A joyful, process-focused art curriculum for 3-year-olds that celebrates creativity as a gift from God. Through sensory exploration and free expression, students develop fine motor skills, explore various art materials, and discover the joy of creating. Emphasis is on the process of art-making rather than product, with no judgment or correction of creative choices.
Explore various art materials freely and joyfully, developing confidence as a creator
Develop fine motor skills through painting, drawing, tearing, gluing, and sculpting activities
Recognize that God made us creative and that we can use our hands to make beautiful things
Express ideas, feelings, and experiences through art while building vocabulary to talk about artwork
Click any week to see daily lesson details.
Free exploration with crayons, making marks and scribbles on paper. Celebrate that God gave us hands to create!
Grasping crayons and making intentional markshands-onMaking large circular motions with crayons while moving our whole arm. Talk about circles we see in God's world.
Large motor movement with crayonhands-onDrawing vertical lines by moving crayons up and down. Notice tall things God made like trees and giraffes.
Directional mark-makinghands-onMaking horizontal lines across the paper. Look at stripes in creation like zebras and rainbows.
Horizontal mark-makinghands-onFree drawing combining all the marks we've learned. Each child's creation is unique and wonderful!
Independent creative expressionhands-onExploring red finger paint, feeling its texture and spreading it on paper. God made our sense of touch!
Tactile exploration and spreading painthands-onUsing yellow finger paint to make swirls and circles. Talk about yellow things God created like the sun.
Creating circular motions with fingershands-onPainting with blue finger paint, making marks all over the paper. The sky shows God's beauty!
Covering space with painthands-onUsing two colors of finger paint on one paper and watching them mix. God made so many colors!
Exploring color mixinghands-onMaking handprints with finger paint to create a garden. Thank God for our special hands!
Printing with handshands-onLearning to hold a paintbrush and dip it in paint. Explore making different strokes on paper.
Grasping and controlling a paintbrushhands-onUsing the brush to make dots all over the paper by dabbing. Count some of the dots together!
Dabbing motion with brushhands-onMaking long lines across the paper with the brush. Practice moving the brush smoothly.
Creating continuous brush strokeshands-onPainting zigzag lines back and forth across the paper. Talk about lightning God makes in the sky.
Directional control with brushhands-onUsing multiple colors with the brush to create a colorful painting. God's creation is full of color!
Changing colors and continuing to painthands-onTearing construction paper into pieces. Feel the paper and hear the sound it makes!
Tearing paper with two handshands-onLearning to use a glue stick to attach torn paper pieces to a base. Practice twisting the glue stick.
Using glue stick and pressing paper downhands-onTearing and gluing many colors of paper to create a collage. Each piece makes the picture special!
Tearing and gluing multiple pieceshands-onTearing soft tissue paper and gluing it. Notice how different paper feels different!
Tearing delicate materialshands-onFree creation with torn paper pieces of all types. Celebrate the unique artwork each child makes!
Independent collage creationhands-onExploring play dough by squeezing, squishing, and feeling it. God made our hands strong!
Hand strengthening through squeezinghands-onRolling play dough between hands to make long snake shapes. Make them wiggle and move!
Rolling with palmshands-onPatting and flattening play dough to make flat shapes. Pat, pat, pat!
Flattening with palmshands-onUsing fingers to poke holes and pinch the play dough. Make different textures and patterns.
Fine motor control with fingershands-onFree creation with play dough, making whatever the child imagines. God made us creative!
Three-dimensional creationhands-onLooking at a colorful painting and naming the colors we see. Point to your favorite color!
Observing and identifying colorsdiscussionDescribing what we notice in an artwork. Talk about shapes, lines, and objects we recognize.
Verbal description of artworkdiscussionTalking about how artwork makes us feel - happy, calm, excited. Art can show feelings!
Emotional response to artdiscussionEach child shares their favorite part of the artwork. Everyone can like different things!
