7 Art Prompts for New Parents

Becoming a parent of an infant is less of a transition than a transformation. In the intense, early days of round-the-clock feedings, sleepless nights, and trying to learn everything about a child who may feel like a stranger, parents often have difficulty processing the experience. You may find that coming up with the words for what you are feeling is challenging. Or, connecting with others may be difficult during this time, as your whole world revolves around caring for an infant, pausing your involvement in work and social life. 

These art prompts are intended to help new parents connect with their inner selves and explore this new, life-altering experience. Taking time to care for yourself by processing the experience in art may help you to better articulate your needs, understand your new identity, and express this experience to others. 

Some prompts are directly related to the experience of the birthing parent. Translate these prompts to your own experience by replacing birthing parent with the description that best honors your experience. 

A note on emotional safety: Creating imagery around birth stories and parenting can evoke intense emotions. Ground yourself throughout the creation process to keep yourself in the here and now. You can literally put your tangible artwork into a container for an extra sense of emotional safety. 

WHAT YOU NEED

Create an image that represents you right now. Surround yourself with whatever you need-- think tangible resources like water, snacks, warmth, and support, or, healing, comforting energy.

EXPECTATIONS / REALITY

Create an image that represents who you thought you would be as a new parent and what it feels like now. Think about similarities / differences. What didn't you expect (positive, negative, neutral)? How would you express your experience on paper? Use lines, shapes, images, or words to translate this experience with your chosen art medium. 

BIRTH STORY

Create an image that represents your birth story. What do you want to remember? Are there parts you need to leave out or contain? 

BLIND CONTOUR PORTRAITS

Becoming a parent can make us feel unrecognizable to ourselves. Create a blind contour portrait by looking at yourself in the mirror, not at your paper, as you sketch, and completing the portrait without lifting your pen. Create another portrait of your child, your partner, or other people or pets in your family. How does trying this style make you look more closely? When you look at the scratchy renderings of human features, do you see anything true to this moment? 

A NEW WORLD

Create an image that represents the family you want to create with this new child. How do you want your family to feel? Consider things you want to keep or reject from your own upbringing. Use colors, images, or words. 

PAPERWORK

Having a baby often comes with a lot of paper–medical bills, baby gear user manuals, education brochures, congratulatory cards. Compile any paper you no longer need and use it alongside magazine images or other paper materials to create a collage representing this time in your life. 

HEALING ENERGY

As you emerge into the world as a new parent, your body, mind, and spirit have gone through a rapid change. Whether or not you are the birthing parent, your body is going through these changes. Sleep deprivation and the adjustment to caring for a tiny human can be intense. Create an image that represents healing energy. Use colors, lines, or shapes that feel calming and restorative. 

Don't miss an update--subscribe to our newsletter on Substack to receive new blog posts & the latest news in your inbox every other week.