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46 Creative 1st Grade Art Projects That Will Keep Kids Engaged

1st grade art projects

November 24, 2021 //  by Nicole Muir

1. Fill in colorful emus 

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Your 1st Graders will use felt tip markers on a white background to create eyes and mouth with this colorful emu activity. They will use oil pastels to draw the lines that extend outward. You can also find an emu printable to assist the students.

Learn more: creative-monsoon.com

2. Watercolor winter landscapes

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This project allows students to experiment with watercolor paint. They will have a great time color mixing to create the different shades of sunrise or sunset. Using a warm and cool color palette, they will learn about elements of color.

Learn more: elementsoftheartroom.blogspot.com

3. Owl vignettes 

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Manipulating clay to make these owl vignettes will allow the children to work on their fine motor skills. The trickiest step for your young learner might be molding the fine details, but this is something that they can be assisted with.

Learn more: youngschoolart.blogspot.com

4. Scribble a spiral

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This simple and low-prep art lesson uses the basic shape of a circle and lets students be creative with their color choices. This activity utilizes a variety of lines to create a circular effect. This project utilizes chalk art pastels in the best way.

Learn more: missyoungsartroom.blogspot.com

5. Colorful 3-D houses

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This fun art lesson will teach students about perspective. Having teacher examples ready will let students have a reference point for what they are working towards before they start. Especially if you are an art educator, keeping this examplar on hand with be helpful for years to come.

Learn more: kinderart.com

6. City block painting 

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Students can use bright colors to create this city block painting. They can use a variety of colors to make their artwork pop and stand out. Designing a sky background would take this assignment to the next level and let them create their dream houses!

Learn more: kinderart.com

7. Raindrop painting 

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Students can use bright colors to create this city block painting. They can use a variety of colors to make their artwork pop and stand out. Designing a sky background would take this assignment to the next level and let them create their dream houses!

Learn more: kinderart.com

8. Hot air balloon  challenge 

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Students can use bright colors to create this city block painting. They can use a variety of colors to make their artwork pop and stand out. Designing a sky background would take this assignment to the next level and let them create their dream houses!

Learn more: artwithmrsfilmore.com

9. Bubble gum blowing selfies 

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Bubble gum blowing selfies will let your young learning practice drawing facial features with the correct proportion. You can have your Teachers Assistant take and print photos of the students to have them refer to as an aid and use a pre-tied balloon.

Learn more: artwithmrsfilmore.com

10. Mixed Media Bowl of Alphabet Soup 

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This fun lesson can be enhanced with the use of mixed media elements. The teacher could introduce magazines for the students to cut letters out of or different textures of paper to create the circle bowl in an attempt to create this abstract alphabet. This technique sets the stage for additional artwork that is similar in the future.

Learn more: artwithmrsfilmore.com

11. Claude Monet Water Lily

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These Claude Monet Water Lily works of art can be done with 2nd, 3rd, or 4th graders as well. Tissue paper, card stock, and paint really make these projects come to life using a hands-on medium that lets students learn about the famous painter. This activity will allow the students to blend colors. This effect creates a dye for paper.

Learn more: artycraftykids.com

12. Color Wheel Turkey

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Color wheel turkeys are a fantastic way to support your lesson on color wheels. This fun and festive project will be a great addition to your yearly Thanksgiving craft rotation. The students can add their own details using markers.

Learn more: deepspacesparkle.com

13. Glue Line Spider Webs

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Glue Line spider webs would make an amazing addition to your animal homes unit in Science or a festive project for around Halloween. Students will use white glue to create the webs and different backgrounds of construction paper to get creative.

Learn more: artisbasic.com

14. Symmetrical Snowflakes

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Symmetrical snowflakes are a hands-on way to teach symmetry in your math unit. Students will have fun designing their own snowflake on black construction paper and using white paint. You can do this activity for the entire time snow is on the ground! The student artwork will be incredible.

Learn more: buggyandbuddy.com

15. Shape Monsters

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Shape monsters allow students to become familiar with geometric shapes. They can create as many different monsters as they like and you can use this as a writing component to give each one a name, history, back story, and personality. Colored construction paper is all that is required to achieve these.

