Although our teacher team created this art activity for kids with New Year’s celebrations in mind, there’s no reason you can’t pull out the straws and “paint” fireworks with your students any time of the year! Get the art template here. Not only is this a great way to practice their creativity, working with the straw also helps strengthen verbal and motor skills.
40+ Fun + Funky Art Activities for Kids to Try in the Classroom
Just about every school offers some art education these days, although the requirements are pretty fast and loose regarding whether or not there needs to be an art teacher on the premises. Certainly, there’s plenty to gain when your school has an active arts education program: The studies show that art education is linked to everything from motivation to concentration to confidence, even and teamwork.
But what art activities for elementary students are really worth it? The teachers on the Teach Starter gathered our favorite art activities for kids to provide some ideas for elementary teachers!
Art Activities for Kids
Learning about the different biomes? Follow up your adventure to the hot, wet rainforest with a fun art project that will give your class a bird’s eye view of one of the Amazon’s many creatures!
Supplies
- Yellow, green, and brown construction paper
- White paper
- Paints
- Feathers
- Googly eyes
- Black marker
- Glue
How to Create the Rainforest Art Project:
- Students take off a shoe and sock and trace a foot on a white piece of paper to create the outline of a footprint.
- Students then paint the inside of the footprint.
- Draw a tree branch on brown paper, cut it out and paste onto the piece of yellow construction paper. You’ll want to make sure the branch is about a third of the way down the page and placed horizontally — this is where their tropical bird will sit.
- Once their footprint is dry, students cut it out and paste it to the piece of yellow construction paper with the heel at the top and toes sitting on the branch.
- Add feathers for the tail.
- Add googly eyes and draw a beak with a marker.
- Cut leaf shapes out of the green paper, and add them to the picture to complete their rainforest art project.
Cherry Blossom Crepe Paper Art
Do you have leftover crepe paper from a child’s birthday party? This colroful paper is often used to create party streamers. Because it’s so thin, it tears easily. That makes it harder to reuse for a second party but perfect for kids’ art projects in the classroom!
Jessica from @teachlearncreate shared this fun idea for creating Cherry Blossom Art with our teacher team, and we love that it can be used by a variety of grade levels. Why not teach students about the Cherry Blossoms in Washington D.C. or Japan along with this art project?
Pick up these beautiful children’s books to go along with the lesson:
- Sakura’s Cherry Blossoms by Robert Paul Weston and Misa Saburi
- Cherry Blossoms: The Official Book of the National Cherry Blossom Festival by Ann McClellan
Supplies:
- White cardstock
- Permanent marker
- Colored crepe paper
- Paintbrush
- Cup of water
- Pencil
- Glue
How to Make Cherry Blossoms Crepe Paper Art:
- Draw the shape of tree branches on your white cardstock with a pencil, and draw over it with a black permanent marker.
- Then, layer the squares of crepe paper over the top.
- Wet the crepe paper with a brush and water.
- Let the crepe paper dry and then gently remove the crepe paper.
- Finally, roll balls of white and pink crepe paper and glue onto the branches to form the cherry blossom flowers.
Some other fun ways to use crepe paper for kids’ art projects:
- Allow students to ball up green bits of crepe paper to make “leaves” on tree art.
- Bits of colorful crepe paper can be substituted for the tissue paper in this “I Love You to Pieces” card project.
FIG at Home
Want to get crafty and keep kids engaged and learning at home? You’ve come to the right place. The Whatcom Museum is committed to serving our community, and we’re excited to offer new online resources for kids and families. Here you’ll find a selection of at-home activities, from science experiments to craft projects, developed by our Family Interactive Gallery (FIG) staff.
Caregivers can also find links to other learning resources to cultivate curiosity.
Activities
Check out the activities below and download a printable PDF complete with a materials list and instructions. Check back often as we continue to add activities that are sure to banish boredom. We aim to feature crafts and science projects that can be done with materials found in most homes. Let us know if there’s a specific topic you’d like to see covered by filling out our contact form.
