7 Easy Art Lessons For When You’re in a Pinch

crushed soda can drawing

Sometimes lesson planning comes down to the wire. Maybe your students went through a project much faster than expected, or you simply did not have the time to get ahead of things. We’ve all been there. It’s not unheard of to scour the internet and social media for ideas, but sometimes we still come up short. No art teacher is perfect, and we all need a lesson idea in a pinch from time to time! We don’t want these activities to be fluff or busywork. Instead, we want them to help our students build skills and scaffold learning.

The next time you find yourself in need of a last-minute activity or lesson, look no further. The following seven activities are easily adaptable for various grade levels. They also require minimal material prep and use supplies you likely have in your art room.

1. Personal Soda Can Label

two soda cans and drawing

We live in a consumer world where new beverages, food, candy, and snacks are constantly introduced to the market. Teachers and students experience product and brand design —often without even realizing it. Looking at the typography and imagery of different products can spark interesting conversations with both elementary and secondary students.

One way for students to explore the idea of consumerism through product design and advertising is by creating a personal beverage label. This will require students to brainstorm a brand and identity for their product by picking the flavor, color, and overall look. Use the handout below  to get your students started planning their designs.

downloadable resource

Once students have designed their labels, you can take this activity a step further by attaching the design to an aluminum can. Have students participate in a reflection or critique activity. Ending the activity here might be appropriate for your elementary students, but you could take it a step further for your middle and high schoolers. Have students use their aluminum can with a custom label for observational drawing. Beginning students often struggle with matching the text and typography on traditional soda cans. Using the label they initially created will help them build confidence in their drawing skills. After practicing observational drawing skills, students add shading to create the illusion of form. High school students can also explore more package design and advertising elements.

Suggested materials: Paper, drawing materials, aluminum cans (optional) Suggested grade levels: Elementary, middle school, high school

2. Crushed Soda Can Drawing

crushed soda cans

Another simple yet effective way to recycle aluminum cans in your classroom is to crush them and use them for observational drawing. When students learn to draw, they eagerly want to draw things as realistically as they can. Students often feel frustrated and disappointed when they aren’t able to draw things perfectly. One way to reduce the pressure of realistic drawing is to begin with an imperfect object. Crushing cans and spray painting them white can serve as a beautiful and cost-effective way to teach basic drawing skills.

crushed soda can drawing

Students can draw the cans from life or use a reference photo. If they use a reference photo, you could introduce your students to the traditional grid method or provide them with alternative ways of making a grid.

Cover the cans with white paint so students can focus on the simplified shapes without worrying about labels or text. Strong lighting can also help students to identify values easily. If you don’t have aluminum cans on hand but still want to try this activity, use these images as references .

To adapt this lesson and take it even further for your secondary students, explore new and advanced techniques to create a background with contrast and emphasis. Students research and experiment with a technique they have wanted to try. Provide them with a demonstration and sampling of some ideas to get them started.

Here are some exciting advanced techniques:

  • Monoprinting
  • Painted Paper Weaving FLEX Lesson (can be found in FLEX Curriculum )
  • Paper marbling

Suggested materials: Paper, drawing materials, aluminum cans Suggested grade levels: Upper elementary, middle school, high school

3. Ashley Mary-Inspired Organic Shape Painting

painting exemplar

Exploring abstract and non-objective art can be an empowering experience for students. However, sometimes the freedom to create can leave them paralyzed or push them to overwork their pieces. One way to introduce students to proper painting techniques while exploring color, pattern, and shape is to learn about the contemporary artist Ashley Mary . Mary’s playful paintings are reminiscent of the free-form collages of Matisse. Comparing Mary, a contemporary artist, with Matisse, a classical artist, can provide a foundation for inspiration and discussion. To learn more about Ashley Mary, download our complimentary FLEX Curriculum Artist Bio . Find this and many more artist bios in FLEX Curriculum .

downloadable resource

Before students begin painting, have them choose a color scheme. Encourage students to work with a limited palette to push them to make more intentional color decisions. Students create shapes and patterns one paint layer at a time. If using watercolor, this can be a wonderful exploration of how transparent and translucent colors mix and layer. The free-form nature of this painting style also fosters intuitive thinking.

Suggested materials: Paper, acrylic or tempera paint, watercolor Suggested grade levels: Elementary, middle school

4. Water Droplet Drawing

water drop exemplar

If you are looking for a skill-building activity to boost your students’ confidence, this is it! Inspired by art teacher Jennifer Sell , this water droplet drawing activity is the perfect way to introduce students to shading and form at any age level. For best results, use a material that blends easily, like graphite, charcoal, chalk, or oil pastel. Use these videos to help guide your students as they navigate through the activity.

To adapt this for your advanced learners, students create the same drawing with two different media. Compare and contrast the process, medium characteristics, and end results.

Suggested materials: Paper, chalk, graphite, charcoal, or oil pastel Suggested grade levels: Upper elementary, middle school, high school

5. Textured Slump Mold Slab Bowl

slab bowls

Are you in need of a one-day clay activity that requires minimal materials? Creating slump molds is a great way to introduce or review making slabs with students. All you need is clay and a mold, like a bowl, to press the clay inside. This idea also can introduce surface texture on clay. Students roll a slab, add texture, then press into the slump mold. If you plan on doing more clay lessons with your students, this is a quick project for students to practice the glazing process.

Suggested materials: Clay, bowls for molds Suggested grade levels: Elementary, middle school

6. Op Art Drawing

op art exemplar

Optical illusions are always exciting for students, and learning how to make them is even better! Some op art designs require more math and complexity, while others are on the simpler side. These op art sphere and cube designs are perfect as an introduction to your younger artists. Check out this video for a step-by-step guide to create them.

If you plan on doing more complex op art activities with your advanced or high school students, these simple drawings will make great bellringer prompts. Connect several spheres and cubes to create more elaborate patterns and compositions. For more op art lesson ideas, check out the Connecting Op Art and Math in FLEX Collection.

For a brief introduction to op art that you can share with your students, check out the FLEX video below:

Suggested materials: Pencil, markers, ruler, paper Suggested grade levels: Elementary, middle school, high school

7. Color Mixing Lines

color mixing line exemplar

The process of color mixing never ceases to amaze students, no matter how many times they have experienced it. This activity allows students to observe color mixing and explore creative drawing processes.

To start this project, students use a water-based marker or watercolor paint. If students use markers, create shapes of color right next to or slightly overlapping each other. Prep an eyedropper filled with water or a paintbrush dipped in clean water. Stand the painting up vertically and carefully drop water on the paper. Watch as the water mixes with the color and drips down the page together.

Use the same method with watercolor paint with a wet-on-wet technique by painting the paper with water first. Add color with the paper held vertically.

Once the paint drips are dry, students identify the positive and negative shapes created by the drips. Students can trace the shapes and fill in designated areas with line patterns.

Suggested materials: Water, watercolor, markers, paper Suggested grade levels: Elementary, middle school

Alexander Graham Bell said, “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” With all that art teachers have to do daily, we understand the importance of preparation. However, there are only so many hours in the day, and sometimes we don’t have enough time to get it all done! If you find yourself behind, overwhelmed, or stuck, try one of these activities. They are sure to engage students from start to finish, adaptable for all grade levels, and you can easily tie them into your existing curriculum when you’re in a pinch.

What’s your go-to lesson when you are in a pinch?

How do you prep in advance for a last-minute activity?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

easy art activities for high school

Abby Schukei

Abby Schukei, a middle school art educator and AOEU’s Social Media Manager, is a former AOEU Writer. She focuses on creating meaningful experiences for her students through technology integration, innovation, and creativity.

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High School Art Projects that Students LOVE!

High School Art Projects that Students LOVE!

Do you ever get “that” look from your high school students when you present a project to them? You know what I mean, the deer in the headlights look. Art projects need to challenge the students in design and technique while engaging their interests. This in itself can be challenging for an art teacher to tackle.

These four high school art projects have proven to be successful at challenging and engaging the students (you know the kids like a project when they ask if they can do it again!).

Beyond the Border

Medium: Watercolor & India Ink Project

Create a 2D mixed media art piece that explores the expansion of the main subject matter that is in the inner rectangle branching into  the border around it-going beyond the border. The main subject should remain in color, but everything else turns black & white outside the main rectangle… FULL Lesson

Ceramics Roll-A-Beast Animal Sculptures

Medium: Ceramics

Body Features determined by Rolling the Dice!

FUN, FUN, FUN!! Create a fantasy creature that has unique body features determined by rolling dice, then create the creature in ceramics.  After choosing 6 predetermined animal parts that you want to include in the project & assign each part to a number (ex:1=Wings/feathers, 2=fangs/tusks, 3=tentacles, 4=fins/scales, 5=fur, 6=horns/antlers/claws). Keep the list a surprise until everyone had a chance to roll the dice…  FULL Lesson

Motorcycle Mixed-Media Art Lesson High School

Creating dynamic compositions in high school art.

Providing interesting subject matter for planning & creating compositions is important for art teachers to do. I had envisioned doing this mixed media motorcycle art project for several years & was so grateful to find someone who was willing to bring their motorcycle up to our school so my high school students could draw it! I wanted something to really challenge & provide a super interesting subject to teach composition to my high school art class… FULL Lesson

Watercolor Pouring and Masking Portrait Art Lesson

Medium: Watercolors

Are you or your students super tight when it comes to painting? I know I am!! Trying to loosen up a “tight” painter is HARD to do-it takes practice, trial & error. This HS art painting lesson is a great exercise in loosening up and letting go of control. Students will review positive and negative space. The will use a photo editing program to transform a portrait to show high contrast values (black or white only). They will experiment with different watercolor techniques such as pouring, masking and splattering.

All of the lessons are accompanied by ART TECHNIQUE lessons-see my Shop for Lesson Plans & Worksheets

If you choose to use or share any of this post, please link back to my blog Create Art with ME !

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8 Fun Art Activities For High School Students

Are you tired of being cooped up in a classroom all day, listening to lectures, and taking notes? Do you want to break free from the monotony of traditional education and express your creativity in new and exciting ways? Are you on the lookout for some fun art ideas ? Look no further than these art activities for high school students! 

From sculpting dreams into reality to capturing the world through your lens, these activities will let you explore your artistic talents and embrace your quirks. You’ll learn new skills, experiment with different materials, and express yourself in ways you never thought possible. So put down that textbook, grab a paintbrush or camera, and let’s get creative! Whether you’re a seasoned artist or a curious beginner, there’s something for everyone in these art activities. Get ready to unleash your imagination and have some fun!

Beyond the classroom: Artistic adventures for high school students

1. faces of the future.