Expressing preferencesdiscussionCreating our own artwork inspired by what we looked at. Our version is special and unique!
Art response and creationhands-onGathering leaves and noticing their colors, shapes, and textures. God made each leaf special!
Observation and collectionhands-onPlacing leaves under paper and rubbing with crayons to see the leaf shape appear. Magic!
Rubbing techniquehands-onGluing small twigs and sticks onto paper to create a nature picture. Feel the rough texture!
Gluing three-dimensional objectshands-onArranging and gluing flower petals on paper. Thank God for beautiful flowers!
Arranging and gluing delicate materialshands-onCreating a collage with all the natural materials we've explored. Celebrate God's creation!
Combining multiple materialshands-onPainting on very large paper with big arm movements. Make big, bold marks!
Large motor painting movementshands-onUsing sponges to dab and print paint on paper. Feel the squishy sponge!
Printing with spongeshands-onPainting while listening to music, letting the brush move with the sounds. Art and music together!
Expressive painting movementshands-onUsing a brush in each hand to paint at the same time. Double the fun!
Bilateral coordinationhands-onPainting while standing at an easel or taped-up paper. Use our whole body to create!
Painting with full body movementhands-onMaking circles with crayons, paint, and our fingers. Find circles in the room - God made circles!
Creating circular shapeshands-onUsing square stamps or sponges to print squares. Count the corners together!
Stamping and shape recognitionhands-onCreating triangles with crayons and paint. Stack them to make mountains God created!
Drawing triangular shapeshands-onDrawing shapes we found around the house or room. Circles, squares, and triangles everywhere!
Shape identification and drawinghands-onFree creation using all the shapes we've learned. Combine them to make something special!
Combining shapes creativelyhands-onDipping blocks in paint and pressing them on paper to make prints. Press and lift!
Printing technique with blockshands-onUsing cut vegetables (potato, celery) dipped in paint to make interesting prints. Nature stamps!
Printing with natural objectshands-onPainting on bubble wrap and pressing it onto paper to create textured prints. Pop, pop, pop!
Creating texture through printinghands-onUsing cookie cutters as stamps to print shapes. Make patterns and designs!
Repeated stamping and pattern-makinghands-onFree exploration with all the printing objects. Create a colorful print masterpiece!
Independent printing explorationhands-onMaking free scribbles with crayons, letting our hands dance across the paper. No rules, just fun!
Free scribbling and hand movementhands-onExploring scribbling with markers. Notice the bright colors and smooth lines!
Using markers with controlhands-onScribbling with chalk on dark paper. Watch the colors pop! God made light and dark!
Drawing on dark surfaceshands-onUsing many colors to create a rainbow scribble picture. Layer colors on top of each other!
Layering colorshands-onCreating a scribble picture and telling a story about it. Every scribble can mean something!
Connecting art to narrativehands-onLearning to tear pieces of tape and stick them on paper. Tear, stick, press!
Tearing and placing tapehands-onMaking lines with tape on paper. Create straight lines, curved lines, and zigzags!
Arranging tape in patternshands-onPlacing tape on paper, painting over it, then peeling the tape off. Surprise underneath!
Understanding resist techniquehands-onUsing colored tape to create designs and pictures. No glue needed!
Creating with colored tapehands-onCombining tape with crayons or markers to create mixed media art. Two materials together!
Combining materialshands-onGetting the brush wet and touching it to watercolor paint. Watch the colors come alive!
Using wet brush with watercolorshands-onDropping wet paint onto paper and watching it spread. The water makes it move!
Observing watercolor flowhands-onPainting on wet paper and watching colors blend together. Colors mix like magic!
Wet-on-wet techniquehands-onUsing many colors of watercolor paint. Let them touch and blend on the paper!
Color exploration with watercolorshands-onFree painting with watercolors. Enjoy the beautiful, flowing colors God helps us create!
Independent watercolor explorationhands-onFeeling clay and squeezing it in our hands. It's different from play dough!
