Art therapy activities are a powerful tool for emotional expression, stress relief, and personal insight.
You’ll love the therapeutic art exercises shared in this post, regardless if you are an art therapist, an art therapy student, or simply someone curious about creative healing methods. In tooday’s blog post my main goal is to share with you a rich collection of ideas to explore.
In this post, we’ll introduce the basics of art therapy, explore its benefits, and share 20 art therapy activities you can try at home, in art therapy sessions, or in classrooms.
From guided drawing to collage-making, these creative prompts are ideal to improve your overall well-being, reducing anxiety, and improve your self-awareness.
Definitely also check out my post with 120 Art Therapy Ideas, hopefully the list will inspire you to get started!
And if you want a full course with guided step by step instructions to get started with Art Therapy, enroll in one of my multiple Creative Art Courses on Udemy. Grab a Discount Code here.
What is Art Therapy and why am I sharing these creative art activities with you?
Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses creative expression—such as drawing, painting, sculpting, or collage—as a therapeutic tool. Developed by professionals trained in both psychology and the arts, it allows individuals to communicate emotions and experiences that may be difficult to express with words.
While anyone can benefit from creative self-expression, art therapy is particularly effective for individuals dealing with trauma, anxiety, depression, or developmental challenges.
Psychology and Art Therapy in Clinical Settings
In clinical environments, art therapy is guided by licensed therapists who use psychological theories and assessments to tailor sessions to a client’s mental health needs. It complements traditional therapy, especially for people who have difficulty articulating their feelings.
Art therapy is recognized by institutions such as the American Psychological Association (APA) and is often used in hospitals, schools, rehabilitation centers, and private practices. Through the creative process, clients can gain insight into their behavior and emotions, opening the door for deeper healing.
The Benefits of Art Therapy
Encourages emotional expression and regulation
Helps individuals process trauma and grief
Supports non-verbal communication
Boosts self-esteem and confidence
Reduces stress and anxiety levels
Enhances problem-solving skills and mindfulness
Art therapy can be used across age groups—from children and teens to adults and seniors—and it’s also integrated into a variety of clinical, educational, and community settings.
How to Use These Art Therapy Activities
The following art therapy exercises and ideas are designed to support emotional well-being, reduce stress, and encourage self-expression through creativity. They can be used in a variety of settings: in individual therapy, group therapy sessions, school classrooms, wellness workshops, or simply at home for personal self-care. Most of these activities are beginner-friendly and require only basic art supplies like paper, pens, colored pencils, markers, magazines, or clay.
These exercises are not just for artists—they are suitable for children, teens, and adults, including those who may struggle to put their feelings into words. Art therapists, counselors, teachers, and caregivers can use these prompts to explore emotions, support healing, or build resilience. Whether you’re working through a challenge, managing anxiety, or simply want to connect with yourself on a deeper level, these prompts offer a safe and creative space to begin.
Feel free to choose one that resonates with your mood or therapeutic goals, or move through them as part of a structured program for ongoing self-discovery and emotional support.
20 Creative Art Therapy Activities to Try
Here are 20 art therapy exercises to explore—each one linked to a specific goal like relaxation, emotional release, or building self-esteem. You can click on the image or link to explore more in-depth tutorials or blog posts from trusted sources.
Tip: These activities work well in individual practice, group sessions, or classrooms. You don’t need to be an artist—just be open to the process!
1. Draw Your Safe Space
Ideal for creating a sense of calm and emotional security. Ask participants to draw a real or imagined place where they feel completely safe.
2. Create an Emotion Wheel
Helps individuals identify, understand, and name their emotions by assigning colors, shapes, or symbols to different feelings.
3. Scribble Drawing and Interpretation
Encourages spontaneity and unconscious exploration. Participants create random scribbles and then transform them into meaningful images.
4. Identity Collage
A self-exploration exercise where participants cut out words and images from magazines to represent their personality, background, or values.
5. Mandala Drawing or Coloring
Used to promote mindfulness and relaxation. Participants either color a mandala template or design one from scratch to reflect inner balance.
6. Life Timeline in Art
A visual timeline where participants illustrate key life events with symbols or scenes, fostering reflection and insight into personal growth.
7. Draw to a Story or Spoken Word
Try drawing or doodling while listening to a short story, spoken word poetry, or a calming guided meditation. Let the words guide your lines, colors, and shapes. This exercise is great for exploring subconscious associations, processing emotions, and tuning into the power of language and imagination.
If you love Writing Inspired Art Therapy, also check out this blog post.
8. Blind Self-Portrait
A playful exercise that reduces self-judgment. Participants draw a self-portrait with their eyes closed, allowing freedom and imperfections.
9. Create an Anger Monster
Helps children and adults externalize anger by drawing or sculpting a character that represents their angry feelings.
10. Gratitude Tree
Participants draw a tree and write or draw things they are grateful for on each branch or leaf to cultivate positive thinking.
11. Vision Board or Dream Collage
Supports goal setting and motivation. Participants create a visual representation of their aspirations using magazine clippings, quotes, or photos.
12. Inside/Outside Mask
A mask-making activity where participants decorate the outside with what they show the world, and the inside with their hidden emotions or thoughts.
13. Mood Weather Drawing
Encourages emotional awareness by having participants represent their current mood as a weather pattern (e.g., stormy, sunny, foggy).
14. Personal Strength Shield
Participants design a symbolic shield that showcases their personal strengths, values, and coping skills.
15. One-Line Drawing Activity
Promotes focus and relaxation. Participants draw without lifting the pen from the paper, encouraging continuous creative flow.
16. Guided Art Journaling
Combines writing and visual expression. Participants respond to reflective prompts through both text and images in a dedicated journal. Check out Artfulhaven for more inspo!
17. Clay or Playdough Sculpture
Engages the senses and supports emotional release. Participants sculpt objects that represent a current emotion or personal challenge.
18. Reimagining Famous Artworks
Encourages interpretation and perspective-taking. Participants choose a well-known artwork and alter it to reflect their own story or emotions.
19. Symbol Drawing for a Challenge
Participants think of a recent struggle and represent it visually using shapes, abstract forms, or metaphorical imagery.
20. Watercolor Mood Landscape
A calming activity where participants paint an abstract landscape using colors that reflect their current emotional state.
Final Thoughts on Therapeutic Art Activities
Art therapy is more than just making art—it’s a powerful tool for self-discovery, healing, and emotional expression.
The 20 activities shared in this post are designed to help you explore your inner world, process emotions, and connect more deeply with yourself.
Anyone that stumbles upon these different art therapy exercises can do them!
Whether you are an art therapist, a student, or someone simply seeking creative ways to cope and grow, these therapeutic art exercises offer a starting point for meaningful transformation (and I really hope you like them).
Incase i haven’t mentioned it before, you really don’t need to be an artist to benefit—just a willingness to show up, be honest with yourself, and trust the process. Let your creativity guide you, and remember: every move you make is a step toward healing.
Let me know in the comment section which of the 20 Art therapy activities was your favorite! If you are looking for even more Art therapy ideas , check out my blog post.
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