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.

Stack of drawing guidebooks with purple covers, featuring titles like "Guided Drawing" and "How to Draw a Fish," offering insight into the world of artistry.

A free guided drawing book

Check out this really cool FREE downloadable guided drawing book from Fairy Dust Teaching. Click on over to her website to get the lovely book. I’m going to print this out and have it in my drawing book…

January 15, 2012

A colorful abstract painting on paper showcases various shapes and patterns in shades of pink, blue, and purple, featuring the word "think.

Free Workshop from Strathmore

This is a repost from my personal blog! I’ve been having lots of fun with Traci Bautista’s online workshop at Strathmore. Strathmore has a series of FREE online workshops with videos and pdfs. If you haven’t heard about…

January 14, 2012
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Red ceramic heart with textured lines and a purple yarn loop for hanging, perfect for a kindergarten art project.

Kindergarten Clay

The kindergartners made two clay projects before break. They made little pinch pots and pressed shells on the sides for texture. We glazed these with Stroke and Coat glaze. We also made these fun coiled hearts. 1. Demonstrate…

January 14, 2012

A roughly shaped clay bowl on a tan surface, with small dark spots around it.

An Ancient Clay Trick

In my college clay class I learned this extremely valuable clay trick. One of my students called it an “ancient clay secret” so I like to call it that too. This technique may be one that is known…

January 12, 2012
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Colorful 1st-grade drawing of a city skyline with buildings in the foreground and the sun in the top right corner.

Buildings in Perspective: 1st Grade

This was a project that my first graders started when I was absent from school. I printed off the handout from Art Projects for Kids and the children got their first introduction to perspective. Thanks for the great…

January 10, 2012

Inspired Figures in a colorful abstract image of humanoid shapes, one with a question mark over its head, surrounded by arrows. Keith Haring's influence is evident in the lively and playful design.

Keith Haring Inspired Figures– 4th grade

These are drawings by 4th/5th graders. Who was Keith Haring? What is gesture drawing? The 4/5s learned about the artwork of Keith Haring and practiced figural drawing. In pairs, the students posed for each other and practiced gesture…

January 9, 2012

Abstract artwork featuring overlapping, colorful diamond and oval patterns in a mosaic-like arrangement.

NAEA Conference

So…. is anyone else going to the National Art Ed. Conference?? Registration is open now. If you haven’t ever been before, it is an AMAZING conference. All day fun.. your brain will be exploding with ideas and excitement.…

January 7, 2012
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A watercolor painting of a landscape features a yellow field, a blue sky, and abstract, wispy clouds. This stunning piece of art captures nature's beauty with subtle elegance.

Clouds in Art

The fifth/sixth grade class painted watercolor clouds. I have blogged about this project before here.

January 6, 2012
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Magazine cover with the title "Featuring: Art Journaling, Mixed Media & More" and vibrant artwork in the background.

Featuring Magazine

Have you heard about Featuring Magazine?In the Spring of 2012, an inspiring magazine will see the light: FEATURING.FEATURING is a printed magazine that can be ordered online only.FEATURING will appear as a quarterly publication. I am pleased to…

January 2, 2012
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Child's colorful drawing of a person with flowers and a vibrant angular border.

Painted Korhogo Cloths– 3rd Grade

This project focused on how symbols and designs are used in African art. The students designed their own painted Korhogo cloth. They decorated the border with symbols and drew their main figure with Sharpie. Then, they added paint…

January 2, 2012

Abstract art featuring a black letter "P," symbols, and vibrant blocks of blue, red, and yellow. Signed "Patrick" at the bottom.

Year in Review

It’s been a great year at Art is Basic. We’ve made tons of colorful art and expanded our skills. My blog now has over 300 followers, which is super cool and way more than I ever thought would…

December 30, 2011

A child’s colorful drawing of smiling, abstract figures and a yellow duck.

Miro Squiggle Drawings– 1st Grade

Juan Miro is one of my favorite artists. I used artwork by Miro to help the kids learn the difference between abstract and realistic art. The kids analyzed his artwork and we categorized prints. Then, they drew…

December 27, 2011
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Two colorful handprints flank a warm, multicolored heart on a white background, bringing a sense of kindergarten creativity.

Cool Hands, Warm Heart– Kindergarten

These charming pictures of hands were a lesson on warm and cool colors. The hands are colored in cool colors and the heart is colored in warm colors.

December 23, 2011
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Person holding a colorful, handmade mask with blue shades, feathers, and a trunk-like protrusion in a cluttered room. Crafted with love, the mask reflects intricate details and vibrant creativity.

Mask Love!

I love these masks!

December 21, 2011
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Colorful abstract painting with splashes and circles in blue, green, pink, and yellow on a white background. Incorporating elements of Bubble Prints gives it a unique touch.

Bubble Prints

Over the summer I tested out several ways to make bubble prints. I experimented and discovered they way that works best for me. I decided to do bubble printing with some students this week, because it is the…

December 20, 2011
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