Recommended Age Group: 3yr and up

Materials needed: Coins, leaves, tape, paper and crayons

Procedure: Put the coins or leaves under the paper. Tape the paper to the table. Use the side of a crayon to make a rubbing of the coin underneath.

Guidance tips: Coins work better for younger children.

Recommended Age Group: 3yr and up

Materials needed: Paper, glue, magazines and scissors

Procedure: Cut out pictures from a magazine of the child’s favorite color or foods. Glue them on the paper.

Guidance tips: If children have trouble cutting, they can rip the pictures out.

Recommended Age Group: 3yr and up

Materials needed: Chalk and chalkboard

Procedure: Have a child make dots on the chalk board. Then connect the dots to make designs. You can also have a child make three dots, then connect them to make a triangle.

Guidance tips: Show children that any shape with three straight sides is a triangle.

Recommended Age Group: 4yr and up

Materials needed: Paper, writing utensils and stapler

Procedure: Fold the paper in half and staple it to make a booklet. Have children draw faces of how they feel in a variety of situations. For example ask them, “How would you feel if you see something scary?” they should draw a scared face. If they get a present they would draw a happy or excited face. When they have a toy taken away they draw a sad face.

Guidance tips: Print out pictures for preschoolers to glue in place to do this activity with younger children.

Recommended Age Group: 18mo and up

Materials needed: Paper, crayons, envelopes and stickers

Procedure: Have children draw a picture for their families. Put it in an envelope and to give to parents at the end of the day.

Guidance tips: Use large crayons for toddlers, since they are easier to hold and harder to break.

Recommended Age Group: 3yr and up

Materials needed: Colored pencils and construction paper

Procedure: Ask children to draw a picture of their families. Read The Family Book by Todd Parr while the kids draw. Point out that light colored pencils work better on dark colored paper.

Guidance tips: Tell children they can include their pets and extended family in the portrait.

Recommended Age Group: 18mo and up

Materials needed: Smocks, paper and skin toned washable paint

Procedure: Have children make fingerprints using skin toned paints. Point out how their hands change color in the paint.

Guidance tips: Old shirts can be used in place of smocks.

Recommended Age Group: 4yr and up

Materials needed: Paper, writing utensils and laminator machine

Procedure: Ask the children to draw activities that they are good at. Laminate the pictures and use them during snack time.

Guidance tips: Remind children that their drawing does not have to be perfect.

Recommended Age Group: 4yr and up

Materials needed: Tempera paint, paper, marbles, boxes and glitter

Procedure: Put a sheet of paper in each box. Add a little paint to each paper. Then put a marble in the box. Have children move their box so the marble goes through the paint to make designs on the paper. Add glitter, more colors, or different sizes of marbles to finish the picture.

Guidance tips: Use boxes with deep sides for younger children.

Recommended Age Group: 18mo and up

Materials needed: Paper cut out in the shape of a person and crayons or markers

Procedure: Ask children to color clothes on the person. You can also label body parts on the paper.

Guidance tips: Have a few extra people shaped papers in case one rips.

Recommended Age Group: 3yr and up

Materials needed: Paper, watercolor paints, cups of water and several different styles of music

Procedure: Have the children paint while listening to different styles of music. They may use different brush strokes or colors depending on the music they hear.

Guidance tips: Make sure the children have enough space to work.

Recommended Age Group: 3yr and up

Materials needed: Tempera paint, paper and people shaped sponges with missing legs or arms

Procedure: Have children make a picture with the sponge people. Point out the differences between the people.

Guidance tips: Answer questions honestly about the people with missing limbs.

Recommended Age Group: 3yr and up

Materials needed: Play dough, pizza cutter, butter knives, rolling pin and melon baller

Procedure: Ask children to make pizza, cookies, and other foods using play dough.

Guidance tips: Give each child one color so they do not get mixed together.

Recommended Age Group: 2yr and up

Materials needed: Scissors, paper and used birthday or holiday cards

Procedure: Have children cut or rip the cards. Then glue them to the paper.

Guidance tips: Tell children the cards can overlap if they want it to.

Recommended Age Group: 3yr and up

Materials needed: Scissors, paper, pencils and pens

Procedure: Ask children to make fringe on the edge of their paper using the scissors. They should make one snip at a time along the edge. Use pens or pencils to draw in the middle.

Guidance tips: Children may need help holding the paper while they cut.

Recommended Age Group: 18mo and up

Materials needed: Tempera paint, smocks, paper, sponge roller brush, wacky brushes and net scrubbies

Procedure: Use the brushes to make a variety of designs on the paper.

Guidance tips: Stay with the children to make sure the materials stay in the art area.

Recommended Age Group: 18mo and up

Materials needed: A large box of crayons and paper

Procedure: Use a variety of shades of one color to make a picture.

Guidance tips: Set out groups of each color to help children differentiate what group the crayons belong in.

Recommended Age Group: 18mo and up

Materials needed: Sidewalk chalk and sidewalk

Procedure: Give children some chalk and let them draw.

Guidance tips: Get out one piece of chalk per child to encourage trading.

Recommended Age Group: 3yr and up

Materials needed: Spray bottles, butcher paper, tape, water and food coloring

Procedure: Hang the paper up using tape outside on a fence. Fill the bottles with water. Add some food coloring to every bottle. Have children spray the paper.

Guidance tips: Have the children take turns using the bottles and playing. Tell them their turn is over if they spray each other.

Recommended Age Group: 3yr and up

Materials needed: Cotton balls, glue, markers and construction paper

Procedure: Glue cotton balls on the paper to make a snowy day scene. Children can make a snow fort, snow man, falling snow, etc.

Guidance tips: Tell children the scene could be at night or during the day. Help children with the glue if needed.

Recommended Age Group: 3yr and up

Materials needed: Stamps, ink pads, sponges and paper

Procedure: Use the stamps on the paper. Get some ink on the sponge to decorate the edge of the paper.

Guidance tips: Check to make sure the ink is non-toxic. Smocks may be needed for younger children.

Recommended Age Group: 4yr and up

Materials needed: Markers and paper

Procedure: Read a story. Ask the children to draw a scene from the book or a something that they wanted to happen in the story.

Guidance tips: Tell children they can use simple shapes to represent objects in the drawing.

Recommended Age Group: 2yr and up

Materials needed: Paint, smock, butcher paper, thin and thick brushes

Procedure: Have children work together by using paint on a large piece of paper to make thick and thin brush strokes on the paper. The children can practice making straight, zig zag and curved lines on the paper.

Guidance tips: Have three children painting at a time. Set out another activity while the other children want for their turn.

Recommended Age Group: 2yr and up

Materials needed: Tissue paper, glue stick, construction paper and a book illustrated by Eric Carle

Procedure: Read Today is Monday or another book by Eric Carle. Point out the illustrations. Tear the tissue paper into small pieces. Glue the tissue paper overlapping on the construction paper to make a picture.

Guidance tips: Children may need help using the glue.

Recommended Age Group: 3yr and up

Materials needed: Yarn, scissors, glue and paper

Procedure: Cut yarn into pieces. Glue the yarn to the paper to make art.

Guidance tips: Help children put the yarn on top of the glue.