Faces of the Future

They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. In this activity, we will use our painting skills to capture the essence of a person through a portrait. Whether it’s your best friend, your favorite celebrity, or yourself, you’ll learn how to convey a sense of emotion and personality through color, texture, and brushwork. Get ready to channel your inner Picasso!

In this activity, students can practice their painting skills by creating portraits of themselves, their classmates, or famous figures that they admire. Students can experiment with different techniques, such as color mixing and layering, to capture the personality and expression of their subject. To make the portraits more meaningful, students can write a short statement about why they chose their subject and what they hope to convey through their painting. 

2. Artistic Mashup

Are you ready to break the rules and create something that’s truly one-of-a-kind? In this activity, we’ll take a variety of materials, such as fabric, magazine cutouts, and paint, and combine them into a mixed-media masterpiece. You’ll learn how to experiment with different textures, colors, and shapes to create something that truly reflects your unique style.

In this activity, students can use a variety of materials, such as magazine cutouts, fabric scraps, and paint, to create a mixed-media collage. The collage can have a theme, such as nature or pop culture, or students can freely combine different elements to create a unique composition. Students can experiment with different techniques, such as layering and overlapping, to create depth and texture in their collages.

3. Press Play

Before the age of digital printing, artists used to create beautiful works of art using manual techniques. In this activity, we’ll take a step back in time and learn how to create our own prints using traditional tools and techniques. Whether you choose to carve a linocut or screen print, you’ll learn how to transfer your designs onto paper or fabric to create something truly beautiful and unique

In this activity, students can learn about different printmaking techniques, such as linocut or screen printing, and create their own prints. Students can begin by sketching out their design on a piece of paper or tracing paper, and then transfer the design onto a printing plate. The printing plate can be carved or cut to create the design, and then inked and pressed onto paper or fabric to create the final print.

4. Life in Stillness

Life in stillness

Have you ever stopped to appreciate the beauty in everyday objects? In this activity, we’ll take a closer look at the world around us by creating a still-life drawing. You’ll learn how to capture the essence of objects such as fruits, flowers, or everyday objects, and use shading and composition to create something that truly stands out. Get ready to see the world in a whole new light!

In this activity, students can practice their observational skills by drawing a still-life arrangement of objects, such as fruit or flowers. Students can experiment with different techniques, such as shading and cross-hatching, to create depth and texture in their drawings. To make the drawing more meaningful, students can write a short reflection about what the objects represent to them and how they approached the drawing process.

5. Sculpting Dreams into Reality 

Sculpting Dreams into Reality

In this art activity, students will use their imaginations and hands to create unique and captivating sculptures. They will explore different materials and techniques to bring their ideas to life in three dimensions.

Being a great 10-minute activity , this art activity involves creating three-dimensional objects from various materials such as clay, wire, or found objects. Students can create realistic or abstract sculptures, experimenting with texture, form, and composition. To start, students can sketch their ideas and then begin molding, bending, or arranging the materials to bring their ideas to life. This activity encourages students to think creatively, problem-solve, and develop their fine motor skills.

6. Unleashing Creativity with Technology

Unleashing Creativity with Technology

In this art activity, students will use digital tools such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator to create innovative and visually stunning artwork. They will explore different techniques such as digital painting, graphic design, or photo manipulation.

This art activity involves using digital tools such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator to create artwork. Students can experiment with different techniques such as digital painting, graphic design, or photo manipulation.

Before starting, students can research different digital art forms and take inspiration from existing artists. They can then use these tools to create unique and engaging artwork that reflects their personal style and interests. This activity provides an opportunity for students to develop their technological skills while exploring their creativity.

7. Nature as Our Canvas

Nature as Our Canvas

In this art activity, students will create art using natural materials found in the environment. They will explore how art can interact with nature and enhance our appreciation for the beauty around us.

This art activity involves creating art using natural materials found in the environment, such as rocks, leaves, and branches. Students can work alone or in groups to create artworks that interact with the natural environment in creative ways.

Before starting, students should consider the site-specific aspects of their chosen location and how their artwork can enhance or transform the environment. This activity encourages students to develop their observation skills, creative thinking, and appreciation for the natural world.

8. Capturing the World Through Our Lens

Capturing the World Through Our Lens

In this art activity, students will use a camera to create photographic compositions such as portraits, landscapes, or still lifes. They will explore different photographic techniques such as lighting, framing, and perspective to create visually compelling and meaningful photographs.

This art activity involves taking pictures using a camera to create photographic compositions such as portraits, landscapes, or still lifes. Students can experiment with different techniques such as lighting, framing, and perspective to create compelling and visually engaging photographs.

Before starting, students can research different photographic styles and techniques and take inspiration from existing photographers. They can then use their camera to create their own unique and personal photographic artworks. This activity provides an opportunity for students to develop their visual communication skills and appreciate the world from different perspectives. In addition to this, this activity will let students try their hands on photography and interested students can also take this fun elective to work on their skills.

Art activities provide a fantastic opportunity for high school students to explore their creativity, experiment with different materials and techniques, and express themselves in new and exciting ways. From sculpture and street art to digital art, land art, and photography, there are countless possibilities for students to unleash their imaginations and create something truly unique.

Art activities can also help to develop important skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration, while also promoting self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment which will be really helpful if high school students want to enroll themselves in some art competitions . 

By participating in these activities, students can break free from the monotony of traditional education and engage in a more hands-on, experiential learning process. Overall, art activities offer a valuable and rewarding experience for high school students, helping them to discover their inner artists and tap into their creative potential.

easy art activities for high school

Sananda Bhattacharya, Chief Editor of TheHighSchooler, is dedicated to enhancing operations and growth. With degrees in Literature and Asian Studies from Presidency University, Kolkata, she leverages her educational and innovative background to shape TheHighSchooler into a pivotal resource hub. Providing valuable insights, practical activities, and guidance on school life, graduation, scholarships, and more, Sananda’s leadership enriches the journey of high school students.

Explore a plethora of invaluable resources and insights tailored for high schoolers at TheHighSchooler, under the guidance of Sananda Bhattacharya’s expertise. You can follow her on Linkedin

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Easy Art Projects for High School

List of School Supplies for the 7th Grade

List of School Supplies for the 7th Grade

High school art programs face a number of challenges, including budgetary restrictions and students with a variety of different skill levels. Besides basic projects to teach students how to work in various art media, high school art teachers can take advantage of easy art projects that will bring variety and creative opportunities to any art curriculum.

One simple project with a wide range of possibilities is a collage assignment. Students can spend time collecting images based on a specific theme or concept from magazines, catalogs and by printing images from the Internet. Next, students have a chance to apply the principles of composition as they arrange their collages. To add to a collage assignment, art instructors may require students to produce original work to include in the collage alongside appropriated photographs and clippings.

Sculptural Painting

High school students have likely spent a great deal of time painting in acrylic, oils and watercolors. One simple twist on a traditional painting assignment is a sculptural painting, which involves students painting on a three-dimensional surface. Students may choose existing objects to serve as a nontraditional canvas, or construct their own by carving designs into a sheet of foam or rubber. A sculptural painting can give students a chance to think about painting as a three-dimensional art form and also familiarize them with new art materials and processes.

Lettering and calligraphy is a relatively simple process that high school-age students can use to develop patience and precise hand-eye coordination that will be useful in other areas of art. Besides paper, ink and pens, a lettering project needs few art supplies and is a low-cost alternative to painting sculpture projects. Calligraphy requires practice and can be a way to keep students busy and learning for long periods of time.

Besides producing traditional artwork, high school students who wish to pursue a career in art may benefit greatly from organizing a student art show. Students may select a theme for a class show, producing work especially for the exhibit or curating the art show by selecting from each student's best work from the past several years of art classes. An art show teaches high school art students about the business side of art while also giving them a chance to receive feedback from the public.

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easy art activities for high school

10 Art Sub Lessons that only need a Pencil

No teacher wants to be off school.  You know your students make more progress when you are there and no-one takes care of your materials and room like you do.  In reality, I like to lock everything away and leave work that only needs a pencil.  Having said that, with art being trimmed and trimmed from the curriculum in recent years, every second counts and I still want my students to make progress.  Hopefully, these 10 art sub lessons will help to reduce your workload and be prepared. The art worksheets below all:

  • Come with a lesson plan.
  • Link to commonly taught themes
  • Are tried and tested.
  • Teach valuable skills.
  • Only need a pencil.
  • Are only $3 or £3
  • (Or are much, much less when you subscribe ).

Click on the image to purchase the resource.

Converse Grid Drawing

Encourage beautiful drawing with this converse grid drawing. Ideal as part of any drawing module or this would make an excellent homework or cover lesson to improve drawing skills. There are two versions of this grid drawing.  One where the grid lines are already in place, and one where your students draw the lines using the little marks on the edge as a guide.

10 Art Sub Lessons

The Circle Game

A great art cover or sub lesson.  Students think creatively and turn the circles into different drawings on this one-page resource.

The Circle Game Cover Lesson

Copy the Pattern

A popular, one page, cover/sub lessons that required all students to copy the pattern accurately. Includes lesson plan.

10 Art Sub Lessons

Inspiring Hogarth

Your students will be inspired by the characterful faces in Hogarth’s engravings!  This worksheet and lesson plan asks students to create a page of detailed drawings inspired by the faces they can see on the worksheet.  This is an excellent resource to encourage detailed observational work and will link to many portrait projects.

Draw faces sub lesson

Drawing Dreams

The drawing dreams art lesson below is great for encouraging creative, imaginative drawing. You could also use this lesson to link to Surrealist projects as the Surrealists were sometimes inspired by their dreams.

Drawing Dreams

Drawing Fruit

This drawing fruit worksheet is a must-have for natural forms projects.  High-resolution images work well in colour and when photocopied into black and white.  Use it as a sub lesson or integrate it into fruit or natural forms projects.  The accompanying lesson plan is written as a sub lesson and includes a scripted paragraph for a non-specialist.

Drawing Fruit sub lesson

It’s all in the Eyes!

We all teach portrait drawing units of work, so it’s good to have a portrait sub/cover lesson in your bank of resources.  This drawing eyes sub lesson is ideal.

10 Art Sub Lessons

Cross Hatching Burger

This one-page resource with lesson plan asks students to practise creating tones/values with cross hatching and then to draw the burger using cross hatching.  This has been created as a sub/cover lesson but could also be used as part of a food project. The instructions suggest using a pen but these could also be completed in pencil.

Cross Hatching Burger

Draw the Butterfly

Draw the Butterfly sub/cover lesson is a super-useful download and will link to lots of projects you already teach.  Perhaps you already have an insect project or natural forms project? There is a worksheet that suggests pencil and another that suggests coloured pencil.