Exploring clay texturehands-onRolling clay between hands to make balls. Make big ones and tiny ones!
Rolling spheres with clayhands-onRolling clay into long snake shapes. Make them wiggle and curl!
Rolling coils with clayhands-onUsing fingers and tools to poke patterns and textures into clay. Make it bumpy and interesting!
Creating texture in clayhands-onMaking a simple animal shape with clay. God made all the animals!
Forming recognizable shapeshands-onDrawing straight lines across the paper. March our crayon like we're marching!
Creating straight lineshands-onDrawing wavy, curvy lines. Let the crayon dance and wiggle across the page!
Creating curved lineshands-onDrawing zigzag lines like lightning in the sky. Sharp corners and points!
Creating angular lineshands-onDrawing spiral lines that curl around and around. Like a snail shell God made!
Creating spiral lineshands-onCreating a picture using all different kinds of lines. Lines can make anything!
Combining various line typeshands-onTouching and exploring different textured materials. Rough, smooth, bumpy, soft!
Tactile discriminationhands-onPlacing textured objects under paper and rubbing with crayons to see the texture appear!
Creating texture rubbingshands-onAdding sand or salt to paint to make it bumpy. Paint with texture!
Creating textured painthands-onGluing different textured fabrics onto paper. Feel each piece before gluing!
Creating tactile collagehands-onCreating artwork that has many different textures. God made rough and smooth things!
Combining textureshands-onDrawing or painting very large circles using our whole arm. Big, big, big!
Creating large shapes with large motor movementhands-onMaking very small circles and dots with our fingertip or crayon. Little, little, little!
Creating small shapes with fine motor controlhands-onDrawing both big and small shapes on the same paper. Compare the sizes!
Understanding size relationshipshands-onDrawing shapes that get bigger and bigger, like they're growing. Start small, end big!
Creating graduated sizeshands-onCreating a picture with big shapes and little shapes - like a family! God made big and small!
Combining various sizeshands-onLearning to hold scissors and make snipping cuts on paper strips. Open and close!
Basic scissor grip and snippinghands-onMaking snips along the edge of paper to create fringe. Snip, snip, snip along the edge!
Repeated snipping motionhands-onCutting green paper strips to make grass. Snip them short and tall!
Cutting with purposehands-onCutting paper into small pieces to make confetti. Cut, cut, cut!
Multiple cuts on paperhands-onCutting pieces and gluing them onto paper to make a picture. We can use scissors to create!
Combining cutting and gluinghands-onMixing red and yellow paint together to discover orange. Watch the colors change!
Color mixing explorationhands-onMixing yellow and blue paint together to discover green. Like grass and leaves!
Color mixing explorationhands-onMixing red and blue paint together to discover purple. A royal color!
Color mixing explorationhands-onPainting with two colors and letting them mix right on the paper. Watch them blend!
Mixing colors on paperhands-onCreating a painting using all the colors we've mixed. God made so many beautiful colors!
Using mixed colors creativelyhands-onCreating art that shows something that makes us happy. Use bright colors and big shapes!
Expressing emotions through arthands-onDrawing or painting something we love. Family, pets, toys - anything special to us!
Personal narrative through arthands-onCreating art to say thank you to someone. Art can be a gift!
Art as communicationhands-onCreating artwork using mostly our favorite color. Everyone's favorite is special!
Personal choice in arthands-onChoosing any materials and creating whatever our heart wants to make. God made us creative!
Independent creative expressionhands-onDipping cotton swabs in paint and dotting them on paper. Make patterns and pictures with dots!
Dotting techniquehands-onUsing feathers as paintbrushes. They make soft, tickly marks! God made bird feathers!
Painting with natural objectshands-onRolling toy cars through paint and driving them across paper. Vroom, vroom!
Rolling objects through painthands-onPutting marbles in paint and rolling them in a box or on paper. Watch them make swirly lines!
