A collection of painting ideas for Pre-K and Preschool children.
Find more art ideas on the Art Resource Page
Books
A list of art books for Pre-K children: Books
Mixing Colors
Children chose one tempera paint color to mix with black and white paint to create dark and light hues.
More Ideas for Mixing Colors:
Mix the 8 basic colors with white.
Mix the primaries (red, blue, yellow) with each other.
Mix the primaries with white.
Mix the 8 basic colors with a little brown or black.
Mix a primary color with a secondary color.
Tree Painting
Children paint a representation of a tree with tempera paint.
Flower Painting
Children paint a representation of a flower with tempera paint.
Gourd Painting
Children had real gourds to use as models for their painting. They first drew outlines and details of their gourds with black ink pens, and then painted them with tempera paint. We had a variety of hues of paint, and the children matched the hues of paint to the hues of color on the gourds. We used our thinnest paintbrushes.
Wax Resist
Children drew pictures with oil pastels and painted over the paper with liquid watercolor. The first picture has night animals washed over with black paint and the second picture has ocean animals washed over with blue-green paint.
Salt Paint
Children mix the salt paint themselves, and the paint is used for open-ended art.
Salt Paint Recipe:
2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Liquid starch
A few drops of tempera paint
Mix ingredients together.
Marble Painting
Children place a piece of paper in a pie pan, dip a marble in paint and roll it around the pan.
Painting Drums
Wrap a piece of art paper around a nut can or drink mix can for children to paint.
Coffee Filters
Children dropped liquid watercolor onto coffee filters with medicine droppers.
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I really am so relieved to have found your web page. It seems to be difficult to find art projects that I like for my pre-k students. You have given so many ideas that I will use as a jumping off point for my classes. Please ley me know when/if you update with new ideas. š
Hi Elizabeth, You can sign up for my email newsletter to get updates! Sign up here: https://www.prekinders.com/subscribe/
Superb ideas.Thank you so much for sharing your ideas.Eagerly waiting for your next updates
Awesome pre- k ideas….I love their masterpieces! Cherish!
Your website is absolutely awesome! I worked in Kindergarten as an assistant for 11 of my 20yr career and am seriously impressed with your expertise! Keep u the great work. I am now retired and homeschooling my 3yr old grandson. I cant get enough ideas from you. Thank you for all your hard work. I certainly appreciate it.
Mamaw
I feel like giving you a Brazilian hug!
Thank you for sharing so many wonderful ideas!
Thank you! *Hugs* to you, too!
Seeing the gourds made me think of gourd rattles. Do you ever have children paint the gourds themselves? Might make for an interesting project to let them dry out and then paint them for an art + music activity!