Elementary Art Projects & Creative Lessons for Kids

Welcome to Art is Basic, a blog full of elementary art lessons, easy art projects, and teaching ideas for K-5 classrooms. Browse hundreds of engaging activities designed to inspire young artists.
Three clay dog sculptures, each painted differently: one black and white, one brown, and one yellow.

Clay Projects for Kids

Hello!  Today I am going to catch up on some of the clay projects my students have been working on.  The last few weeks we have been busy learning clay techniques, building and glazing.  We weren’t able to…

Read More...Clay Projects for Kids
A collage of various objects and patterns, featuring watermelon slices, oranges, and the word "awesome" in the center.

Why I Love Collage

Collage became a part of Modern art in the early 20th century. Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque were credited with naming this type of art. The word collage comes from the French word coller, which means to glue.…

Read More...Why I Love Collage
Colorful abstract collage of a whimsical cityscape with geometric buildings, clouds, and a castle against a white background.

Paul Klee Castle Collage

Paul Klee was an important painter in the history of modern art.  I have always been drawn to his colorful, abstract pictures.  Children can relate to the simple geometric shapes and bold colors.  His art has been related…

Read More...Paul Klee Castle Collage
Lively abstract painting featuring various shapes and patterns in red, blue, yellow, and green.

Sand Painting with Kids

If you are looking for something to add a new dimension to regular painting, sand painting just might be the ticket!  The tactile experience is something exciting for children. I recently taught a unit on painting with sand…

Read More...Sand Painting with Kids
Three homemade snowman puppets on sticks made from paper and colorful materials, featuring a princess, a snowman, and a superhero.

Snowman Puppets

Ah, winter break!  It is the perfect time to catch up on blog posts.  We did a few winter themed projects before the break.  Some of my students made adorable snowman puppets. We used white poster board to…

Read More...Snowman Puppets
A colorful abstract sand painting with bold shapes and lines in purple, red, blue, pink, and yellow.

Sand Art Paintings

Are you looking for a fun art project that your students will definitely be excited about?  Create a COLORED SAND PAINTING!  Kids love the tactile experience of touching the sand and the bright colors are so appealing.  Using…

Read More...Sand Art Paintings
Four handmade stick puppets with different designs, colorful outfits, and drawn faces on a white background.

Girl Scout Daisy Ideas!

Because I didn’t have enough to keep me busy, I am now a Girl Scout co-leader for a kindergarten Daisy troop.  My daughter wanted to join Girl Scouts and there wasn’t any already established groups that worked for…

Read More...Girl Scout Daisy Ideas!