Marble painting techniquehands-onDipping string in paint and dragging or pressing it on paper. Make wavy lines!
Painting with stringhands-onStacking boxes to build towers and structures. How tall can we build?
Balancing and stackinghands-onGluing boxes together to create a sculpture. Connect them in different ways!
Joining three-dimensional objectshands-onPainting the box sculpture we created. Add color to our creation!
Painting three-dimensional objectshands-onAdding paper, stickers, or other materials to decorate our box sculpture. Make it special!
Embellishing sculptureshands-onCreating a robot or creature from boxes. God made us creative builders!
Imaginative three-dimensional constructionhands-onFinding and tearing out colorful pictures from magazines. Look for bright colors!
Selecting and tearing imageshands-onGluing torn or cut paper pieces onto paper. Overlap them and fill the space!
Arranging and gluing paperhands-onGluing fabric scraps onto paper. Feel the different textures of fabric!
Working with fabric in collagehands-onAdding buttons to our collage. Arrange them in patterns or randomly!
Gluing three-dimensional objectshands-onCreating a collage using all different materials. Combine everything we've explored!
Multi-material collage creationhands-onLooking at illustrations in a colorful picture book. Notice how the artist used colors!
Observing illustration techniquesdiscussionDiscussing how pictures help tell the story. Pictures show what's happening!
Understanding visual narrativediscussionEach child chooses their favorite illustration from the book and explains why.
Expressing preferences about artdiscussionCreating our own drawing inspired by the book's illustrations. Our own special version!
Art inspired by other artistshands-onCreating an illustration for our own story page. We can be book illustrators too!
Creating narrative illustrationhands-onMaking patterns with two colors - red, blue, red, blue. Repeat, repeat, repeat!
Creating simple color patternshands-onUsing stamps to create repeating patterns. Press, press, press in order!
Creating patterns with stampshands-onDrawing or stamping patterns with different shapes. Circle, square, circle, square!
Creating patterns with shapeshands-onUsing stickers to create patterns on paper. Peel, stick, peel, stick!
Creating patterns with stickershands-onCreating artwork that includes patterns. Patterns are everywhere in God's creation!
Incorporating patterns into arthands-onUsing droppers to drop paint onto paper. Watch the drops splash and spread!
Using droppers for painthands-onLetting paint drip down the paper. Tilt the paper and watch it run!
Exploring gravity with painthands-onGently tapping a paint-loaded brush over paper to create splatters. Tap, tap, tap!
Splatter techniquehands-onDropping paint on paper and blowing through a straw to move it. Blow the paint around!
Blow painting techniquehands-onCombining drips, drops, and splatters to create an action painting. Paint can move!
Combining paint techniqueshands-onPutting paint on one side of folded paper, pressing it closed, and opening to see the mirror image!
Creating symmetrical paint printshands-onCreating a symmetrical butterfly using the fold and paint technique. Both sides match!
Understanding symmetry through butterflieshands-onDrawing on one side of a folded line and seeing how it could match on the other side.
Understanding mirror imageshands-onDecorating folded paper that opens into a symmetrical design. God made snowflakes symmetrical!
Creating radial symmetryhands-onCreating artwork where both sides match. Symmetry is beautiful!
Intentional symmetry creationhands-onFeeling yarn and string. Notice the texture and how they bend and curl!
Tactile exploration of fibershands-onGluing yarn onto paper to create lines and designs. Make squiggles and shapes!
Gluing yarn to paperhands-onArranging yarn to make shapes on paper. Circle, square, triangle!
Forming shapes with yarnhands-onUsing different colored yarn to create a picture. Layer colors on top of each other!
Multi-color yarn arthands-onCombining yarn with paint or crayons. Mix different art materials!
Mixed media with yarnhands-onMaking loops by gluing the ends of paper strips together. Connect loops to make chains!
Creating and connecting loopshands-onFolding paper to make it stand up. Accordion folds make paper bounce!