Chromatography Butterflies
Create colorful butterflies using markers, coffee filters, and simple science. Check out this video to see the activity in action!
Coffee Clay
This easy-to-make dough is fun for nature prints, sensory play, and DIY fossils.
Bubble Snakes
Have some fun in the sun with this exciting upcycled bubble-snake maker. Watch our video to see the activity in action.
Leaf Print Cards
Make these easy leaf print cards to send to someone you love in this time of physical distancing.
Foam Volcano
Watch colors erupt using household items in this foamy at-home science experiment! See the activity in action here.
Driftwood Wands
Take a walk along the shores of one of Bellingham’s many water banks to find the perfect stick and create a magic wand.
Candle Holders
Decoupage a beautiful candle holder to brighten up your home or gift to a loved one.
New Year’s Hats
Design a fabulous, creative hat for you and your friends to ring in the New Year.
Shape Robot
Beep! Boop! Children will use fine motor skills to assemble a robot out of shapes.
Pinwheels for Peace
Imagine… whirled peace! We made these pinwheels to celebrate International Day of Peace, but they are fun for all occasions!
Pom-Poms
Cheer on your favorite team with your own colorful pom-poms! Watch our how-to video.
Recycling a container to create a piggy bank makes a lot of “cents!”
Bubble Paper
Pop into summer with colorful bubble paper.
Bubble Wand
Making bubbles is magical when you wave your own special bubble wand!
Fingerprint Rainbow
Get your hands dirty, and create a rainbow with a personal touch.
Rainbow Twirler
Time to play with the wind and twirl into spring!
Cat Tessellation
This is a purr-fect rainy day activity. Watch our how-to video on YouTube.
Tangram Animals
What do you see? Is it a cat or a fox? Create your own set of tangrams to build animal silhouettes and more!
Yarn Bowl
Making a yarn bowl is a great sensory project that doubles as dimensional art.
Finger Knitting
Learn to knit using only your hands! Watch our fun how-to video here.
Spinning Heart Card
Take your heart for a spin with this wind up Valentine’s Day card. Watch our fun how-to video here.
Heart Animals
Fall in love with this heartwarming animal craft.
Rattle Drum
According to the Chinese zodiac, 2021 is the Year of the Ox. Let’s embrace the New Year with a festive beat! Watch our how-to video here.
Did you know National Kazoo Day is in January? Let’s make some noise!
Coffee Filter Snowflakes
Want a colorful idea to brighten up a gray winter day? Turn coffee filters into beautiful snowflakes! Check out our handy how-to video here.
Crystal Snowflakes
Let’s be crystal clear: This science activity is stellar! Watch our YouTube video to see this activity in action.
Magic Salt & Watercolor Snow Art
Add a little mystery to your day with this magical watercolor activity. Watch our YouTube video to see the craft in action.
Mosaic Snowflake
“What time is it? It’s snow time!” Kids can create unique snowflakes in this fun art activity.
Scented Salt Dough Garland
Fill your home with scents of the season with this festive homemade garland. Watch our video tutorial to see the craft in action.
3D Star Decoration
Brighten up your holiday with a fun 3D star decoration.
Autumn Tree Painting
Explore a fun new painting technique with the colors of fall.
Nature’s Color Wheel
Collect the last leaves of the season to create a beautiful color wheel.
Paper Lantern
As winter approaches, bring a little light into the darkness. Watch a how-to video on our YouTube channel here.
Happy Hedgehog
Let’s get to the point. This hedgehog “quill” make your day!
Sweet Science
This sweet, colorful science experiment uses only candy and water.
Disappearing Candy
Instead of throwing away extra Halloween treats, make them disappear!
Flying Bats
Kids will have a spooky good time as they make paper bats take flight! See the activity in action in this video.
Pumpkin Symmetry
Children will learn about symmetry while playing this pumpkin match-up game.
