Fun Activities for Kids After School in Salt Lake City | Watercolor Cityscape Art Class
Paint Your Own Salt Lake Cityscape in Watercolors [Fun Activities for Kids After School]
Watching kids unwind with a paintbrush is pure magic, especially when they're inspired by their own city. At Art Heart SLC, creativity blooms in every corner of the studio, right in the heart of Salt Lake City's Maven District. Painting cityscapes using watercolors taps into local pride and gives kids a fresh, colorful way to see the place they call home.
Parents searching for fun activities for kids after school will love how these sessions stand out. They blend hands-on art skills, connection to community, and time to relax after a busy day. Each cityscape becomes a personal masterpiece and a memory, all while being part of a caring, creative group.
Why Watercolor Cityscapes Make Perfect After-School Fun
After a long school day, kids need a creative outlet that lets them unwind, explore, and reconnect with the world around them. Painting Salt Lake City’s cityscapes in watercolor is more than just another art project—it's one of those fun activities for kids after school that ticks all the boxes: inspiring creativity, soothing overactive minds, and sparking a real sense of pride in their hometown.
Boosting Creativity and Confidence
Photo by Valeriia Miller
Watercolor painting gives children a safe space to let their imaginations soar. Each brushstroke—and every “happy accident”—teaches kids there’s no right or wrong in art, just new opportunities to create something fresh.
Invites endless exploration: With watercolors, colors blend and bleed in surprising ways, encouraging experimentation without fear of making mistakes.
Builds problem-solving skills: Kids learn to adjust their techniques, mix new shades, and rethink their approach as cityscapes unfold.
Supports independent expression: Every child’s city painting is unique. That ownership builds creative confidence far beyond the art table.
A recent article shares how watercolors help kids develop everything from creativity to hand-eye coordination, all in a playful, judgment-free space.
Introducing Mindful Art Practices
Letting kids “paint their feelings out” with watercolors does more than fill an afternoon—it naturally encourages mindfulness, helping kids slow down and relax after school.
Sensory focus: Watching the paint flow across the paper centers kids in the moment, washing away stress from school or homework.
Gentle repetition: The act of dipping the brush, swirling colors, and laying down strokes brings a calming rhythm, like taking deep, steady breaths.
Therapeutic effects: Focused art making quiets busy thoughts, giving kids a gentle way to process their emotions.
Families interested in the benefits of mindful art can find more ideas at Mindful Art Activities for Kids, which features simple ways to foster calm, reflection, and emotional wellness through creativity.
Connecting With Community Through Iconic SLC Views
Painting familiar Salt Lake City spots—the rugged Wasatch mountains, Temple Square, or the Utah State Capitol—makes art personal. Each cityscape becomes a love letter to our own backyard.
Deepens local pride: Kids see their city’s beauty and uniqueness with fresh eyes, then capture it with color.
Celebrates community landmarks: Including places like the Capitol Building or local parks in paintings lets families talk about local history, community events, and their favorite spots together.
Forges connections: Cityscape art can spark conversations with friends and family, connecting generations through shared memories and stories.
Encouraging your child to paint scenes from Salt Lake City is more than a creative project—it’s a chance for them to develop art skills, relax, and feel at home in their city. For parents searching for fun activities for kids after school, these watercolor sessions offer both enrichment and lasting connection.
Step-By-Step Guide: Painting a Salt Lake Cityscape in Watercolor
Ready to help your child turn Salt Lake City’s stunning views into their own watercolor masterpiece? This step-by-step guide walks you and your young artist through every part of the process. From prepping the art table to adding those playful finishing touches, follow along and watch their cityscape come alive with color and pride.
Gathering the Right Supplies for Kids
Photo by Jeffrey Eisen
Before your child dips a brush in paint, gather all the essentials to keep things fun, safe, and organized. Great supplies set the stage for creative confidence—and fewer messes to clean up.
Here’s what you’ll need for a child-friendly watercolor session:
Non-toxic watercolor paints: Look for sets labeled non-toxic and washable, perfect for kids of any age. Options like Arteza's watercolor paint for kids are safe and easy to use.
Soft brushes in various sizes: At least one bigger brush for backgrounds and a smaller one for details.
Thick watercolor paper: Choose 90 lb or heavier paper so the paint won’t bleed through or tear.
Water cups and paper towels: Easy cleanup and handy for rinsing brushes or blotting excess water.
Reference images of Salt Lake City: Photos of landmarks like the Utah State Capitol or the Wasatch Range help guide your child’s sketch.
