12 Amazing 1st Grade Art Projects To Inspire Creativity and Play

Enjoy the festivities all year long with these imaginative, easy, and enjoyable first-grade art projects. Everyone on this list can find something they enjoy doing, whether it be painting, creating patterns, working with mixed media, or creating sculpture.

We offer assignments that can be worked on across several classes and assignments that can be finished in less than an hour. While studying well-known artists, students will pick up fundamental art principles including colour mixing. Your little artists will be honoured to bring their creations home!

 1. Float away with mixed-media collages

What really sets this mixed-media hot-air balloon collage apart is its intimate quality. (Tip: If the student pictures are too detailed for small fingers, trim them yourself.)

2. Build baskets with yarn and glue

These ridiculous baskets don’t require any advanced weaving knowledge. Just put yarn strips over an inverted paper bowl or cup after dipping them into glue. You’ll have a basket once the adhesive dries and the paper cup is removed!

3. Discover complementary colors

Early exposure to colour theory will support children’s natural artistic development. To explore this idea, draw basic designs and fill them with complementing colours.

4. Drip like Pollock

Yarn leftovers are perfect for this usage. Youngsters can make abstract designs reminiscent of Jackson Pollock by dipping yarn into tempera paint and then dragging or dripping it over the paper. (Tip: For inspiration, start by reading Action Jackson.)

5. Craft cleverly camouflaged lizards

Incorporate science and art into a camouflage lesson. Next, set a task for your pupils to design a patterned background that a paper lizard may conceal itself in.

6. Fashion a paper rainbow

Paper weaving is an easy and enjoyable craft with endless possibilities. Firsties will love creating these lovely rainbows; you could even incorporate a weather lesson with it!

7. Paint with cotton swabs

Try basic pointillism with your firsties and replace brushes with cotton swabs. Even though this artistic method is quite basic, it may be utilised to produce amazing masterpieces.

8. Fill in letter outlines

Using individual letters to spell words on a bulletin board or other surface, this is an entertaining approach to get the students working on a group activity. After printing the letter shapes, let your kids to use crayons or other drawing tools to make patterns inside of them.

9. Put the “A” in STEAM

This is a multi-part mixed-media project, so schedule a few days to complete it. The outcomes are enjoyable and well worth the effort!

10. Play with patterns

Try this lovely watercolor-resist activity when the leaves begin to change colour. The patterns and colour selections truly allow students to let their imaginations run wild.

11. Explore African art with Anansi

Read the tale of the African folk hero Anansi the Spider. Next, create Anansi paintings to hang in the classroom using African art forms.

12. Draw a fox step-by-step

Students in the first grade are just beginning to transition from stick figures to more complex drawings. Click the link to view a step-by-step oil pastel tutorial that even young children can do.

13. Color blend on bottle prints

This is an interesting approach to study colour mixes. Use crayons, paints, or markers to draw in the colours you would see if the bottles were arranged in a sunny window.