Process Art Idea Book | 48 Preschool Art Activities

Quick Answer

The Process Art Idea Book gives preschool teachers 48 illustrated activities for the art center or small groups. Children can blow paint outward with a straw to give a drawing silly hair, stamp with bubble wrap, or move a paper clip through paint with a magnet. Each activity leaves room for children to choose colors, try different marks, and decide when their work is finished.

What’s Included

• One teacher cover page with directions and Preschool Vibes Standards.

• Four pages of clickable picture choices. Select a picture to open its activity page.

• Twenty-four activity pages with two illustrated ideas per page.

• A materials list, setup directions, suggestions for exploring, and one optional question for each of the 48 activities.

How to Use

Choose an idea from the picture index that fits the supplies you have. For bubble wrap cup stamps, secure a square of bubble wrap over the rim of a cup with a rubber band, bubbles facing out. Children dip the covered rim in paint, press it onto paper, and lift. Invite them to stamp again before adding more paint and see how the second print changes.

Why It Works

The same tool gives children different possibilities. One child might press a fork into paint, stamp the tines onto paper, and add a stem to make a flower. Another might drag the fork across the page to make long stripes. As children choose what to try next, they practice controlling the tool and noticing how their movements change the marks they make.

Preschool Vibes Standards

• 9A. We can express ideas through art using a variety of materials.

• 9D. We can build and create using open-ended materials (blocks, loose parts, construction).

• 1G. We can show curiosity by exploring materials and asking questions.

• 8C. We can use our hands and fingers to build and manipulate materials.

• 8D. We can use tools with increasing control (tweezers, scissors, markers, droppers, etc.).

Digital Download

This resource is a 29-page color PDF formatted for US Letter paper (8.5 × 11 inches). Browse it digitally or print selected activity pages at 100% / Actual Size to keep at your art center.