Outdoor Artists

 

Outdoor Art Activities for Toddlers

We’ve all seen artists with their painting palettes in that iconic position staring out at some beautiful landscape. Not sure we can provide a beautiful landscape but we can encourage our children to become outdoor artists!

Ages/Grades:

Toddlers

Learning Domains:

Approaches to Learning; Physical Well-Being and Motor Development

Materials Needed:

Large sheets of painting paper
Plastic containers
Watercolors
Toddler brushes
Smocks
Removable tape
Optional: indoor/outdoor easel

Preparation:

If possible, prepare art materials outside before you begin this activity. Place paper in interesting places. Tape it to trees, playground surfaces, grassy areas, etc. Prepare containers by cutting a hole in the lid large enough to fit a paintbrush (see image below). Fill containers with a little bit of water.​

Activity:

Talk to the children about painting. What tools do you need to paint? What do we use to keep our clothes clean while we paint? Ask the children if they have ever painted outside. Tell them they are going to be outdoor artists today. Tell them that when they go outside, they can look for secret places where art paper is set up.

Observations:

Did you notice if any children that typically don’t participate in art activities indoors showed more interest in the activity when it was outdoors? How did children approach this task? How did they use their bodies during this activity – did they exercise more of their large motor muscles?