Why We Don’t Care About Perfect Art (And Why You Shouldn’t Either)
09 of October, 2025
✨ The Magic Happens Before the Masterpiece
When it comes to kids and creativity, something truly special happens when we take the pressure off the final outcome.
No “perfect” finished product. No model to copy. No rules.
Just curious hands, big imaginations, and the joy of creating something entirely their own.
That’s the heart of process art - and it’s why we design every Made to be Messy session to focus on the experience of creating, not the end result.
What Exactly Is Process Art?
Process art is a creative approach that celebrates the journey of making art, not the finished piece.
Unlike traditional craft activities where children follow steps to make something that looks a certain way, process art is completely open-ended.
- There’s no right or wrong.
- There’s no “finished product” pressure.
- There’s only experimentation, imagination, and expression.
Whether it’s finger painting, sponge printing, rolling, splatting or swirling, every mark tells a story that belongs entirely to the child who created it.
Why Process Art Is So Powerful for Kids
While it might look like a gloriously messy paint session, (sometimes ending in a big brown blob!), there’s a lot more happening beneath the surface. Through process art, children are:
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Developing motor skills – strengthening hand muscles, coordination and control.
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Building problem-solving and critical thinking – making creative choices with colours, tools and textures.
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Expanding language and communication – as they describe and share their artistic ideas.
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Growing confidence and independence – trusting their own instincts and decisions.
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Engaging their sensory system – exploring texture, temperature, sound, movement and colour.
These aren’t just art skills - they’re life skills. And best of all, children don’t even realise they’re learning. They’re just having fun.
Kicking Off the Term with ART ATTACK
To celebrate the start of Term Four in 2025, we’re diving straight into one of our most loved themes: Art Attack.
This week is all about:
🎨 Big splashes of colour
🖐️ Open ended sensory invitations
💫 Fun filled, confidence building creativity
Every child leads their own journey, discovering textures, mixing colours, and expressing themselves in their unique way. No templates. No pressure. Just pure, creative magic.
This is the perfect way to begin the term and set the tone for a season of curiosity, learning and joy.
🫶 A Gentle Reminder for Parents
We know how tempting it can be to hope for something “fridge worthy” after every art session. But here’s the thing… the masterpiece isn’t on the paper. It’s in the process. A copy of what a teacher has done shows minimal creativity and certainly doesn't let you unique child shine bright!
When you celebrate their exploration, their smudges, their swirls, their little artistic experiments, you’re telling your child:
1. Your ideas matter.
2. Creativity isn’t about perfection.
3. The journey is more important than the destination.
That message sticks with them long after the paint washes off - and builds creative thinkers and confident kids - for life.
Ready to Watch the Magic of Process Over Product Unfold?
Art Attack Week is the perfect introduction to Made to be Messy and our playful, child-led creative philosophy. And hey if you're missing Art Attack week - don't worry, we weave process art into every single week in the studio!
Give your child the space to explore, express and make something entirely their own - without rules or limits.
Let’s raise creators, and imaginators, not just rule followers!