50 Fun and Engaging Process Art Ideas for Preschoolers

Process Art with preschoolers is so fun and rewarding. 
Sometimes coming up with a new idea to try can be a challenge. Save this post for the next time you're looking for a fabulous new process art invitation! 

1. Stencil Dab Painting: Use large stencils and dot markers
2. Fly Swatter Painting

3. Nature sticky collage
4. Provide various sizes and textures of string along with tempera paint Children squirt paint onto card stock and then drag string through it
5. Nylon drop painting

6. Use a large squirter to paint with washable liquid colors
7. Paint with washable liquid watercolors in a spray bottle
8. Use a plunger to paint on large butcher paper
9. Use an eyedropper to paint with liquid watercolors
10. Paint using magnet wands and magnetic objects on a tray

11. Marble Painting: Put drops of shaving cream and tempera paint in a box lid, drop in some marbles and gently roll back and forth
12. Branch Collage: Find a large branch, just the right size to suspend from the ceiling in your classroom. Provide tempera paint (a variety of complimentary colors, consider a few colors with glitter). Invite students to paint the branch as a group. Once dry provide glue (use dishes of glue and brushes) along with collage materials like feathers, stretched cotton balls, jewels, tiny pinecones,  and dried flowers. Invite students to glue on the collage materials. Hang the Branch Collage in the classroom.

13. Holiday Collage: Provide a variety of materials in holiday colors (such as white, red, and pink for valentines or red, white, and blue for Independence Day) such as pom poms, shredded paper, craft sticks, washi tape and perhaps some items from nature such as dried flowers or small pine cones. Provide glue and invite students to create as they choose. 
14. Cut paper towel tubes in half, use the ends to make stamps on paper, kids can choose to form the end of the tube to create a different shape or design. 
15. Easter Egg Dip Painting

16. Painting with Threaded Pipe: In a cardboard lid or tray drop shaving cream and paint. Drop a threaded male-to-male fitting inside. Then either roll gently back and forth to make a design or use a magnet wand on the underside of the lid to move the fitting.
17. Weaving: Provide a variety of ribbon along with a dishmat from the dollar store (the kind that has square holes all across it). Invite students to weave ribbon in and out making any design they choose.
18. Explore symmetry by painting on one side of paper, then folding in half to make a print on the other side. 

19. Bubble Wrap Printing
​20. Squish and Twist Painting: Drop paint between two paper plates, students squish the paint in the middle, then twist the plates to cover with paint. ​

21. String Prints: Wrap yarn or string around a paper towel tube. Students drip paint onto a canvas or paper. Students then roll the tube through the paint to make their chosen design.
22. Paint with a toothbrush

23. Paint on sandpaper
24. Provide washi tape and colored craft sticks as an open invitation to create 3D art
25. Bottle Bottom Stamping: Provide plastic bottles (provide a few that have different patterns on the bottom) and small shallow dishes of paint. Invite students to dip their bottle into paint and then stamp on their paper. ​

26. Provide large nuts and bolts, include interesting fittings such as elbows. Invite students to create 3D art sculpture.
27. Recycle Collage: Provide empty food cans (be sure they are clean and were cut with no sharp edges, inspect carefully), large nuts, bolts, and washers along with googly eyes and other collage materials.
28. Try Solar Printing

29. Outdoors collect rocks, twigs, and pine cones. Provide small trays or pictures frames. Students can create works of art from the nature materials. Take a picture of their art if they wish to be hung in the classroom.
30. Make and create with Puffy Paint

31. Foot Painting: Provide a large piece of paper or drop cloth and tempera paints, invite students to walk through the paint onto the drop cloth to make a work of art.
32. Classroom Nature Collage: Collect lightweight items in nature. Provide a 5 foot long piece of white butcher paper. Mix clear glue and paint (provide 3-4 complimentary colors). Invite students to paint the paper with their choice(s) of color and stick items to it wherever they choose.
33.  Experiment with creating other colors; try making brown to use as mud for cars to drive through and make tire tracks on paper.

​34. Use biocolors to paint in layers on paper
35. Use a bottle cap as a stamp, dip into paint and then make a design with the stamp on paper

36. Use shower sponges and tempera paint, throw at a large piece of poster board (outdoors)
37. Scrape painting: Provide paint (tempera or bio colors) and scrapers (or make your own from cardboard!) for students to explore.
38.  Try Potato Stamping

39. Painting Race Ramps: Provide poster board, card stock, or butcher paper. Set the paper up on a ramp. Invite students to dip cars or trucks into paint and roll down the ramp.
40. Straw Painting

41. Provide tempera paint in a variety of colors and combs in a variety of sizes and colors for painting.
42.Provide clean empty food containers, students can dip into paint and then stamp onto paper. Be sure to provide a variety of sizes.
43.  Sponge Painting

44. Painting with a plastic fork and tempera paint
​45. ​ Crayon Resist Watercolors

46. Animal Tracks: Provide plastic animal figures and tempera paint for children to dip animals in and make tracks on card stock.
47. Make a seed mosaic with seeds in a variety of sizes and colors
48. Tape resist art with sidewalk chalk

49.  Use permanent markers in a variety of colors to draw on aluminum foil
​50. Make a suncatcher using contact paper and tissue paper

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