Pencil and eraser: For sketching out the cityscape before painting begins.
Palette or plate: For mixing colors.
Set up a roomy, well-lit spot—preferably with easy-to-clean surfaces. Kids can also wear an old t-shirt or smock to protect their clothes.
Sketching and Planning the Cityscape
Starting with a simple plan helps young artists feel confident and focused. Salt Lake City’s skyline and landmarks might look complex, so breaking them down into easy shapes does the trick.
Tips to make sketching stress-free and fun for kids:
Pick a main landmark. Choose something iconic, like the Wasatch mountains, Utah State Capitol, or Temple Square towers.
Simplify into shapes. Encourage your child to look for circles, rectangles, and triangles in each landmark. The Capitol dome = a half-circle, the mountains = zigzag lines.
Light pencil sketches. Remind kids to use gentle lines so mistakes are easy to erase.
Add a foreground and sky. A simple horizon line, trees, or a sidewalk gives the scene structure.
Let the sketch be loose, not perfect. The goal is to create a map for painting, not an exact replica. Praise effort and unique flair—kids’ art is all about character, not precision.
Watercolor Techniques Made Easy for Kids
With outlines in place, painting begins! Watercolors are great for kids because they’re playful and forgiving. Here’s how to make watercolor fun even for first-timers:
Blending: Show kids how a wet brush spreads color. Encourage them to brush two colors side by side and watch them blend where they touch. Blending is a little like letting two friends meet and mix together!
Layering: Start light. Kids can paint the sky or background with a “wash” (wet brush, lots of water and a bit of paint). Once dry, add another layer for shapes like buildings or trees. Every new layer can build up details, just like stacking blocks.
Color Mixing: Set out a palette or paper plate. Encourage mixing two favorite colors together and testing them on scrap paper. This feels a bit like being a scientist in an art lab—mixing, observing, and naming new shades!
Lifting: If a brushload is too dark or watery, dab gently with a paper towel to lift some color away.
Let children experiment without worrying about “messing up.” Learning these basics helps them keep trying new things and makes each painting session a learning adventure. For a deeper look at easy watercolor methods for kids, see the Faber-Castell watercolor kit guide.
Putting It All Together: Painting and Finishing Touches
Now for the magic—bringing the Salt Lake Cityscape to life! Help your child work step-by-step, building up their painting and savoring every improvement.
Here’s a child-friendly order for painting a cityscape in watercolor:
Paint the sky: Wet the top section of the paper and lay on blues, pinks, or yellows. Let colors mix for a sunrise, sunset, or clear day style.
Add background shapes: Block in mountains or faraway buildings with light colors.
Work from back to front: As each layer dries, paint closer buildings and trees. Use stronger colors for the foreground.
Add details: With a smaller brush, paint doors, windows, or architectural shapes. A little creative freedom (like purple mountains or a lime green street) keeps the process playful.
Final touches: Add splashes, dots for flowers, or sparkly highlights if desired. Encourage your child to stand back and admire their finished work.
Celebrate effort, not just results! Taking a photo or hanging the painting on the fridge turns every cityscape into a proud masterpiece and a story to tell. At Art Heart SLC, every finished Salt Lake City scene shows how fun activities for kids after school can spark confidence and connection—one watercolor at a time.
Inspiring Cityscape Ideas from Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City is packed with bright sights and inspiring architecture that are perfect for painting with kids. Each neighborhood brings a new mood, from the bold shapes of downtown to the blooming charm of Sugarhouse Park. These local views are a fantastic way to boost fun activities for kids after school while giving each young artist something unique to paint.
Below are some favorite spots and how to turn their character into beautiful, approachable watercolor art.
Downtown Skyline and Utah State Capitol: Focus on Shapes and Colors
Photo by Gela delrose
Downtown Salt Lake City stands out because of its unique blend of old and new architecture. The Utah State Capitol perches on the hillside, bold and elegant, while the surrounding skyline follows with sharp angles and pops of glass or brick.
Encourage kids to:
Use bold washes for the sky, like bright blues, purples, or sunset pinks for that big sky feeling.
Notice the dome of the Capitol—a half-circle right on top—then add strong lines for columns and steps. Breaking down the building into clear shapes helps even the youngest artists feel successful.
Explore simple outlines of tall downtown buildings. Exaggerate corners and windows with black or deep blue lines.
Play with color! Let kids add unexpected greens or oranges to the cityscape. Watercolors make it easy to blend and layer new shades.