Bubble Wrap Raindrops
Utilize recycled bubble wrap to explore a paint process that really pops!
Cloud Dough
Soothe away the rainy day blues with this super soft two-ingredient cloud dough.
Pirate Treasure Map
Ahoy matey! Create a pirate map for your favorite treasure. See the map-making process in action here.
Treasure Hunt
Shiver me timbers! In honor of “Talk Like a Pirate Day” on Sept. 19, let’s be pirates and find ye treasure.
Penny Spinners
Kids will be mesmerized by these fun and easy spinners! Watch our video tutorial here.
Tic Tac Toe
Get outdoors and gather materials to create your own version of this classic game.
Paper Tube Rockets
Design a rocket inspired by the historic launch of the Dragon Crew on the SpaceX Falcon 9 and Endeavor capsule!
Astronaut Ice Cream
Make these delicious crunchy ice cream cookies inspired by the food astronauts eat while in space.
Lava Lamp
Engage little learners with this groovy science experiment. Want to see the lava lamp in action? Check out our YouTube video!
Pulled String Painting
We pulled some strings to bring you this fun art project!
Number Maze
Kids can learn numbers and simple addition using this easy cardboard maze.
Swirl Painting
Kids can learn about mixing primary colors with this unique painting process.
Magic Mud Pies
Explore many textures and sounds as this mud becomes magic in this squishy sensory activity! Check out our YouTube video to see this activity in action.
Rainbow Knolling
Knolling, the process of organizing things in parallel or 90 degree angles, is a fun and artful way to get creative with everyday objects you have around the house.
Blooming Flowers
These blooming paper flowers are the perfect spring activity for all ages! To see this craft in action, check out our YouTube video.
Puffy Paint
This simple two-ingredient puffy paint is great for creating sensory art like puffy clouds or indoor snowmen.
Leaf Rubbings
Spring is here! Take a walk to gather leaves to create some colorful nature art.
Wheel Painting
Explore mixing colors and get some gross motor movement with this “wheelie” fun painting style.
Splat Monsters
Kids will huff and puff to create these cute little splat monsters.
Weather in a Jar
This STEAM rainstorm is a fun way to observe how water travels through clouds.
Bubble Solution
Need more bubble solution? Make your own with these household products. No wands? There’s a solution for that, too!
April Snow
Snow in April? Anything is possible thanks to some simple ingredients.
Watercolor Salt Paintings
Kids can work on their fine motor skills while making this masterpiece out of salt .
Balloon Paintings
Happen to have extra balloons? Fill them with water for an art project that pops!
Soap Sculptures
This simple, shape-able dough is sure to make hand washing tons of fun!
Nature Paintbrushes
Take a nature walk and gather material to create these fun natural paintbrushes.
Exploding Shapes
Banish boredom with this STEAM activity using simple household products.
Building a Community
Kids can practice early engineering skills by designing their own town out of paper!
Online resources
We’ve compiled a list of online activities and learning opportunities offered by other museums and organizations so you can keep kids entertained at home. Scroll down for creative content for all ages.
Museum Fun
NEW — Winter at Home: A Smithsonian at-home activity guide
National Museum of American History: Fun history activities and resources for school-aged children
Smithsonian Learning Lab: Understanding history, art, culture, and the sciences
Digital field trips & museum resources for families via The New York Times
Boston Children’s Museum: Play and learning resources
Kohl Children’s Museum: Stories, activities, and experiments
Hands on!: Coronavirus guide for curious, courageous kids
Tate: Tate Kids (games and quizzes, videos, kids’ art, etc.)
Other Resources
NEW: OT Ideas for Littles: YouTube channel devoted to occupational therapy ideas for babies and toddlers.
Smithsonian Science Education Center: Curriculum and resources for distance learning
Audubon Society: Activities and resources for kids
Printable time capsule for kids by Long Creations
Icons of Washington coloring book from Washington State Historical Society
Luci Creative: 5 Fun At-Home Make-a-Museum Activities for Kids