Draw the Butterfly

The Knot Challenge

Students love a challenge and ‘The Knot Challenge’ is certainly that!  The lesson plan comes with a script for non-art-specialists so you can use it as a sub/cover lesson too.

10 Art Sub Lessons

10 art sub lessons is a blog post about sub lessons but you can find many, many more art sub lessons on The Arty Teacher website.

Register on The Arty Teacher

Check out the Zentangle Resouces on The Arty Teacher!

Zentangle Art Lessons

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The Arty Teacher

Sarah Crowther is The Arty Teacher. She is a high school art teacher in the North West of England. She strives to share her enthusiasm for art by providing art teachers around the globe with high-quality resources and by sharing her expertise through this blog.

11 responses to “10 Art Sub Lessons that only need a Pencil”

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Great ideas

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I’m glad you like these ideas Audrie!

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Do you have any sub plans that might be a little bit less detailed? I teach 5 year olds to 11 year olds (grades kindergarten to 5th) in the states. Thanks..Cindy

Hi Cindy, I have many more sub lessons here: https://theartyteacher.com/downloads/category/sub-cover-lessons/ I teach 11-18 year olds so they may be too difficult for your younger students. Some will definitely be ok for your oldest students.

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Once I purchase a lesson, how does it come? A hard copy in the mail or digital and I print it?

Hi Piper, If you purchase a lesson it’s a digital download and you would need to print it. Sarah

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These look so helpful! Thanks

Thank you, that’s good to hear.

' src=

Thanks, these are terrific!

Thank you, Janet. I’m glad you find them useful.

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☘️ St. Patrick's Day Activities: Books, art ideas, experiments, and more!

37 of Our Favorite Easy Art Projects for Kids

Get their creative juices flowing.

East art projects for kids, including dictionary drawing of the word ignorant and a woven paper rainbow fish.

The stress of tests and social dynamics can prove challenging for students, and for this reason, they need an opportunity to express themselves freely. Art provides a powerful outlet for creative expression while also proving therapeutic. Plus, a good art project can be particularly effective at getting kids to unplug from their devices. A simple art project can even fill some of downtime during the day for early finishers. Regardless of whether you teach preschool or high school, there is an art project for everyone. So gather some art supplies and try one of these easy art projects for kids!

Easy Art Projects for Pre-K Students

1. paper bag jelly fish.

Text at the top says Paper Bag Jellyfish. Four paper bags have been painted with googly eyes glued on them. The bottom of the bags have been shredded with scissors.

As far as easy art projects for kids go, this one is perfect for preschoolers since it works on their hand-eye coordination and their cutting skills in particular. In addition to paper bags and scissors or pinking shears, you will need some paints, paintbrushes, googly eyes, and glue. If you’re really feeling ambitious, you can grab some sparkles too!

Learn more: Paper Bag Jelly Fish at No Time for Flash Cards

2. Tissue Paper Apple

A piece of paper has two apples on it that are created from little squares of red and green tissue paper that have been glued onto the apple outlines.

Since everyone associates apples with fall and the start of school, this will be the perfect craft to start the school year off on the right foot. Simply draw an apple outline on a piece of paper and have small red and green tissue paper squares ready to be crumpled and glued by tiny hands.

Learn more: Tissue Paper Apple at Burlap + Blue

3. Fork Print Tulips

Several pieces of paper have tulips that are made from different colored paints dipped in the top part of forks to make the flower head. green stems and leaves are painted underneath.

This project is both cute and simple, requiring only a fork, some heavyweight paper, and some paints. This project would be especially perfect for a Mother’s Day gift.

Learn more: Fork Tulip at Toddler at Play

4. Paper Bag Monster

Three paper bags are transformed into brightly colored monsters.

First, paint the bag any color you want. Once dry, cut out shapes from card stock and assemble your monster!

Learn more: Paper Bag Monster Puppets at I Heart Crafty Things

5. Paper Plate Lion

This easy art project for kids shows a paper plate that is painted orange with simple eyes, mouth, and nose painted on in black. The edges of the plate have been cut with slits to look like a mane.

All you need to re-create this adorable lion is orange and black paint, paintbrushes, paper plates, and scissors. Grab some Popsicle sticks to glue to the back and you’ll have a ferocious puppet show on your hands in no time!

Learn more: Paper Plate Lion at My Bored Toddler

6. Popsicle Stick Rainbow

This easy art project for kids shows white circles glued to a piece of light blue construction paper as clouds. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple popsicle sticks are coming out of the clouds as a rainbow.

Grab some blue card stock, cotton circles, and Popsicle sticks and have your students work on their gluing skills. This craft will prove effective at teaching little ones their colors. Choose either colored Popsicle sticks or have kids color them themselves.

Learn more: Popsicle Stick Rainbow at My Bored Toddler

7. Paper Plate Octopus

An orange and a blue octopus are made from paper plates painted with faces on them and the octopus legs are made from strips of construction paper.

Kids love octopuses, especially adorable ones like these! This craft would be perfect for little ones still learning to count since they have a whopping eight legs to make.

Learn more: Paper Plate Octopus at Simple Every Day Mom

8. Macaroni Necklace

This image of an easy art project for kids shows 5 multi-colored macaroni necklaces made from painted macaroni, string, and some beads.

A staple of many of our childhoods, macaroni necklaces work on the dexterity of little fingers while also making perfect gifts. Add in some large beads as well for variety.

Learn more: DIY Macaroni Necklaces at Made To Be a Mama

Easy Art Projects for Elementary School Students

9. paper plate snake.

A paper plate is cut into a spiral and painted with watercolor paints. Googly eyes havebeen glued on.

Have your students paint a paper plate with watercolors and then once dry, help them cut it in a swirl shape. Finally, add some googly eyes.

Learn more: Colorful Paper Plate Snakes at Pink Stripey Socks

10. Paper Roll Koala

This easy art project for kids shows a cute koala made from a paper roll, construction paper, and pom-poms.

This super-cute koala would make an adorable desk buddy since it stands up on its own. Kids will enjoy personalizing their koala’s face!

Learn more: Paper Roll Koala at Arty Crafty Kids

11. Leaf Pattern Drawing

The outline of a leaf is divided into different sections in this easy art project for kids. Each section is brightly colored with a different pattern in it.

We just love art projects that fill the entire page, and this one certainly fits the bill. The combination of crayon and watercolor paint create this multi-dimensional leaf print.

Learn more: Leaf Pattern at Art Projects for Kids

12. Woven Rainbow Fish

An image on the top shows a white cutout of a fish with a stack of strips of brightly colored paper. The bottom image shows the final product with the strips woven inside the fish.

This project is perfect for working on students’ hand-eye coordination while being a cursory introduction to sewing. It’s challenging enough for even upper elementary school students while still being relatively simple.

Learn more: Rainbow Fish at Crafty Morning

13. Thumbprint Bugs

This easy art project for kids shows three steps to making green thumbprints turn into a caterpillar.

These thumbprint doodles are just so sweet and would perfectly complement a science lesson all about bugs. After having students try their hand at some of the thumbprint examples, let them use their imagination to see what other ideas they can cook up. You can even have them create bug jars out of card stock to put their new friends in!

Learn more: Thumbprint Bugs via Toot’s Mom Is Tired

14. Umbrella With Rain

A rainbow umbrella is constructed from a half of a paper plate.

Another fun art project that is really affordable to create since you only need paper plates, some paints, a roll of string, and some blue beads. We just love this clever approach to creating raindrops!

Learn more: Umbrella With Rain at Easy Peasy and Fun

15. Popsicle Stick Pencil

A pencil is made from construction paper and yellow popsicle sticks.

Nothing says back to school more than a cute pencil-themed craft. Have students add their names to them and then use them to decorate a September bulletin board in your classroom.

Learn more: Popsicle Stick Pencil at Crafty Morning

16. Craft Stick Airplane

Two small airplanes are shown made from a clothespin, different size popsicle sticks, and a wooden bead. They are painted.

Kids will unquestionably go crazy over these clothespin-and-Popsicle-stick airplanes. Regardless of whether they choose paint or permanent markers, students will enjoy personalizing their tiny flying machines.

Learn more: Craft Stick Airplane at Making Life Blissful

17. Pom-Pom Caterpillars

Two caterpillars are made from pom poms and sit on construction paper leaves.

Since kids love pom-poms and caterpillars, this will be the perfect craft to grab their attention. Make sure to supply them with a fun variety of pom-poms and googly eyes.

Learn more: Pom-Pom Caterpillar at Easy Peasy and Fun

Easy Art Projects for Middle School Students

18. chalk christmas lights.

A string of Christmas lights is shown on a black backdrop. The lights are created from chalk smudges in blue, yellow, pink, green, and purple.

This is the perfect easy art project to do around the holiday season. You’ll need to create a stencil from card stock so you can create your light shapes. Once that is done, you can begin creating “light” with some chalk pastels. A silver Sharpie can be used to create your light string since it will show up nicely against the black paper.

Learn more: Christmas Light Chalk Stencil Art at Buggy and Buddy

19. Gratitude Journal

The front of a journal is shown with an abstract painting on the cover of this easy art project for kids.

This project doubles as an art and writing activity since students can use their finished journals for writing prompts. These personalized journals beat store-bought ones any day!

Learn more: Handmade Gratitude Journal at Kids Activities Blog

20. Textured Hot-Air Balloon

Two hot air balloons are constructed from a variety of different materials.

This project is the perfect excuse to use up all your crafty odds and ends like feathers, glitter, and sequins. We love how unique each creation will be once they’re done.

Learn more: Textured Hot-Air Balloon at Artsy Momma

21. Layer Cakes

Four multi layer cakes are shown cut into. They are drawn using oil pastels.

Regardless of students’ experience with oil pastels, this project will be a good introduction to the medium. Have students follow a step-by-step tutorial for drawing the outline of the layer cake, then let them use the pastels to bring their drawings to life.

Learn more: Cakes at Little Yeti

22. Chalk Planets

Four different planets are shown drawn on black backgrounds in this easy art project for kids.

This is an inexpensive way to enhance a science unit on space while still getting creative. It’s inexpensive too since all you will need is some black paper and chalk.

Learn more: 18 Awesome Art Projects for Your Classroom at Teach Junkie

23. Back-to-School Rocks

Eight rocks are painted as various back-to-school items including a purple crayon, a pink eraser, and a pencil.

Kids love painting rocks so why not make it school-themed? Show students some of these examples to copy or let them come up with some of their own, then spread them around the school’s grounds.

