I have decided to take a little inventory on my blog to make sure it’s as helpful and resourceful as possible. As it turns out, I have over 50 art projects for kids ages 3 to 5 that are super duper amazing and awesome right here. I took some time to round them all up so you have all 50 plus ideas at your fingertips. I divided them into sub categories too so you can easily scan through and get an idea for your next art project. I’ll keep adding to the list as time passes on. Can’t believe both my girls soon will be in this category.
*Note* I put a little star next to the ones that are super duper easy for all the non crafty moms out there. Hope that’s helpful. I promise these are doable and you’ll feel so crafty afterwards. Plus your kids will be psyched! Just have fun with it. Oh, and if you are a non crafty mom and disagree with my evaluation of easiness, please oh please let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!
Printmaking for Preschoolers
10 Literacy Art Projects for Preschoolers
How to Mix Paint with Kids*
Salt Painting
Collage for Preschoolers
Self Portraits
Self Portrait shadow Boxes
Self Portrait Shadow Boxes Part 2
Self Portrait Cutouts
Outer Space Spin Art
Spin Art Rocks*
Spin Art Buffet*
Spin Art Suncatchers
Make Robots from Tinker Trays
Make Tinker Trays
Pumpkin Decorating with Tinker Trays*
Make Hanukkiahs
Fall Wind Chimes
Paint Wood Beads*
Dying Wood Beads*
Building with Wood
Wood Working with 3 and 4 year Olds
Fabric Resist Art Pillows
Make Beaded Sculptures*
Make An Art Fort
Crayon Art Sculpture
Gratitude Boxes
Melted Crayon Art*
Bleeding Hearts
Tissue Paper Balloons Bowls
Temporary Mosaic Art
Winter Scene Shadow Boxes
Chalk Nature Painting
Painting Shells with Watercolors*
Creating with Nature – Wood and Beads
Nature Painting
Build a Nature Wall
Watercolor Flower Painting
Tissue Paper Flower Art
Paint a Tree
A Reggio Thanksgiving
Random Acts of Kindness Hearts
Fruit Garland
Sculpey Necklaces
You’re Awesome Awards
Sculpey Finger Puppets*
Washi Tape Rain Sticks
Washi Tape Mural*
Easy Puppet Theater
Washi Tape Blocks
Washi Tape Carpet Games*
Washi Tape Wall Art
Washi Tape Raceway*
Recycled Art Portfolios*
Recycled Shape Art
Recycled Styrofoam Geoboard
Painting with Recyclables*
Recycled Hanging Rainbows
Here’s a great resource for art supplies. These are my top ten art supplies for kids.
Click here to read more about my ebook, Art Secrets Every Teacher Should Know…a Reggio Inspired Approach
Great post. We.v loved reading it.my daughter especially loved spotting this 1s we.v already done from your blog. Spin art & washi tape are the vocal requests now. Thank You.
YAY! I love hearing that. Thank you so much Carla.
loved this
I would like to know were I can get the book
Hi Cheryl, which book? All the ebooks are in the sidebar of my site as well as the bottom of the post. Hope that helps. Thank you so much.
Fabulous, Meri and best of all: I know that each one of these is special and will be an amazing activity! A fabulous post, filled with your creative spirit!
Thank you so much Gina! I wish we could do any one of these together with ALL the kids!
just wondering, with all the art that is made by your kids, do you keep it all, store it, keep some, toss some……?
Hi! I do ditch some of it. But most of it I keep in portfolios like this http://www.mericherry.com/2015/01/01/recycled-art-portfolios-art-storage-kids/ They are big and easy to make and every year or whenever needed we make another and I put their age/year. It’s like a filing system. They fit nicely in magazine racks too and occasionally my girls go through them. I go through them too sometimes and ooh and ahh and also think, why did I save this one? : )
I love, love, love your ideas. I signed up for your emails also. I do have one suggestion….after I signed up for your email. It kept popping up . It did it so often that when I was trying to read your posts it got annoying. But other than that I love your site.
Thank you so much for telling me!!! I have been having some issues with that pop up. I am trying to fix it asap. I really appreciate you letting me know and your kind words. Thank you!
I was wondering if you have different activities like this for elderly. I work with elderly with dementia and altimerze. I’m going to start for with these activities. This would be fun. Thanks for these wonderful ideas.
I love knowing you are trying these out with adults. How wonderful. Paint mixing and then painting on recycled cardboard I think would be really fun and open ended. Here’s a link. http://www.mericherry.com/2014/10/06/recycled-shape-art-kids-easy-project/ I don’t have anything specific. I would recommend all the really open ended stuff. Oooh, pastels too. http://www.mericherry.com/2015/02/19/working-pastels-easy-process-art-kids/ Hope these are helpful!
Thank you for sharing! I can’t wait to try some of your projects with our Creative Tots!!
Awesome! My pleasure!
Wow, Meri…you make me wish I wasn’t afraid of messes 😉 Thanks for putting this list together! Maybe one day…when I’m feeling brave…
From rock painting to spin art to melted crayons, your 5 year old will love the 6899 se colorful and creative craft ideas!
do you guys ever have pottery activities for 3-5 year olds
yes, I’ll have to post a few. thanks for the reminder! we have a great fall one coming up
Hi! Meri,
I’m a preschool teacher of 3 year olds. And process art is newish in my neck of the woods. I’m in love with it and completely understand the hole concept of it’s the process not the end results. Love it!
I do have a question about it though.
Looking and reading through a few of your posts, 1 in particular is the “Robot Puppet”, how do you present it? Wording I suppose. For instance did you tell them they were going to make a robot puppet? And have all the parts and supplies there on the table for them?
Or did you have everything prepared and on the table and throw out suggestions as to what they might make?
I know I’m babbling but I so desperately want to understand and get it right!
In a class that I’m taking I asked the question if I had all the parts and supplies laid out on the table for example a school bus. I told the kiddos we were going to make a school bus today, so they knew , you can use everything on the table….and let them put it together as they saw fit, was that a form of process art or teacher lead art? I was told no it is not process art. Then i was told if I had maybe read a book about a school bus and placed the book in the art center and as the kiddos were getting their supplies that were laid out and simply suggested “gee all those colors and parts kinda look like a school bus. Remember our story about a school bus” and then let them create, maybe a school bus, their way that could be process art.
I’m so confused. Is the main thing not to tell them this is what we’re making? It seems okay to lay everything out. Help!
I know I’m a challenge and I thank you upfront.
Blessings!
Hi Betsy, I think this is a really great question and understand where you’re coming from. First, I’ll say, you’re doing great. Second, different people may have different opinions on this. Regarding the robots, I said who likes Robots? Who thinks they can make a really cool robot? I bet you are going to have ideas I never even dreamed of. And things along those lines, knowing my students would be into making robots. For me what makes it process art is that everyone is able to make their own choices, explore the materials, making decisions about how they want their robot to look. No two robots looked the same and the kids truly enjoyed the process and their own creativity. To me, that’s process art. Hope that helps! all the best, Meri
Thank you so much Meri!
Whew! I feel better to know i wasn’t too far off.
So I set the stage with all the props and then subtly trigger their creative juices and let the magic happen!
I’m feeling so much more confident now and am ready to get started next week!!
Thank you again Meri! <3
Transforming trash into beautiful art and craft pieces is now a global practice. Why don’t you give it a try? Here are some interesting ways to recycle and reuse items that usually end up in a bin!
https://www.parentcircle.com/article/art-made-out-of-waste-material/
Wow! Such an amazing and helpful post this is. I really love it. It’s so good and so awesome.
this is really perfect I liked it