For creative ideas and sketches, take a look at this Salt Lake City skyline watercolor print for more inspiration on layout and composition.
Sugarhouse Park in the Spring: Capture Greenery, Flowers, and Movement
Spring in Sugarhouse Park brings wide open lawns, streams, and colorful blooms. This spot is all about energy and growth, making it great for lively, cheerful paintings.
To capture the feeling of Sugarhouse Park:
Start with a light green wash for rolling hills, then layer darker greens for trees and bushes.
Use a smaller brush for wildflowers and scattered blossoms—dots of red, yellow, and purple add instant joy.
Draw the curve of the pond and let watercolors bleed slightly at the edges to suggest movement.
Show people or pets playing by turning simple stick figures or blobs of color into runners, kids on swings, or ducks near the water.
Keep the mood loose and animated. Remind kids that it’s okay if their brush makes a “wiggly” line—that’s the wind in the grass or water reflecting the sky. Painting outdoor scenes like Sugarhouse Park encourages kids to see their favorite places in new ways, and makes for some truly fun activities for kids after school.
If you want more step-by-step project ideas, check out this handy guide to easy watercolor techniques for kids.
Historic Landmarks: Salt Lake Temple and City & County Building
Historic Salt Lake City landmarks have plenty of detail, but younger artists will shine by focusing on the boldest, simplest parts—silhouette and symmetry.
Tips for painting famous buildings like the Temple or City & County Building:
Look for the biggest shapes first: is it a central tower? Are there two side spires? Help kids sketch these parts using rectangles and triangles.
Use dark, even outlines once the main shape is dry.
Skip fancy details and instead highlight what’s most recognizable.
For the Temple: tall spires and a broad base.
For the City & County Building: a large central dome and four corner towers.
Encourage kids to balance both sides when working on buildings with symmetry. Fold a paper in half to check if their outlines are even.
By focusing on what makes these spots stand out, any child can paint a landmark they’ll be proud to show friends and family. Keeping watercolors simple and playful means every historic site becomes part of accessible, creative fun.
For more cityscape composition ideas, there's plenty of visual inspiration in Pinterest’s Salt Lake City skyline art.
Let these Salt Lake City spots serve as both backdrop and star, giving kids endless choices for connecting with their hometown through art. Each painting becomes a window into the places that make after-school art so rewarding and full of personality.
Showcasing and Celebrating Your Child’s Watercolor Cityscape
Once your child has finished painting their version of Salt Lake City, don’t let that masterpiece gather dust in a drawer. Displaying and celebrating kids’ art helps them feel proud, motivated, and connected—plus, it brings some handmade color into your home. Whether you want a rotating gallery in your living room or a chance to cheer them on at Art Heart SLC, there are plenty of simple ways to put their art on show.
DIY At-Home Art Gallery Walls: Provide ideas for easy display setups in living spaces—frames, clips, and rotating galleries.
Photo by Monstera Production
Giving your child’s artwork a place of honor in your home does more than decorate the walls—it sends their creativity front and center for the whole family to see. A DIY gallery wall keeps the vibe playful and fresh, without needing a remodel.
Here are a few easy, switchable ways to display your child’s cityscapes:
Clip strings: Stretch twine across a wall or above a window, then use clothespins to hang watercolor paintings. This setup makes swapping new art in and out super simple.
Gallery frames: Choose a few large frames or a mismatched set from a thrift store. Add artwork to frames, then group them together for a cozy, curated look.
Cork boards or pinboards: Tack paintings onto a pinboard for a casual display. Your child can rearrange or add new pieces anytime.
Rotating gallery: Reserve one spot on the wall and update it weekly with their latest Salt Lake Cityscape. Take a quick photo each time, making a digital “art portfolio.”
For extra inspiration, explore practical tips from the post on easy ways to display kids' artwork at home, covering ideas that work for every home style.
Setting up an art wall makes art a regular, celebrated part of home life. Kids beam with pride when they spot their cityscape each day—a small boost that fuels ongoing art adventures and fits perfectly into fun activities for kids after school.
Virtual and Studio Exhibits at Art Heart SLC: Highlight opportunities for kids to share creations in Art Heart SLC’s community, boosting confidence and motivation.
Sharing your child’s watercolor cityscape beyond your living room brings art to life in new ways. Art Heart SLC opens its doors—both virtually and in person—for community exhibits where kids of all ages can shine.
