15+ Process Art Projects for Kids

What do you think of when you think of preschool art activities? Marshmallow snowmen? Fingerprint flowers? Pasta ornaments?
While there isn’t anything wrong with these craft projects, they all have
one thing in common. The focus is on the end result.  Find out why we love process art for kids, and what amazing benefits it has for young children. Plus, some easy process art activities to get you started!

PROCESS ART FOR KIDS

WHAT IS PROCESS ART?

Process art focuses on the creative process rather than the final product or outcome.

Process art will…

• Have few or no step-by-step instructions.
• Have no sample to follow.
• Have no right or wrong way to create.
• Produce a final product that is unique.
• Be child-directed.

PRODUCT ART VS. PROCESS ART

Product art focuses on the final product.  Usually, an adult
has created a plan for the art project that has one goal in mind, and it does
not leave a lot of room for true creativity. On the other hand for process art, the real fun (and learning) is in the process, not the product.

Kids want to make a mess. They want their senses to come alive. They
want to feel and smell and sometimes even taste the process. They want
to be free to let their minds wander through the creative process. How can we help them reach this state of ‘flow’ – (the mental state of being
completely present and fully immersed in a task)?

The answer is process art!

THE BENEFITS OF PROCESS ART

Children are naturally curious. They observe, explore, and imitate, trying to figure out how things work and how to control themselves and their environments. This freedom of exploration helps children form connections in their brain, it helps them learn—and it’s also fun.

Process art is a natural activity to support this essential interaction with the world. Kids need the freedom to explore and experiment. Process art allows children to practice a wide range of skills that are useful not only for life but also for learning.

Specific skills include:

• Fine motor skills. Grasping pencils, crayons, chalk, and paintbrushes.
• Cognitive development. Cause and effect, problem-solving.
• Mathematical skills. Understanding concepts like shape, size, counting, and spatial reasoning.
• Language skills. As children share their artwork and process, they develop language skills.

PROCESS ART PRESCHOOL

How do you make process artwork for preschoolers?  Here are a few ideas to support preschool learning through process art.

1. Provide a diverse range of supplies. Gather a wide range of materials for your child to use like paint, colored pencils, chalk, play dough, markers, crayons, oil pastels, scissors, and stamps.
2. Encourage, but don’t lead. let them decide what materials they want to use and how and when to use them. Let them take the lead.
3. Be flexible. Instead of sitting down with a plan or expected outcome in mind, let your child explore, experiment, and use their imaginations. They might make a huge mess or change their direction several times—this is all part of the creative process.
4. Let it go. Let them explore. They may only want to run their hands through the shaving cream instead of painting with it. Children learn through playing, exploring, and trial and error. If you give them the freedom to discover, they will learn to create and experiment in new and innovative ways.

Looking for easy to print art activities? 

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FUN PROCESS ART ACTIVITIES

Click on the images below for fun, open-ended art activities for kids at home or in the classroom.

EXPLORE PROCESS ART FOR PRESCHOOL AND BEYOND

Click on the image below or on the link for more preschool art activities.