Art Projects for Kids + Tips for the Teacher!

Art Projects for Kids + Tips for the Teacher!

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.

Colorful, patterned fabric collage with hearts, stars, and "Peace" text on a background of diamond shapes.

Fabric Collages

I never posted about these fabric collages that we finished at the end of the year last year. The third and fourth graders made these. We worked together to paint fabrics! We painted with acrylic paints on muslin…

August 15, 2012
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A typewritten essay titled "Why It Would Be Nice to Have a Career as a Teacher" with handwritten edits in the top left corner.

What would it be like to be a teacher?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a teacher? My mom gave me this old gem written by Yours Truly when I was in 3rd grade. (My 3rd grade teacher had the initials ABC…

August 12, 2012
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A vibrant watercolor background showcases the whimsical and decorative message, "Be Glad for every day.

Thank You!

Thank you for following my blog. I checked today and saw that I now have 500 followers.. holy cow! I hope you are having a fantastic summer. School starts in 2 weeks, so I will have lots of…

August 8, 2012

A star-shaped paper craft made from layers of different shades of blue on a light background, showcasing intricate paper artistry.

Paper Pulp Pictures

At the end of the school year, we made more PAPER PULP PICTURES. This is such a fun project. I wrote all the step-by-step details on my blog last year. You can see the tutorial HERE. this girl…

August 6, 2012
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Two tissue paper stained glass artworks hang in a window, one with blue-green shapes and the other with red-orange hearts.

Tissue Paper Fun

Our last summer art workshop was a fun one! We decoupaged tissue paper on to glass vases. The cylindrical ones could be candle holders. We tore and cut tissue paper and adhered them to the glasses with Matte…

July 30, 2012
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Discover five colorful, artfully decorated cards with positive words like "Faith," "Awaken," and "Think," complemented by vibrant abstract designs.

Etsy Shop Sale: 35% off!

I’m trying to clear out some of my inventory in my Etsy Shop for the end of this cycle of goods. Would you be interested in some vintage ephemera? Or maybe a collage pack? Or maybe you would…

July 28, 2012
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Colorful abstract drawing on brown paper featuring a kangaroo-like shape with various symbols and patterns around it, inspired by Australian Art.

Australian Art: 2nd Grade

July 24, 2012

A colorful crayon drawing featuring flowers, shapes, and a smiling cat on white paper. "Rosie" is written at the bottom, showcasing various art techniques.

Monoprinting with Markers

Today was another one of my summer art workshops with kids at school. We did monoprinting with markers. 1. Draw on a piece of plexi-glass with washable markers. In progress design. 2. Spray your paper with water, two…

July 18, 2012
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A gridded drawing of a person with short hair, intense eyes, and a neutral expression.

Gridded Drawings– 5th/6th grade

This was another fun project at the end of the year. The 5th/6th grade students marked off a one inch grid on their white paper. Then, they chose a photo to enlarge and draw. It could be a…

July 17, 2012
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A large paper with a child’s drawing of a person, decorated with various items and colors, is displayed in a classroom.

Body Pictures– Summer Camp

I am teaching 3 summer art sessions. Each session is two hours long with one or two art projects. For this session, I had 2 students going into 4/5th grade, 2 students who just finished kindergarten, and one…

July 12, 2012
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A child’s drawing with swirls, stars, a crescent moon, and a house with yellow windows against a white background, evocative of Starry Nights.

Starry Nights– kindergarten

This was one of my FAVORITE lessons this year. I just loved how each and every one of them turned out. They are so expressive and colorful. This is a new spin on a Starry Night lesson. I…

July 9, 2012
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A child looking at a scrapbook page featuring photos and decorations from a visit to Magic Kingdom.

Art Teacher Blog Directory

Did you know I have an art teacher blog directory on my blog? There are over 240 art teacher blogs added. If you have not added yours, you should do so! This is probably my most viewed page…

July 7, 2012
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Colorful Clay Sun with a smiling expression, painted in yellow with red cheeks and blue accents, perfect for a third grade art project.

Clay Suns– third grade

I told you I had a bunch of lesson plans that I have not shared with you yet. I have enough to take me through the whole summer! Here are some simple clay suns. We looked at some…

July 5, 2012
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Handmade ceramic bowl with a blue, textured glaze and irregular edges.

Clay Leaf Dishes– Kindergarten

Near the end of the school year we had the lovely opportunity to have the grandfather of one of our students come into the classroom to teach us more about clay. He is a ceramicist in the area.…

July 1, 2012
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An open book displaying various colorful bird illustrations and patterns, ideal for enthusiasts of new releases or anyone who loves reading.

New Books

While on vacation, I read the book Columbine, which is about the school shooting in Colorado. I’m interested in psychology, schools and kids. A depressing and heart wrenching read, but a thoroughly comprehensive look at the psychology of…

June 28, 2012
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