Folding paper for structurehands-onGluing folded and rolled paper pieces to create a standing sculpture. Build up!
Three-dimensional paper constructionhands-onCurling paper strips around a pencil and gluing them to create curly designs.
Curling paper techniquehands-onUsing folded and rolled paper to build buildings and structures. We can build with paper!
Complex paper constructionhands-onPainting with colors that make us feel happy. Bright yellows, oranges, and pinks!
Associating colors with emotionshands-onPainting gently with calm colors like blue and green. Soft, slow brush strokes.
Painting to express calmhands-onPainting with lots of energy and bright colors. Fast marks and bold strokes!
Expressing excitement through arthands-onCreating a silly, fun painting that makes us laugh. Wiggle lines and funny shapes!
Playful artistic expressionhands-onPainting a picture that shows how we feel right now. Art shows our feelings!
Personal emotional expressionhands-onDrawing on the sidewalk or driveway with chalk. Make big pictures outside!
Large-scale outdoor drawinghands-onCollecting natural items like sticks, leaves, and rocks to use for art. God made these!
Gathering natural materialshands-onArranging sticks on the ground to make shapes and pictures. Nature art doesn't need glue!
Arranging natural materialshands-onPainting smooth rocks with bright colors. Decorate rocks from God's creation!
Painting on natural surfaceshands-onArranging natural materials in a circular pattern. Create beauty with nature!
Creating patterns with natural objectshands-onRolling marbles in paint inside a box to create swirly designs. Roll, roll, roll!
Creating art through rolling motionhands-onUsing a salad spinner or lazy susan to spin paint on paper. Watch the colors spin!
Creating art through spinninghands-onRolling toy cars through paint to create track patterns. Drive through the paint!
Creating patterns through rollinghands-onRolling different sized balls through paint. Big balls make big marks!
Exploring size through rollinghands-onCreating artwork using any rolling or spinning technique. Art can move!
Independent motion-based arthands-onDrawing circle faces and adding eyes, nose, and mouth. Everyone has a face!
Drawing basic faceshands-onDrawing simple stick figure people with circle heads and line bodies. People have arms and legs!
Drawing basic human figureshands-onLooking in a mirror and drawing our own face. God made each of us special!
Self-portrait creationhands-onUsing paint to create people in our pictures. Add color to our people!
Painting human figureshands-onDrawing or painting our family members. God gave us families!
Drawing multiple figureshands-onExperimenting with an art material we haven't used much. What happens when we try?
Artistic experimentationhands-onCombining two art materials we don't usually use together. What can we discover?
Combining materials creativelyhands-onCreating art that's extra messy and fun. Getting messy is okay when we're creating!
Embracing the art processhands-onCreating art with mystery materials. What will we make today?
Adapting to new materialshands-onInventing our own way to make art. Be creative and try new ideas!
Creative problem-solvinghands-onLooking through our artwork and choosing our favorites. Each piece is special!
Reflecting on own artworkdiscussionSharing our artwork and telling about it. What did we make? How did we make it?
Verbal description of artworkdiscussionChoosing pieces to display and helping arrange them. Make our art look special!
Curating and displaying arthands-onCreating a special piece of art to give to someone we love. Art is a gift!
Creating art as a gifthands-onMaking art to celebrate all we've learned this year. We are artists!
Celebratory art creationhands-onDoing our favorite art activity from the whole year. What do we love most?
Personal choice and preferencehands-onCreating artwork using all the colors of the rainbow. God made all the colors!
Using full color rangehands-onWorking on a large piece of art using many materials. Go big!
Large-scale creationhands-onFree creation with all our favorite materials available. Celebrate being creative!
Independent joyful creationhands-onMaking one more special artwork and talking about creating art over the summer. We are creators like God!
Ongoing creative expressionhands-onStart with Day 1 and work through at your own pace. Each lesson builds on the last!