Studio Gallery Shows: Art Heart SLC regularly hosts student art exhibits and workshops. When your child’s painting is displayed in the bright, welcoming studio, it turns their creative efforts into a “big deal”—crowds, smiles, and all.
Online Showcases: If you can’t make it to the studio, try submitting photos of your child’s artwork for virtual gallery viewing. Art Heart SLC’s online spaces let friends and family near and far admire the talent and effort in each watercolor.
Group exhibits help kids see their art as part of something bigger. They get to show off their own vision of Salt Lake City, celebrate other young artists, and soak up encouragement. These experiences spark more confidence and keep motivation high—fuel for more fun activities for kids after school and during summer.
Art Heart SLC continues to provide a safe, inclusive space for every budding artist to grow. Taking part in these exhibits is one way kids learn their voice—and their cityscape—matters. For upcoming show details or how to join, visit Art Heart SLC.
Showing and sharing cityscape paintings, both at home and in the community, turns a single project into a long-lasting source of pride and joy.
How to Get Involved: Art Heart SLC After-School Programs
Art Heart SLC makes it easy for families to jump right into creative fun after school. If your child lights up when painting or loves learning new art techniques, their after-school programs are a perfect fit. These small-group sessions stir up creativity, offer hands-on support, and give kids the chance to make art inspired by Salt Lake City—right alongside new friends.
From registration to what to expect on the first day, here’s everything you need to know about joining Art Heart SLC’s after-school programs for creative kids.
Photo by Yan Krukau
Easy Registration and Welcoming Atmosphere
Signing up is simple and stress-free. Visit Art Heart SLC’s official website, browse their after-school options, and reserve a spot that works with your family’s schedule. The crew at Art Heart SLC is warm, welcoming, and ready to answer any questions, whether you’re new to art or a studio regular.
Parents appreciate:
Flexible scheduling: Choose from different days and times to work around school and other activities.
Beginner-friendly sessions: No experience is needed. The teaching style is encouraging and personal, making each child feel valued from day one.
Small group sizes: Each young artist gets plenty of attention and support, boosting both skill and confidence.
A safe, inclusive space: Art Heart SLC focuses on making everyone feel at home, celebrating all creative voices.
Before the first class begins, you’ll get info about what to bring (usually just your child’s creativity). All art materials are provided, so there’s no shopping list to tackle.
What Kids Do: Creating, Connecting, and Growing
Once kids join an after-school session, the experience is more than just painting and cleanup. Each class explores a new theme or skill, with projects like watercolor cityscapes, mixed-media collages, or clay works—keeping things fresh, fun, and perfectly messy.
Key features of the program:
Hands-on learning: Kids experiment with different techniques and tools, learning new ways to express their ideas.
Art inspired by local sights: Projects often highlight Salt Lake City spaces, letting children see their world through the eyes of an artist.
Building friendships: The group setting helps kids connect with peers who share common interests, forming lasting bonds over shared creativity.
Personal growth: Every child leaves class with more confidence, both in their art and in themselves.
These art sessions fit naturally into any list of fun activities for kids after school. They help channel energy, nurture mindfulness, and spark new skills—turning ordinary weekdays into something kids look forward to.
How Families Can Get Involved
Families play a big part in the community at Art Heart SLC. From cheering on their artists during open studio nights to volunteering for special events, there are plenty of ways to join in the fun and help keep the creative spirit strong.
Ways to stay involved:
Attend student exhibits: Celebrate your child’s achievements and see what others are creating.
Volunteer for art shows or community projects: Help set up, greet new families, or guide art activities.
Share ideas: Join the studio’s parent group, offer feedback, or suggest new themes and projects.
Spread the word: Tell friends and neighbors about the program. The more, the merrier!
Getting started is simple. Start with a trial session or sign up for a season. The benefits go well beyond art skills—kids and families join a supportive, inspiring community rooted right in Salt Lake City’s creative heart. These are the fun activities for kids after school that spark a lifelong love of learning, sharing, and self-expression.
Conclusion
Cityscape painting with watercolors is more than art—it's a celebration of Salt Lake City and your child’s creative spark. These fun activities for kids after school turn familiar views into paintings that carry pride, joy and memories.
Whether you try this at home or with the Art Heart SLC studio, each brushstroke helps your child unwind, build confidence, and connect with their community. Now is the perfect time to set up those art supplies or sign up for a session. Thank you for supporting your budding artist’s journey—share their cityscapes, spread the excitement, and keep after-school creativity growing in Salt Lake City.