Learn more: Painted Rock Ideas at Color Made Happy

24. Dictionary Page Drawing

A dictionary page is the backdrop to a drawing of the word Ignorant. A strange looking cartoon man is shown.

Easy art projects for kids that also double as vocabulary lessons? Yes, please! This project will prove especially educational as students are tasked with illustrating a word on an old dictionary page.

25. Paper Collage Painting

A green coffee mug with steam coming out of it is sitting on a pink surface with a yellow background. This easy art project for kids is made from pieces of different colored paper.

Students will enjoy creating their collages from a variety of materials. Even better—this project is a great way to encourage recycling since old cereal boxes and other food labels can be ripped into strips and repurposed.

Learn more: Painting With Paper at Megan Coyle Artist & Illustrator

26. Crayon Resist Art

This easy art project for kids shows multiple pieces of paper with different doodles and words in white crayon with paint surrounding it. An actual white crayon and watercolor paints are on top of the paintings.

This simple project can be done without a lot of instruction and will work for students of any age. This project runs on the same idea as some Easter egg–decorating kits in that the paint or dye sticks to the areas not covered in wax, or in this case, crayon.

Learn more: Fun Watercolor Resist Art at Kids Activities Blog

27. Number Art

An image shows several number stencils layered upon one another and the sections are colored in many different colors in this easy art project for kids.

If you have some math whizzes in your class, they will likely enjoy this number-themed art project. Grab some large number stencils and paints and you’ll be ready for this low-setup project.

Learn more: 5th Grade Number Project at Art Room Blog

28. Woven Baby Turtle

Several turtles are made from popsicle sticks with brightly colored yarn wrapped around them. Faces are drawn on them with sharpie.

Select three mini Popsicle sticks, paint them, and then glue them together to form your turtle’s body. Finally, select your yarn and weave it around your turtle. Be sure to have a lot of fun colors to choose from!

Learn more: Weaving Cute Baby Turtles at Pink Stripey Socks

Easy Art Projects for High School Students

29. yarn-wrapped letter.

A letter M made of cardboard is wrapped with different colored yarn. Several rows of yarn are in the background.

All you will need to create this craft is some leftover cardboard, a bunch of different yarns, and some scissors. Teens especially will enjoy this project as the end result can be used as decoration in their bedrooms and eventually their dorm rooms!

Learn more: 14 Crafts for Teens and Tweens at Art Bar Blog

30. Elevated Macaroni Necklace

Two macaroni necklaces are shown. One is teal and the other is pink and both are on actual chains.

Some easy art projects for kids and teens can even double as fashion! Despite their association with preschool, these are definitely not your little brother’s or sister’s macaroni necklaces. Swapping out twine with an actual chain makes these necklaces look surprisingly high-end.

Learn more: 12 Pasta Necklaces We Need Right Now at Mum’s Grapevine

31. Neuro Doodle Design

Black squiggles on a white paper form different size shapes, some of which are colored in purple and green in this easy art project for kids.

This is a simple and mindful art project that can be enjoyed by students regardless of their art experience. This art process was invented by Russian psychologist and architect Pavel Piskarev in 2014.

Learn more: Simple Mindful Art Project at Inside Out Art Teacher

32. Crepe Paper Flowers

A glass plate has a variety of flowers on it which are made from crepe paper.

This is the perfect project for early finishers to do since each flower only takes 5 minutes to create. In addition to being a fun project, these flowers would also make for beautiful classroom decor.

Learn more: Easy Crepe Paper Flowers at DIY Candy

33. CD Fish

Two fish are made from CDs with eyes and tissue paper fins added.

Easy art projects for kids that utilize outdated technology? Why not? Although this project could work for any age group, older kids will be able to personalize their fish using a variety of add-on materials. Be prepared to explain to your students what CDs are since they were born long after their demise!

Learn more: Make Your Own Fish Aquarium at Super Simple

34. Pencil Sculpture

A sculpture is made from 72 pencils that have been arranged in a dome shape.

While this project can get complicated, simpler structures can be completed using fewer pencils. The preparation is minimal, requiring just a bunch of pencils and elastics, but the reward will be big when you see what your students create!

Learn more: Geometric Sculpture From 72 Pencils at Instructables

35. Ribbon Garland

A garland is made from pastel ribbon pieces tied together.

This project is another good time-filler since it can be worked on and then picked up again later and continued. It’s also a good lesson in recycling since you can ask students to bring in any fabric or ribbons that may be sitting around their houses unused.

Learn more: Easy DIY Fabric Garland at Project Nursery

36. Origami

Hands are shown holding an orange origami fish and a neon yellow origami fish in this easy art project for kids.

Origami paper is inexpensive and can be bought in bulk, making this an affordable and low-preparation art project. Additionally, it is perfect for high school students who are better equipped to follow along with an instructional video.

Learn more: 12 Origami Projects for Kids at Mom Loves Best

37. Layered Landscape

A landscape is created by layering different scraps of brightly colored paper.

Keep those cereal boxes and old magazines since they’re perfect for ripping up to create layered art! We especially love how much room there is in this project for individual creativity.

Learn more: Layered Landscape at Art Camp Studio

What are your favorite easy art projects to do in the classroom? Come and share your ideas in our  We Are Teachers HELPLINE group  on Facebook.

Plus,  get ideas for great auction art projects .

Art provides a creative outlet for kids while also reducing stress. Try incorporating one of these easy art projects for kids into your day!

You Might Also Like

Examples of kindergarten art projects, including a rainbow finger painted heart in a plastic bag and snails made from rolled up paper.

62 Kindergarten Art Projects To Spark Early Creativity

Don't limit yourself to finger paints! Continue Reading

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Art Class Curator

Hands-on and Minds-curious Art Learning

🎨 Discover Art Class Curator’s Black History Month Art Lessons Bundle! - 90% off🌟

Art printables, worksheets, and powerpoints.

Inside: A collection of printable art worksheets, PowerPoints, and lesson plans to use in art class. (Most of them are FREE!)

easy art activities for high school

Art class should be about more than just making art! Art lessons should introduce students to a variety of works of art and allow them to explore the process, the history, and their own personal connections to the artworks they encounter.

Keeping a class full of students engaged while looking at art takes practice, confidence, inventive activities , and a variety of approaches. But most of us weren’t taught how to talk about art with kids . That’s why I’ve gathered some of my best printable art worksheets and downloads in one place! Most of these art lesson plans can be used for any grade level and there’s enough variety to keep elementary, middle, and high school students interested and intrigued.

Free Art Worksheets Bundle-FB

Free Printable Art Worksheets

My favorite go-to art lessons come from the Art Appreciation Worksheet Bundle .

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3! 1. Pick an artwork 2. Print one of the Art Appreciation Worksheets 3. Watch with joy as your students connect with and interpret art

The bundle includes 25 printable art worksheets, but everyone who signs up for Your Weekly Art Break , my email newsletter full of art inspiration, gets six FREE art appreciation worksheets . Fill out the form below to receive your free art worksheets and weekly art inspiration.

easy art activities for high school

Free Worksheets!

Art Appreciation Worksheets

In this free bundle of art worksheets, you receive six ready-to-use art worksheets with looking activities designed to work with almost any work of art.

Below, you’ll find a collection of the Art Class Curator posts that include art printables and downloads. These brains-on art activities will jump-start students’ critical thinking skills and breath new life into their  art projects . All of these art lesson plans are all free unless otherwise marked. Most are printable PDFs, but the ones containing PowerPoints are marked.

Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack

easy art activities for high school

This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative. Click here to download the Elements and Principles Printable Pack.

easy art activities for high school

Free Resource!

Elements & Principles Printable Pack

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Art Appreciation Printables

  • Free Art Appreciation Printable Worksheet Bundle
  • Art Appreciation Worksheet Bundle 25-Pack  
  • I am… Dorothea Lange: Exploring Empathy
  • Character Analysis Art Activity: Twitter Perspectives
  • Haikus about Art
  • I See, I Think, I Wonder
  • “I Feel” Word Wheel: Learning Emotional Literacy in Art Education

Art Appreciation Activities & Art Appreciation Lessons

  • Art Description and Drawing Activity
  • Virtual Art Museum Field Trip
  • Complete the Picture: An Easy Art Appreciation Game for Kids
  • Interpreting the Power of the Kongo Nkisi N’Kondi

Artworks Printables

art class activities

Artworks Worksheets & Artworks Activities

  • Art, Horror, and The Sublime: Symbolism in Pablo Picasso’s Guernica
  • Kollwitz & Cassatt: Two Views of Motherhood in Art
  • Rosa Rolanda Jigsaw Art Learning Activity

Artworks Lessons

  • Elements of Art Examples & Definitions
  • Principles of Design Examples & Definitions
  • Frida Kahlo’s The Two Fridas  Art Discussion Lesson
  • Art Analysis Activity for John Gast’s American Progress
  • Art Around the World in 30 Days – China
  • Masterpiece Monday: Manifest Destiny Art

Art Criticism Printables

Art criticism worksheets.

  • SPARK: 5 Art Criticism Steps for Inspired Art Connections and Conversations
  • Art History Student Study Guide Worksheets

Art Criticism Activities

  • 82 Questions to Ask About Art
  • Photograph Analysis Learning Activities

Art Criticism Lessons

  • 4 Steps of Art Criticism Lesson
  • What is Art? – Aesthetics Lesson Bundle
  • Classical Sculpture Analysis Lesson  
  • Decoding Style: How to Teach Students to Read an Artwork  

Puzzles About Art Printables

art puzzles

Teaching students about  art and aesthetics  is a great way to make them think about art in a new way. Aesthetics puzzles ignite exciting, meaningful classroom art discussions  and flex students’ philosophical and critical thinking skills.

  • Puzzles About Art: The Chimpanzee Painter
  • Puzzles About Art: Call it Driftwood

More Art Printables

You can find more art lesson plans in the Art Class Curator store and on Teachers Pay Teachers . Sign up for  Your Weekly Art Break   to get six free art art worksheets and weekly art inspiration delivered to your inbox!

easy art activities for high school

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*free bundle of art appreciation worksheets*.

KinderArt

Teaching High School Art Lessons

Home » Teaching High School Art Lessons

Teaching High School Art Lessons

More Learning Levels

Kindergarten to Grade 2

Grades 6-8 (Middle School)

Grades 9-12 (High School and Adults)

Teaching Art to High School Students (14+yrs)

High School students should be given the opportunity to work with a variety of art materials. Often, they will be interested in creating art with a message, or for a cause (political or otherwise). This should be encouraged.

