finally, we moved into the Bling stage, where paint pens were used to add detailed decorative layers. Participants enhanced existing patterns, added highlights, and incorporated gems, stickers, and glitter for sparkle and contrast, bringing energy and richness to the final piece.

Results

Titled ‘Growing Together’, the artwork reflects the cool, natural colour palette and the way children in OSHC settings develop, connect, and grow over time within a shared environment.

This inclusive social art experience gave children the opportunity to contribute in their own way while being part of a larger collaborative process. The final 1m x 1m artwork now hangs in their space as a visual reminder of shared creativity and the fun of working together.

The project was a success!

Growing Together inclusive group painting created in vacation care using cool forest colour palette and layered collaborative art process
An inclusive group painting created with 30 children using a cool “Forest” colour scheme and the Pattern Play collaborative art process.

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Download PDF: ‘Growing Together’ Inclusive Painting

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Detail from the Growing Together collaborative painting created in a Primary School Vacation Care inclusive group art project
Growing Together Inclusive Painting Feature Graphic