Summer is the perfect time to explore creative play ideas with your preschoolers, especially summer art activities that emphasize the process rather than the final product.
Summer art projects can be as simple as painting outside, or using chalk to draw (homemade sidewalk chalk is a great way to spend time outside and let preschoolers draw with chalk they made — check out this easy recipe to make sidewalk chalk from Happy Toddler Playtime!).
And there are more-involved projects you can do as well. Let’s take a look at some ideas for summer art projects that are are perfect for preschoolers!
What is Process Art?
Process art is a choice-driven, open-ended activity in which teachers offer minimal guidance or scaffolding, according to the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
“By intentionally providing an array of artistic materials, then offering children the time and space to engage freely with them, teachers convey that there are many possibilities, that they view children as competent and capable of exploring and creating, and that they value children’s ideas and expressions,” the organization says.
Unlike traditional art projects that focus on producing a specific end result, process art emphasizes creativity and exploration. The goal is for children to enjoy the act of creating, experimenting with different materials and expressing themselves freely.
This approach encourages individual expression and helps develop fine motor skills, decision-making and problem-solving abilities!
Benefits of Process Art
Children are free to explore their imagination without the pressure of producing a “perfect” piece of art. Activities like painting, cutting, and gluing help improve hand-eye coordination and dexterity!
It also promotes problem solving. Kids learn to think critically as they decide how to use different materials. And process art allows children to make their own choices, boosting their confidence and independence.
Summer Process Art Examples
Let’s take a look at some examples of summer process art projects!
1. Nature Collage
Materials Needed:
- Construction paper
- Glue
- Leaves, flowers, twigs and other natural items
Instructions:
Take your preschoolers on a nature walk and encourage them to collect various natural items like leaves, flowers and twigs. Once back in the classroom, give them construction paper and glue. Allow the children to arrange and glue their collected items onto the paper, creating unique nature collages. This activity not only connects them with nature but also allows them to explore different textures and shapes.
2. Ice Cube Painting
Materials Needed:
- Ice cube trays
- Water
- Food coloring
- Popsicle sticks
- Paper
Instructions:
Fill ice cube trays with water and add a few drops of food coloring to each compartment. Insert popsicle sticks into the trays and freeze overnight. Once the ice cubes are ready, give each child a piece of paper and a few colorful ice cubes. They can hold the popsicle sticks and use the melting ice to paint on the paper. This activity is refreshing on a hot summer day and introduces children to the concept of color mixing.
3. Sun Prints
Materials Needed:
- Sun-sensitive paper
- Leaves, flowers or small toys
- A sunny day
Instructions:
Provide each child with a piece of sun-sensitive paper and a few objects. Have them arrange the objects on the paper and then place the paper in direct sunlight. After a few minutes, the sun will bleach the exposed areas of the paper, leaving behind silhouettes of the objects. This activity introduces children to the concept of light and shadow while creating beautiful, one-of-a-kind prints.
4. Bubble Wrap Stomp Painting
Materials Needed:
- Bubble wrap
- Washable paint
- Large sheets of paper
Instructions:
Tape large sheets of paper to the ground and spread out some washable paint in shallow containers. Wrap bubble wrap around the children’s feet and secure it with tape. Allow them to dip their bubble-wrapped feet into the paint and then stomp on the paper to create colorful, textured prints.
This activity is a fun way to create art and a great way for preschoolers to release energy!
5. Sand Art
Materials Needed:
- Colored sand
- Glue
- Paper or small containers
Instructions:
Provide the children with glue and paper or small containers. Allow them to use the glue to draw designs or patterns on the paper or inside the containers. Then have them sprinkle colored sand over the glue to create vibrant sand art. This activity taps into their creativity and teaches them about different textures and colors.
How a Year-Round Digital Curriculum Can Help!
Process art is just one way that your center can help preschoolers learn and develop valuable skills. It’s also important to include a digital curriculum into your classrooms! Want more tips on having a great summer? Check out our guide for child care centers on all things summer!
Many curriculum programs do not cover summer activities. Procare Early Learning powered by Learning Beyond Paper is an all-digital early childhood curriculum that covers all 52 weeks of the year, including the summer months! It is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of educating children from infancy through pre-kindergarten.
Learning areas in the Procare Early Learning curriculum include STEAM, language and literacy, physical development, cognitive, music and movement as well as interactive reading. Plus, teachers get tips and tools they can use in real time.
Check out a summer-themed lesson plan using a beach bag for young toddlers, who are 1 to 2 years old, and focuses on physical development!
The curriculum is embedded into Procare, making it easier and less time-consuming for busy teachers and administrators to provide high-quality education.
With Procare Early Learning powered by Learning Beyond Paper, child care centers can:
- Equip teachers with state-of-the-art online curriculum at their fingertips
- Dramatically reduce the amount of time spent on lesson planning each week
- Offer children a high-quality, developmentally appropriate curriculum
- Save money with this cost-efficient solution that’s integrated with Procare
This curriculum can be used in ALL child care center classrooms, with 52 weeks of lesson plans and more than 4,000 daily activities for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and pre-kindergarteners. Learning areas include STEAM, language and literacy, physical development, cognitive, music and movement as well as interactive reading. Plus, teachers get tips and tools they can use in real time!
Procare is the only solution that can deliver the entire early childhood education ecosystem — lesson planning, lesson delivery within the classroom as well as assessment and parent engagement. Being able to do all of these with one platform simplifies classroom management and planning!
How much time and money could your child care center save using a digital curriculum designed for young learners? Enter your number of staff, number of students and type of program into our online calculator to learn your potential savings!
Procare Cost and Time Savings Calculator Automated Payment Processing Cost & Time Savings Calculator Digital Curriculum Cost and Time Savings Calculator
Calculate your potential cost and time savings by using Procare’s all-in-one child care management software. All we will need from you is some information about your child care location*: Calculate your potential cost and time savings by using Procare’s secure and effortless child care payment processing. All we will need from you is some information about your child care location*: Calculate your potential cost and time savings by using Procare’s classroom management. All we will need from you is some information about your child care location*:
* Our data model is based on our experience working with over 100,000 child care centers, before and after school programs and youth organizations since 1992.
Switching to will save you hours and a month!*
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We understand that smaller centers and in-home daycare providers are operating on a tight budget, and that is why we provide all these features for the affordable price of just $25 per month. Let us handle the business of child care so you can get back to caring for your children.
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*Please note that the report you see only factors in cost and time savings for the in-home solution features. For Procare home version users that are interested in seeing how they can benefit from Procare’s full suite of capabilities, contact us today to speak to a Procare representative. *Please note that the report you see only factors in cost and time savings for the in-home solution features. For Procare home version users that are interested in seeing how they can benefit from Procare’s full suite of capabilities, contact us today to speak to a Procare representative. *Please note that the classroom management functionality is not available for in-home users. For Procare home version users that are interested in seeing how they can benefit from Procare’s full suite of capabilities, contact us today to speak to a Procare representative.
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Procare Cost and Time Savings Calculator
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