Grade 9, 10 and 11 Emphasis:

  • Art theory as it relates to artists and art movements of the past and present.
  • Analyze how technical and aesthetic elements contribute to the ideas communicated in works of art.
  • State preferences for works of art based on detailed analysis.
  • Describe how a society or culture influences the arts.
  • Create art by selecting and using elements of art and technical skills to achieve a desired effect.
  • Analyze works of art.
  • Explore areas of artistic interest in greater depth as they develop their own critical and problem solving skills.
  • Use a variety of materials to create art.
  • Explore, challenge, express and develop ideas using the skills and techniques they have learned.
  • Establish self-esteem and self-confidence.
  • Sharpen intuitive abilities.
  • Expand aesthetic awareness and develop aesthetic judgement.
  • Continue exposure to art history. Analyze a work of art by comparing it to another from a different time or culture.
  • Discuss elements of art and principles of design while identifying aspects that contribute to the effectiveness of art.
  • Use personal and cultural experiences as subject matter.
  • Describe the benefits of gaining skills in the arts.

>>Click HERE for our list of High School Art Lessons<<

Favourite art lessons for high school.

  • Classic Still Life Drawing
  • Creative Principles and Elements of Art
  • Face Study (Draw the Other Half)
  • Gesture Drawing
  • Happy Accident Painting
  • Iterating Fractals
  • Line Painting Flowers
  • Mixed Media Still Life Painting
  • Monoprinting with Gelli Arts
  • Norval Morrisseau X-Ray Painting
  • Pen and Ink Drawing
  • Positive/Negative Bugs
  • Still Life Mat Board Masterpieces
  • Tissue Paper Collage Flowers
  • Tissue Paper Landscapes
  • Viewfinder Painting
  • Wandering Ink Drawing Exercise

>>>MORE

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Easy Art lessons for substitute teachers (free, emergency lessons)

Last Updated on February 9, 2017

The prospect of preparing sub lessons for middle and high school Art classes (also known as relief lessons) can fill a teacher with dread and be perceived as more unpleasant than returning to school while sick. To solve this problem, we have provided a collection of complete one-off Art lessons that can be printed at the click of a button and administered by any relief or substitute teacher, regardless of their background (or lack of) in Art and Design. These tasks require only basic materials and are absent of elaborate procedures, dangerous equipment and undue mess. Despite their simplicity, however, the exercises encourage students to practise valuable art-making skills and reinforce prior learning in a fun, relaxing and stress-free way.

Awesome Art lessons for substitute

Each lesson in this article will soon link to a substitute lesson plan template that identifies learning objectives, materials required and clear instructions (lesson plans will download as a PDF that can be printed on A4 paper – we are working on these ASAP, please bookmark this page so that you can return to it soon) as well as more detailed illustrations and student examples. One-day art lessons can also be used by students who wish to undertake extension activities on their own. It should be noted that these exercises are mostly targeted at middle school and junior high school students, as senior Art students typically continue with existing projects when substitute or relief teachers are present.

Make an origami crane and draw it , as in these examples by Sean Dooley , a graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design:

READ NEXT: How to make an artist website (and why you need one)

Paper crane drawing - a great sub lesson!

Create a sculpture depicting an emotion from paper and then draw it , as in these examples by Year 12 student Jenny Ha, ACG Parnell College :

Great sub ideas - drawing folded paper

Explore negative and positive space , as in these artworks by 7th Grade students taught by  Larisa Kamp , Calvert School:

Create a tessellation , as in this exercise taught to 5th Grade students by  Bradley Hale , Chalker Elementary School:

tessellation art lesson plan

Use line and tone to create a 3D illusion , as in these examples by 15 year old artist  João Carvalho :

3D line drawings - great sub lesson idea!

Design a building derived from organic form , as in this example by Year 11 student Rhea Maheshwari,  ACG Parnell College :

creative architecture design - art lesson sub plan

Create an interactive business card using two pieces of colored cardboard , such as this one by Tommy Perez :

interactive business card design

Make an abstract sculpture from paper and take a photograph , as in this example by Jamie Webb-Speight, a Year 10 student from ACG Parnell College :

one off art lesson ideas: paper sculpture

Use coloring sheets to learn about color and/or tone

Practising tone: weaving coloring worksheet

Note: We are in the process of preparing a lot of awesome coloring worksheets that are suitable for this purpose. Please ensure that you are subscribed to our mailing list below to make sure that you will be alerted when this resource is live!

Draw an alien , as inspired by an experimental task suggested by Chris Francis , Senior Leader at St Peter’s Catholic School and teacher of Art & Photography – and this great drawing by fifteen year old Emka Klučovská from Slovakia:

Alien drawing ideas

Use a black pen and colored pencils to draw over a dictionary page , as inspired by the artworks of  Kristy Patterson , teacher at Guymon High School:

drawing on dictionary page

Produce a transformation drawing , as in this example by Art and Design student Hanna :

metamorphosis transformation drawing

Design a room in perspective using a perspective grid , as in the examples shown in our One Point Perspective Drawing tutorial .

perspective sub lesson

Cut pieces from a black and white photocopy and redraw the missing pieces

Students are issued with a black and white photocopy of an appropriate image and are instructed to cut out portions and glue the remainder of the image to a sheet of drawing paper. The image may be disassembled and rearranged during this process. A pencil or black pen is used to redraw the missing portions creating a finished artwork. This may be a surrealist, imaginative exercise, where unusual or unexpected items are drawn in the missing spaces, or figures may be intentionally distorted or compressed. Alternatively, the final result may be entirely realistic.

Produce an awesome, soulful drawing of rubbish , as in this drawing by Brittany Lee, Year 10 Art student at ACG Parnell College :

drawing of trash

You may be interested in reading: How to create an excellent observational drawing: 11 tips for high school Art students

Interactive drawings , inspired by the work of artist Victor Nunes :

Victor Nunes artist

Some of these lesson ideas are Student Art Guide originals; many others are shared by experienced art teachers from around the world (contact us here if you would like to suggest an addition for this page)!

Amiria Gale

Amiria has been an Art & Design teacher and a Curriculum Co-ordinator for seven years, responsible for the course design and assessment of student work in two high-achieving Auckland schools. She has a Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Bachelor of Architecture (First Class Honours) and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching. Amiria is a CIE Accredited Art & Design Coursework Assessor.

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Ms Artastic

Ms Artastic

Discover Powerful, Creative, and Relevant Art Education Lessons & Resources.

easy art activities for high school

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In this blog post, I’m going to give you 5 Social Emotional Learning Art Ideas that you can use in your Art Classroom! As well, I’ll tell you about what Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is, how to instruct it, and how to encourage students to engage in the lessons. I’ll give you lesson ideas that you can use right away with your students, and I will also give you links to Art Projects that are ready-to-use!

Before we begin, let’s understand what Social Emotional Learning, or SEL is and what it can look like in the art classroom or through art!

GET ALL THE DETAILS! Listen to this post on my Podcast!

In this blog post, I'm going to give you 5 Social Emotional Learning Art Ideas that you can use in your Art Classroom! As well, I'll tell you about what Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is, how to instruct it, and how to encourage students to engage in the lessons. I'll give you lesson ideas that you can use right away with your students, and I will also give you links to Art Projects that are ready-to-use! Before we begin, let’s understand what Social Emotional Learning, or SEL is and what it can look like in the art classroom or through art!

WHAT IS SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING?

SEL (Social Emotional Learning) is a process that both kids and adults can understand and use to manage their emotions, set goals, feel and show empathy towards others , and learn social awareness and socializing skills to allow them to build relationships. The five core competencies of SEL are: Self-awareness (recognize one’s emotions and understand how it influences behavior),  Self-management (the ability to regulate one’s emotions and behaviors in different situations), Social awareness (the ability to take perspectives and empathize with people from culturally diverse backgrounds), Relationship skills (the ability to develop and maintain healthy relationships with people and groups of diverse backgrounds), and Responsible decision-making (the ability to make respectful choices based on personal behavior and social interactions and care for the well-being of self and others).

person holding multi colored heart shaped ornament

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN SCHOOLS?

So what does this look like in schools? Well it can be learning about our emotions , what triggers them, and how we react. For example, if we build that self-awareness piece, we can recognize we’re angry or are angry and can find strategies to use to calm down before we continue to escalate into a red beast. For instance, classrooms, including art classes, can have sensory bins (which I just find interesting, tactile things to put in from the dollar store. It is just there to change the visual and feeling based sensory of the individual to help them calm down), or you can have full calm down kits with visuals that guide individuals through self-awareness checklists or provide visual strategies for different ways one can manage their emotions and get back to the green zone (which is a Zones of Regulation reference) which is a state where you’re calm, you’re focused, you’re yourself, or simply put, you’re ready to learn.

As well, teaching Social Emotional Learning allows for opportunities of Social Awareness, allowing students the opportunity to develop the ability to take perspectives and empathize with people from culturally diverse backgrounds… This also falls into Relationship skills because we’re teaching kids to develop and maintain healthy relationships with people and groups of culturally diverse backgrounds… Teaching SEL in schools or in our own classrooms allows for the opportunity for students to allow for the care and well-being or self and others… All this… THIS is important…

TEACH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING IN ART!

It can be taught THROUGH art. Teaching it THROUGH art is natural because art is already a reflection of our OWN ideas, our OWN thoughts, our OWN feelings and emotions. It is essential that we teach it in art because it is allowing students the opportunity to express themselves and also explore SEL through mediums, materials, and drawings. Journaling is a great way to explore SEL, but what if the barrier for the child is writing? Many of us can make a mark in some way with a medium. And if an individual can’t draw because of a disability, we can always try our best to find something that will allow them to express themselves, whether it is through paint, or shaving foam that they can feel, or clay or play dough… The point of this is self-reflection and awareness, not necessarily the end result every time. It CAN be or LEAD towards that, but we also have to allow for pure mindfulness and self-awareness as well that is undisturbed by OUR ideas and input (the teacher’s ideas and wants).

DON’T CRUSH THE KIDS’S WILLINGNESS TO OPEN UP & BE VULNERABLE

We have to be careful not to crush the student’s willingness to allow this new, uncomfortable feeling to come out. We don’t want to crush their willingness to explore and experiment. Sometimes I see kids who don’t draw or don’t want to make art- not because they don’t want to, but because an adult crushed them in the past with criticism or assessment that wasn’t provided in a safe, caring, positive way and wasn’t constructive.

For me, in my own art life, I have faced a lot of criticism. I create creepy, cute, low brow artworks that I display in high brow galleries. So naturally I face a lot of criticism. But it took me 10 years to realize that those comments are THEIR wants for MY art. Not MY wants for MY art. And so, now, in artist talks, I generally mention that my art is for ME. I don’t create art for a living (not many can?! The gallery takes half and you only do a few shows a year at max. The expenses for life are unreal. But often, money isn’t talked about and in talks, it is felt as though your art IS your income. But it’s not true. And money DOES exist).

Anyway, the point of that rant was that, I think it’s pretty important that we let kids make art that is self-reflection and exploration the way they want to make it. The VALUE or target of the learning for this should be their ability to be self-aware, to reflect, to be vulnerable and dig deep and explore these ideas. I know that when I do these activities or meditate, I feel uncomfortable and vulnerable. It is a barrier and causes friction from doing the task because… It is hard to confront your own thoughts.

So what I’m saying is… if a kid is willing to participate, which is HUGE because there is a lot of vulnerability going on, don’t spook the kid with your constructive criticism about the way they’re making or creating. In MY OPINION, it is not necessary for this activity. That could be a trigger point.

And back to accessibility… This activity could be really good for the kids who generally really need to do this… the ones who struggle to be self-aware or have BIG emotions at times. Often, their relationship with education or learning is a challenge or writing or reading may be difficult so accessing this is hard for them… but not if it is done through art. Because you can just draw. It is accessible. Those kids… NEED this.

Or maybe something happens. Like… unexpected things happen. I don’t have to say it. You can think about all the different kinds of THINGS that have happened in our world that are hard to explain or deal with after. Social Emotion Learning and “dealing” with it can be done with art as well, in addition to other things that need to be done. Obviously, this is not a replacement for counseling or anything…. It’s just that if it doesn’t feel right creating a dinosaur drawing or Starry Night inspired art piece… don’t. Save it for later. Do a SEL Art Activity instead.

Alright, so now we understand the WHY, let’s dive into some ideas for WHAT you can do with your kids… some Art Ideas!

MINDFUL STARTS IN ART:

I love mindful art starts in the art classroom because it creates a wonderful opportunity for students to transition from whatever they were doing to art. Mindful art starts are just moments where you dim the lights, you can get some cheap lamps for your classroom or just use natural light if you have windows, and you turn on some nice, soft music. YouTube has huge “deep relaxation” or “meditation” or “focus” music playlists that are like 3 hours long that you can turn on a play and even keep playing softly after this is over and while they work.

Now, it’s art class, so in addition to this, they are quietly drawing, mindfully. Let them focus on the moment. Not worry about the past because it’s already happened. Not worry about the future because it hasn’t happened yet. Just focus on your thoughts… and how you feel right now. Let them free sketch or work on a sketchbook assignment while they draw. You’re not giving instruction or giving input, you’re just letting them live in the moment, mindfully. You can remind them to not talk during this time, it is silent sketching.

pink water lily flower on water

While this goes on, YOU can transition from one group of kids to the next so you don’t feel so flustered from the quick group change. You can take a deep breath. Sit down for 1 minute. Do attendance. Get the lesson ready (super quietly of course). Whatever.

Now mindful art starts will vary for age and for how often you see kids or for how long the class is. When I taught high school art, I did this every day for 5 or 10 minutes because the classes were long. The seniors were exhausted from having left math or science and really enjoyed working on their sketchbook assignments in a peaceful way (it also gave them the opportunity to make good drawings in their books that weren’t rushed).

For elementary, this is more challenging. If your instructional time is only 30 minutes and they’re kindergarten or grade 1, 10 minutes of mindful art starts each time would be chaotic. You’d never have time to teach a lesson, and 10 minutes is eternity to those guys. So maybe it is 1 minute of dim lights and music and deep breathing (no drawing) for that time. Or maybe its not 1 minute, but every Friday, all your classes on that day start with 3 to 5 minutes of silent sketching with music. Or maybe you do 10 minutes with each class once a month to allow mindful drawing. Or you use it on days that they NEED it. You’ll know when you see them.

GUIDED MEDITATION IN ART CLASS

Another thing you can do is Guided Meditation . You can play a “Guided Meditation for Kids” track on YouTube or find one online and read it. While this guided meditation happens, let kids draw an image (free draw with choice mediums) that is a reflection of their feelings, their thoughts, their ideas in that moment. Or you can do a theme… Sometimes we will do a meditation with the focus being on gratitude and while they’re listening, they’re drawing things they’re grateful for. How beautiful is that?

CREATE ART THAT EXPLORES CULTURE & IDENTITY

You can create art that explores their own culture and identity. When I do S.E.L. Art Lessons, I try to leave it completely student choice. What they draw is obviously a reflection of them, the unique individual who is practicing self and social awareness, so I do not tell them what to draw (but if they need help, I’ll sit and we will chat it out to help get ideas generating or they can do table group brainstorms or think-pair-share about culture & identity before they do a brainstorm before they draw so they have ideas going into it. And usually that all follows a lesson on culture & identity) and I do not tell them what mediums to use. I WILL tell them their options of what they can use, but I will not tell them which ones they will pick. I find that S.E.L. artworks are the perfect opportunity to let students have CHOICE and let it be student-lead. Everything else is so controlled so I let them explore this in their own way. As usual, play music while they work.

easy art activities for high school

CREATE ART THAT EXPLORES EMOTIONS

You can have kids create art that explores what their emotions look like ! So for example, what does their “happy” look like… you can explore through choice drawing. What does it look like when their sad, tired, excited, angry, furious, scared… You can write emotions down on paper and have students pull them out of a container. You can do 4 and create a collage with the doodles or you can pick one and turn it into a full art piece. You can use this for sketchbook assignments. You can do 1 emotion a week or month… Play with this fun exploration of self-awareness. Through art they can learn about what it looks like when their feeling a certain way, then they can be taught to use different strategies that could help them get back to the “ready-to-learn” stage or the green zone. Or use a strategy that will help them calm down a bit.

easy art activities for high school

REFLECT ON WHAT YOU CAN HOLD ONTO & LET GO OF

Finally, students can create drawings as full art pieces or as explorations for a sketchbook assignment that explores things that they can Hold Onto and Things they can Let Go Of . Hold onto would be like …. A memory of a camping trip, my friends, my family, grateful journaling, meditation, creating art, video games…. And Let Go for example, could be “Too Much Social Media Time”, or sleeping in too often, eating too much junk food, worrying about things I can’t control, working too much, stressful situations, toxic friends… Whatever. These are things on my own mind but you can make it work for your students and both the ideas and drawings would look very different for someone who is in grade 4 compared to someone in grade 12. This is a wonderful self-awareness activity and is a great strategy for kids to let go of things that are causing them worry and stress, letting them have the opportunity to get it out in a healthy way. And then they can also have a reminder to focus on what they want to hold onto, what is important TO THEM.

easy art activities for high school

ACTION ITEM:

Well that is all! I hope that you choose to try a strategy in your classroom! Try teaching a SEL lesson, at least 1 this month. It could be a 5 minute mindful art start or it could be a drawing of an emotion or a full art project on Culture & Identity. See how it goes and feels for both you and your students. I am sure you will be surprised at the magic that will happen! Remember, if the first time you do this doesn’t go as planned, no worries. We, including our students, might feel uncomfortable and vulnerable doing this sort of inward looking and reflection. They might not be used to it or have never done it. It takes bravery to look at ourselves sometimes. So be flexible, let things go. They’ll come around eventually and it’ll all be worth it.

ACTION ITEM: Teach 1 Social Emotional Learning based Art Lesson

Love you lots Artastic Nation! This is Kathleen McGiveron, signing out.

Find my SEL Art Lessons TpT

Finally, if you need some ideas for SEL Lessons, I have them ready-to-go! Just find them in my TpT Store, Link below.

Thank you for reading my blog post ! I am grateful that you did and I appreciate you having took the time to read to the end. Thank you so much. Please write any questions you have in the comments section of this post. Please help me out by subscribing to my YouTube Channel to help me reach my goal of 100,000 subscribers. I teach full art lessons and drawing tutorials for kids on my channel and I am confident you will enjoy your subscription. Click here to subscribe! Yours Truly, Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic)

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-The BEST Picture Books that Teach about Art for Kids -The BEST Books that Teach Art History for Kids -Learn How to Fuel your Creativity at Home -Learn About How to Walk a Creative Path in your Everyday Life -How to Encourage a Maker Mindset in your Classroom -Exploring the Elements of Art at Home with ANYTHING! -10 Reasons Why Arts Integration in Schools is Important -How To Guide for First Year Art Teachers: 10 Steps to Success -How to Teach Art Classroom Rules and Routines in a Fun and Engaging Way

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easy art activities for high school

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In this blog post, I'm going to give you 5 Social Emotional Learning Art Ideas that you can use in your Art Classroom! As well, I'll tell you about what Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is, how to instruct it, and how to encourage students to engage in the lessons. I'll give you lesson ideas that you can use right away with your students, and I will also give you links to Art Projects that are ready-to-use! Before we begin, let’s understand what Social Emotional Learning, or SEL is and what it can look like in the art classroom or through art!

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easy art activities for high school

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Twenty five NEW ideas for your art club!

  • Utilize Tate Museum’s project packs . The packs offer a range of activity ideas to explore with learners of different ages and levels or to spark further collaborative activity ideas of your own.
  • Bookbinding! There are so many good resources out there, like this one . Consider having students make a sketchbook . That could be an activity by itself or students can then use that sketchbook for future art club creations and activities.
  • Speaking of Sketchbook, check out all these sketchbook prompts we’ve collected.
  • Paper Mache projects! Ideas here . 

easy art activities for high school

  • Making Monsters! There is plenty out there on drawing a monster, one fun step-by-step tutorial here . 
  • Play The Monster Game!
  • Drawing robots, check out Mark Kistler videos .
  • Talk to sneaker artist Steve Camargo. You can find him on YouTube or book your art club’s own live Zoom session .

easy art activities for high school

  • Paper quilling, directions for beginners here . Great way to recycle scraps of paper. 
  • If you can spring for a sticker maker and/or a button maker , students love making both. If you can’t buy a sticker maker, you can also upload your designs (either made on the computer or handmade and scanned) and make them using an online service. 

easy art activities for high school

  • Beth Ann Hargrove has some fun with memes. “We also took strange artwork throughout history and made memes from them. That was hilarious. The Renaissance has no shortage of odd paintings that make humorous memes. I basically made a Google slide full of artwork and then put it up on the smartboard. The kids had scrap paper and then we would read them aloud and vote on the funniest one. We just had to lay the ground rules to keep it school appropriate, they are middle schoolers after all.” She shared the images used in this resource, “ What the Meme! ” 
  • Have your art kids reproduce famous artworks. It was a popular trend during Covid. 
  • Host a Movie Night. Some movie ideas here . 
  • Be inspired by what Vincent Bal calls Shadowology. See his Instagram . 
  • Be inspired to create support for Ukraine .

easy art activities for high school

  • What art maker type doesn’t like to play with Mod Podge? Some ideas with what to do with Mod Podge and where you can purchase Modge Podge . 
  • Have you done Citra Solve image transfers ? You can buy this non-toxic product here . 
  • Scanner Art, check out our lesson here .
  • Make some stencils and do some “safe” graffiti with Spray Chalk . *Please note in reviews of this product, it will wash off surfaces but can still leave a stain that dissipates. Obviously, ask permission. 

easy art activities for high school

50 fabulous Art Club ideas
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Easy and Fun Art Projects for Kids to Do at Home or School

Shared by Mary Catherine Leave a comment

Below you’ll find tons of fun art projects for kids to do. They’re part of a huge list of over 100 activities for preschoolers at home (or school!), so be sure to check that out too.

The focus here is, of course, FUN art for kids! Preferably, fun art that is also simple and engaging. Even better if it uses just a few materials or materials you likely already have on-hand.

So these art ideas are just right whether you’re in the classroom or at home with the kids during an extended school break.

collage of kids' art with text that reads fun art projects for kids

Related: Art Projects for Kids

Table of Contents

Simple, Fun Art Projects for Kids

Below, I’ve broken the art ideas down into a few different categories. Hopefully that will make things even easier for you to find.

I hope you’re able to try out some of these fun art projects with the kids soon.

Most of the art ideas are focused in on process art, so don’t be too worried about how the kids’ creations turn out.

Remember, the whole point is fun! Along with fun, the kids can also explore different art materials and creative techniques along the way.

What is Process Art?

Before we jump into all of the fun art projects for kids, let’s take a moment to chat about process art.

Basically, process art that is more focused on the process of creation (rather than the end result).

There are so many benefits to process art . . . you can read all about it here:

What is Process Art for Kids?

Once you’ve read up on it, come back and choose a few art projects to try with the children.

Easy Art Projects for Kids

Let’s start with the fun art projects that can be done any time of the year!

3 preschool art images with text that reads easy art for kids

Splat Preschool Art with Watercolors – Explore gravity using art.

Easy Dot Art for Kids – Let the kids dabble in pointillism.

Starry Night Glitter Art – Use sparkly paint two ways.

Color Collage Art Project – Help children learn more about the colors of the rainbow.

Ribbon Weaving Art – Grab some ribbon and make art.

Fun Art Based on “Quick as a Cricket” – Read the book and then create active art.

Tape and Watercolor Art – This is a student favorite, and you just need washi tape and watercolors.

Truffula Tree Art – Create Truffula tree “paintbrushes” and make beautiful art.

Mixed-Up Chameleon Activity with Art – Make some “scaly” art with the kids.

Day and Night Art – Explore the differences between day and night through art.

Rainbow Art Puzzle – Use colorful tissue paper to make an art “puzzle.”

Pine Tree Art Project – Natural items make wonderful art materials.

Castles Made Out of Recycled Materials – Challenge the kids to make castles, big and small.

Gear Painting for Kids – Take a favorite (and easily washed) toy and use it to make art.

Pet Art Activity – Perfect for a preschool pet theme.

Easy Bird Art – Break out the feathers (or make your own) for these bird creations.

Child-Made Bulletin Board Borders – Use the kids’ art to add borders to your bulletin boards.

Pet Rocks – Who doesn’t love pet rocks?!

Painting with Marshmallows – We love doing this during a camping theme, but it would work any time of year.

Painting with Nature – Go on a nature walk and bring back some art materials.

Circle Painting – Explore circles with art (or adapt to other shapes).

Melted Crayon Art – Perfect for using up crayon stubs.

Easy Spring Art Projects

Now let’s jump into fun art projects for kids to make this spring!

Even though I have them labeled as “spring” art, you can definitely adapt each of the ideas for other seasons.

So you don’t HAVE to only make this art during the spring time.

spring art images with text that reads easy spring art fun and engaging for kids

Scented Shaving Cream Art – Add scent to the traditional shaving cream art.

Tissue Paper Stained Glass – Explore different ways of making stained glass art with a spring theme.

Flower Coffee Filter Art – Another favorite of the preschoolers (seriously, we’ve made so many over the years!). Science and art lead to gorgeous spring flowers.

Plastic Egg Easter Art Project – Grab your leftover plastic eggs and make a sculpture with them.

Easter Egg Art – Roll, stamp, and glue plastic eggs to make your own egg masterpiece.

Super Summer Art

Let’s jump into some ideas for summer now.

Remember, you can make these fun art projects for kids at any point in the year. Just make a few tweaks if you don’t want them to be too “summery.”

painted shells and kids painting a car with text that reads summer art with just a few materials

Painting with Coconuts – Exactly what it says. Break out the coconuts and paint. Add a slide and/or a wading pool. Then watch as the kids get creative.

Car Painting Summer Art Project – If you have access to an old car, let the children paint it (and then let them scrub it clean once the art is done).

Splat Art Fireworks Painting – We’ve done these around July 4th a few times, with much success. You can also try it around New Year’s Eve or any other special days where the fireworks come out.

Shell Painting – If you have an excess of shells, try painting and creating with them!

Simple Fall Art to Wow the Kids

Fall is the perfect time to break out your fun art projects for kids.

As I said above, though, you can definitely make a few changes and use these art ideas any time of year.

3 preschool art images with text that reads simple and fun art

Corn Mosaic – Use colorful corn kernels to make mosaics of all kinds.

Scarecrow Art – Use cloth and straw to create scarecrow-inspired art.

Acorn Painting – If the kids love hunting for acorns, see if they’d like to use some of their collection to create.

Coffee Filter Halloween Art Activities – Show the kids how to make coffee filter pumpkin prints or coffee filter jack-o’-lanterns.

Corn Painting – Old corn cobs make great painting tools.

Pumpkin Seed Art – Dye pumpkin seeds and create fall trees (or anything else they want).

Turkey Tracks Turkey Art – You just need pipe cleaners and paint for these turkey tracks. Take a peek in this video:

Thanksgiving Bulletin Board Art – Kids use crayons and watercolors to share what they’re thankful about.

Halloween Sticky Table Art – You’ll need Contact paper as the base for this transient art. Then add to it a variety of Halloween-themed loose parts to inspire the kids.

Pumpkin Pie Fall Process Art – Spice up pumpkin prints.

Negative Space Fall Hand Print Art – Let the kids use their hands to create fall trees AND explore negative space.

Fun Winter Art for Kids

Last, but not least, let’s jump into some winter art ideas.

You can definitely make these fun art projects for kids any time of the year with a few adjustments.

preschool art images with text that reads fun and easy winter art

Straw Art for Valentine’s Day – Two different ways to create with straws.

Coffee Filter Valentine Art – Coffee filters, markers, water, and paper are just what you need for these gorgeous heart prints.

Valentine’s Day Craft with Pastels – Set up an invitation for the children to create around Valentine’s Day. This would be perfect around any gift-giving holidays too.

Hand Print Heart Tree – If the kids like using their hands in art, have them make heart trees.

Marble Art Homemade Christmas Card – Use traditional marble art to create Christmas cards with the children.

Winter Hand Print Tree – Kids can use their hands to explore what trees look like during the winter.

Christmas Contact Paper Art – Use a variety of Christmas-themed loose parts to create transient art on a sticky table.

Simple Art Materials for Kids

These art ideas don’t use too many materials. So find a few projects and check your art stash, your kitchen, or your recycling bin. Then get to it!

If you don’t have all of the materials needed for the art projects, don’t worry. You can do many of these art activities without all of the supplies. Or you can replace a material or two with something else you have on-hand.

Here are a few of the materials you might use with these fun art projects for kids (I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post):

  • Liquid watercolors
  • Coffee filters
  • Dot markers
  • Contact paper
  • Construction paper
  • Washable tempera paint

Leave me a comment and tell me some of YOUR favorite fun art projects for kids.

Done-For-You Resources

Preschool Teacher 101 has some amazing resources for kids. And they’re all ready for you!

Click on the photos below for more information about some of these resources. If you’re a preschool teacher, be sure to check out the membership options (and grab a free set of lesson plans while you’re there).

easy art activities for high school

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10 Quick Middle School Art Projects When You’re Pressed for Time

Hand using chalk pastels to draw on a piece of paper

Art lessons don’t have to be complicated. These  quick art projects for middle school  are the best way for busy homeschooling families to make time for art.

What comes to mind when you hear homeschool art?

A time-consuming elective that rarely makes the cut in your busy school week? Something you wish your kids had more time for? That’s what many of us think of art education.

Most of us aren’t art teachers. It’s not in our comfort zone.

But thankfully there are plenty of simple middle school art projects, with step by step directions, that we can use to add art into our homeschool day.

Collage of three different art projects, chalk art pear, blueberry juice flower, watercolor flower.

Your art lessons don’t have to include complex activities. Instead, focus on easy art projects that are geared toward your child’s interests.

Table of Contents

Quick Art Projects for Middle School

The 10 fun art projects listed here encompass a variety of mediums, so your older kids can learn a variety of techniques. It should be easy to find something that your tweens find interesting.

They can choose from a project using watercolor paints, a couple that replicate the techniques of great artists, simple line drawing projects, a colored pencil mosaic, and more.

No matter your child’s skill level, you’ll find a cool activity that your older kids will enjoy, that won’t take a lot of time.

What are the Benefits of Studying Art?

For middle schoolers, studying art can open up a world of possibilities. It’s a fun way to build self-confidence. Creative activities also help students in other subjects, like language arts and reading.

Art lessons teach critical thinking skills, spark imagination, and can reduce stress. It allows middle school students the chance to learn new techniques and be creative.

Whether they see themselves as artistic, art shows tweens different ways to view the world and lets them express themselves in a unique way.

Take Time for Art

As homeschooling moms, I know it’s difficult to fit everything in. Something has to give. For most of us, that  something  is often things that take extra planning and time, like art. But as you saw, art lessons have great benefit for kids of all ages. There are many reasons to add some art activities to your homeschooling week.

It’s true that art projects take additional planning, but they don’t all have to take hours to finish. That’s the best thing about these projects. Most of them take around 30 minutes to complete, depending on how detailed your teen gets.

Another bonus is that they also don’t require a ton of specialized art supplies. In fact, you probably have most of the basic supplies on hand already.

If we’re honest, most of our kids will not become artists. Our goal is to add some art into their lesson plans.

Instead of ditching art altogether because of the time-commitment, there’s a better way. Simply change your perspective and choose different activities. Leave the complex art projects for when you have free time and your teen has the interest.

For your normal homeschooling weeks, when you don’t have much time, add one of these quick teen art projects to your lesson plans to give your older kids a break from their book learning to do something creative.

Teen girl using acrylic paints to paint on a canvas at a table.

Any links in this post may be affiliate links. See my disclosure statement .

Art Supplies for Tweens

While this isn’t a complete list of items you’ll need for all the art projects found below, these are some basics.

  • different colors of chalk pastels
  • color sharpies
  • oil pastels 
  • mixed media paper
  • colored pencils
  • acrylic paint

Soft Chalk Pastels

When you’re running short on time, but you want to add an art activity to your homeschooling day, choosing one from this list is the perfect way.

Quick Teen Art Projects

When you're looking for a way to fit art into your lesson plans, give one of these a try. They're simple and take little time to complete. They're a great way to develop your kids' creativity.

easy art activities for high school

How to Draw Baby Yoda

Add some pop culture to your tween's art lessons with this Baby Yoda project.

easy art activities for high school

A Unique Painting Technique

Teens will use the juice of blueberries on a piece of paper to create a watercolor effect.

easy art activities for high school

Gaudi Inspired Animal Mosaics

Art created by traditional mosaic tiles is beautiful but time-consuming. This project allows them to create the unique patterns of mosaics with colored pencils.

easy art activities for high school

Wassily Kandinsky Art Project

Encourage your tween to do some research on the famous artist, Wassily Kandinsky, and use their inspiration to paint their own geometric painting. This is a great introduction to his work.

easy art activities for high school

Laurel Burch Inspired Cat Drawing

Tweens can use simple tools to draw and color this patterned cat in the style of Laurel Burch.

easy art activities for high school

How to Draw a Cake

For a lesson on dimension, have tweens draw and color the cake of their dreams.

easy art activities for high school

American Flag Optical Illusion Drawing 

This American flag op art project looks cool and is much easier than it looks. It gives tweens the chance to look at things from a different angle.

easy art activities for high school

Beach Inspired Chalk Pastel Art

Chalk pastels are the best medium to use when you're short on time. These chalk art projects are all about the beach.

easy art activities for high school

Hammered Nature Process Art

Turn a lovely nature walk into a work of art with this art project. Older kids will love using a hammer to create their nature artwork.

easy art activities for high school

Rose Watercolor Resist Art Project

This rose watercolor resist project will give your teen a chance to work on their watercolor skills, while adding in the element of resist painting.

Hopefully these beautiful, yet easy projects have encouraged you to add some art back into your homeschool days.

Middle School Art Ideas

If you are looking for more inspiration for your art lesson plans, check these out.

  • Fall Mixed Media Art Projects
  • One Day Art Lessons
  • Chalk Art Projects
  • Learn How to Draw a Cute Flamingo Pool Floatie

Which one of these quick art projects is your tween going to try first?

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Megan Zechman

Megan Zechman

@edupossible, latest posts by megan zechman ( see all ).

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Awesome ideas! We love to add art into our day but it can be hard to find the time; pinning this wonderful list for future reference.

Thank you Joanne. I totally agree, that’s why I’m always looking for ways to fit it in. Ultimately, I found that I was thinking too big, so I started to search for smaller sized projects that I could use to introduce various mediums to my girls. If one sticks, then we spend more time on it.

Love your art posts, Tried to comment and let you know on your others 🙂 My daughter is the artist in the house so she will love these, thanks for sharing!

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  1. several different colored hand puppets on a wooden table

    easy art activities for high school

  2. 20 Best Art Projects for Kids

    easy art activities for high school

  3. High School Art Projects Pinterest

    easy art activities for high school

  4. Art Lessons for Kids: Color Theory Made Easy

    easy art activities for high school

  5. List Of Easy Project Ideas For It Students With Simple Step

    easy art activities for high school

  6. 20 easy art projects for kids that turn out AMAZING!

    easy art activities for high school

VIDEO

  1. Drawing, painting and coloring house from different shapes| draw cute house for kids

COMMENTS

  1. 7 Easy Art Lessons For When You're in a Pinch

    The following seven activities are easily adaptable for various grade levels. They also require minimal material prep and use supplies you likely have in your art room. 1. Personal Soda Can Label. We live in a consumer world where new beverages, food, candy, and snacks are constantly introduced to the market.

  2. High School Art lessons

    Sketchbook Ideas Visual Verbal Journals Paper Airplane Drawings Wordy Background For a Contour Drawing Life Documentation Digital Design Create Your Own Tessellations Animated Flipbooks Ink and Watercolor Creatures Watercolor Painting Experimentation Corel Draw Portraits Oil Pastel Drawing Assignments Micrography Self-Portraits Seven Ages Tattoos

  3. High school art lesson plans. Grades 9-12 (ages 14 years). Secondary

    Draw and Paint a Sea Turtle K-2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12 Read More Go With the Flow Watercolor Trees K-2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12 Read More Printed Fall Trees K-2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12 Read More Pumpkin Swirls PreK, K-2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12 Read More Abstract Squares

  4. High School Art Projects that Students LOVE!

    Motorcycle Mixed-Media Art Lesson High School Medium: Mixed Media Creating Dynamic Compositions in High School Art Providing interesting subject matter for planning & creating compositions is important for art teachers to do.

  5. 16 Art Projects That Only Require Basic Supplies

    1. Go on a color scavenger hunt Introduce young students to the wide array of colors in the world around them. Have them scribble a colored square from a selection of crayons or markers. Then, send them off to find items that match! Learn more: I Heart Crafty Things 2. Assemble a found objects color wheel

  6. 10 Art Project Ideas For High School Students

    4. Digital Art Experiment with digital art forms, such as digital painting or photo manipulation. Paint a series of landscape or cityscape pieces inspired by your local environment. Create a digital painting or manipulate a picture with digital art software or an app to create a one-of-a-kind piece of art.

  7. High School Art Projects: 40 Creative Ways to Explore Your Interests

    Start a personal blog or vlog series! Write a book or a novel! Create a shareable cookbook! Include sections for main dishes, sides, and desserts! Add pictures of your final products and donate or sell copies of your cookbook! Arrange a conference or event for others to share their work in a field of your choice!

  8. 8 Fun Art Activities For High School Students

    1. Faces of the Future They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. In this activity, we will use our painting skills to capture the essence of a person through a portrait. Whether it's your best friend, your favorite celebrity, or yourself, you'll learn how to convey a sense of emotion and personality through color, texture, and brushwork.

  9. Easy Art Projects for High School

    Lettering. Lettering and calligraphy is a relatively simple process that high school-age students can use to develop patience and precise hand-eye coordination that will be useful in other areas of art. Besides paper, ink and pens, a lettering project needs few art supplies and is a low-cost alternative to painting sculpture projects.

  10. Art Lessons: High School & Middle School, Easy Art Lessons

    Acrylic Painting Lesson Bundle for Beginners - High School Art - Middle ...

  11. First Day of School Advice For Art Teachers

    Most middle and high school art teachers just spent weeks preparing a syllabus, writing curriculum, developing class rules, coming up with classroom procedures, thinking about art projects, lesson plans, and designing the perfect ice breaker activity.

  12. 10 Art Sub Lessons that only need a Pencil

    Hopefully, these 10 art sub lessons will help to reduce your workload and be prepared. The art worksheets below all: Come with a lesson plan. Link to commonly taught themes. Are tried and tested. Teach valuable skills. Only need a pencil. Are only $3 or £3. (Or are much, much less when you subscribe ).

  13. 37 Easy Art Projects for Kids of All Ages

    1. Paper Bag Jelly Fish No Time for Flash Cards/Paper Bag Jelly Fish via notimeforflashcards.com As far as easy art projects for kids go, this one is perfect for preschoolers since it works on their hand-eye coordination and their cutting skills in particular.

  14. Art Printables, Worksheets, and PowerPoints

    My favorite go-to art lessons come from the Art Appreciation Worksheet Bundle. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! 1. Pick an artwork. 2. Print one of the Art Appreciation Worksheets. 3. Watch with joy as your students connect with and interpret art. The bundle includes 25 printable art worksheets, but everyone who signs up for Your Weekly Art Break, my ...

  15. Teaching High School Art Lessons

    Analyze works of art. Explore areas of artistic interest in greater depth as they develop their own critical and problem solving skills. Use a variety of materials to create art. Explore, challenge, express and develop ideas using the skills and techniques they have learned. Establish self-esteem and self-confidence. Sharpen intuitive abilities.

  16. Easy Art lessons for substitute teachers (free & printable)!

    Create a tessellation, as in this exercise taught to 5th Grade students by Bradley Hale, Chalker Elementary School: This tessellation Art lesson uses drawing paper, a square or rectangular piece of cardboard, sticky tape, scissors and pencils (coloring pencils can also be used if desired). Students carefully cut a shape from one side of a ...

  17. 5 Social Emotional Learning Art Lesson and Project Ideas for your

    April 26, 2021. In this blog post, I'm going to give you 5 Social Emotional Learning Art Ideas that you can use in your Art Classroom! As well, I'll tell you about what Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is, how to instruct it, and how to encourage students to engage in the lessons. I'll give you lesson ideas that you can use right away with ...

  18. 50 fabulous Art Club ideas

    Some favorites: WatchamaDrawit, Pictureka, Roll-a-Miro, HUES and CUES, Mythical Creatures Drawing Game & Animal Art Ideas, Starving Artists Game, Das Kunst-Memo, The Art Matching Game, Modern Art, A Fake Artist Goes to New York, Artsy Fartsy, Doodle Face Game, Starting Lines, Ready, Set, Draw!:

  19. Twenty five NEW ideas for your art club!

    Cindy Lumpkin's Art Club created these Mixed Media Cityscape Reliefs. "Everyone started with a 14″ wide piece of cardboard and a 14″ wide piece of 1″X4″ wood. They glued them together at a 90-degree angle on day 1 and we allowed them to dry while they worked on designing a " unique" city in their sketchbooks.

  20. Easy and Fun Art Projects for Kids to Do at Home or School

    Splat Preschool Art with Watercolors - Explore gravity using art. Easy Dot Art for Kids - Let the kids dabble in pointillism. Starry Night Glitter Art - Use sparkly paint two ways. Color Collage Art Project - Help children learn more about the colors of the rainbow. Ribbon Weaving Art - Grab some ribbon and make art.

  21. 10 Quick Middle School Art Projects When You're Pressed for Time

    It's a fun way to build self-confidence. Creative activities also help students in other subjects, like language arts and reading. Art lessons teach critical thinking skills, spark imagination, and can reduce stress. It allows middle school students the chance to learn new techniques and be creative.