Learn more: livewellplaytogether.com

16. Bubble Wrap Sheep

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These bubble wrap sheep look as cute and cuddly as can be. Using leftover small or large circle bubble wrap as the wool, and black paint for the head and legs, students can create their very own wooly creature. They can add additional details to the background using white tempera paint or black tempera paint.

Learn more: messforless.net

17. Circle Art

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Take on this Kandinsky Inspired project as students work with different colors and size circles. Having a circle template will assist the young students or students who have fine motor issues as trouble with tracing or drawing as they manipulate a pencil. Students can try this with liquid watercolor paint.

Learn more: toddlerapproved.com

18. Lego Character Portraits

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Get students practicing drawing portraits in this drawing lesson. They can start by drawing a lego character and then add the details to make it look like them. Using curved lines and bold lines will really make these characters pop! This is a lesson students will not forget. You can find the required materials at any discount school supply store.

Learn more: artprojectsforkids.org

19. Line and Pattern Cat 

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These line and pattern cats are the perfect 1st Grade Art Lesson. Students will use a black marker to create an outline. As a dictated drawing activity, you will be able to work on your students listening skills. They can get as creative as they like as they learn about shapes within artwork!  3rd Graders- 5th Graders would also enjoy this task as they decorate their white paper with a pencil or markers.

Learn more: deepspacesparkle.com

20. Birds in Cherry Tree

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Birds in a Cherry tree is an excellent choice for an activity as students learn about complementary colors and patterns. Students can even add a layer of glue on top to ensure everything sticks to the canvas. This is also an exercise in color matching.

Learn more: deepspacesparkle.com

21. Tissue Paper Flowers

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This type of art with tissue paper is beautiful as it creates colorful artwork. Students can experiment with different types of cool and warm colors to design different types of flowers.  This technique creates a bright project using colorful cut tissue pieces.

Learn more: messforless.net

22. Wonderful Watermelons

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A fantastic way to showcase your students' features is by painting their hands to create these fun watermelon slices! Children can make multiple slices with either (or both!) hands and add seed details. Their little hands will create the most adorable watermelon shape and create an extra watermelon for their families.

Learn more: crystalandcomp.com

23. Chalk Oil Pastel Smudging 

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Using black paper and oil pastels, students can use pre-cut templates to create bright and bold pieces of art. They can draw lines starting from the middle and leading outward, followed by rubbing the lines with a napkin or paper towel to create a glow effect. The students will create details with oil pastels.

Learn more: projectswithkids.com

24. Polar Bear on Ice

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Your young learner can draw and cut out a polar bear using white paper and glue it onto a water-colored blue background. They can cut out and design the individual parts first and then assemble the polar bear. They can also add details with black felt tip markers like snowy hills in the background!

Learn more: craftymorning.com

25. Book Monsters

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These cute and fun book monsters will allow your young readers to create a bookmark using folded paper. Never forget which page you left off on when you are reading a good book. If you have a box of scrap paper in your class, this project will use some of it up.

Learn more: easypeasyandfun.com

26. Handprint Flamingos

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This handprint flamingo card utilizes pink paper and your students' handshapes. You can make these amazing creations into cards to gift to the students' loved ones. You can even open the hand flap and write a personalized message in the middle!

Learn more: simpleeverydaymom.com

27.  Color Mixing Fish

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Students will learn about primary colors and secondary colors as they create this underwater scene. Having the 3 main primary colors being the biggest fish in the foreground and the secondary color fish in the background will emphasize the importance.

Learn more: deepspacesparkle.com

28. Rainbow Lines

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Your student can learn about both horizontal lines as well as vertical lines when they complete this project. They will color the background using vertical strokes of different colors and then cut out different types of black lines to glue on top.

Learn more: mrstsfirstgradeclass.com

29. Found Objects Sculpture

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You can take your student outside on a nature walk to collect materials or have them find loose parts at home. They can also create the different components of this project using clay. Students can assemble a monster or creature a sculpture out of the objects they find!

Learn more: storey.com

30. Alphabet Monsters

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Letter monsters are the perfect way to combine art and literacy for your young learners. The kids can include the letters in their name or they can spell an entirely different word in the enclosed space. They can add facial details and make their monster super spooky. Make sure to include some GIANT letters in there for added fun!

Learn more: notimeforflashcards.com

31. Crazy Hair Day

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This activity allows students to showcase different types of lines. They will need to not only use straight lines but a variety of lines in this line work craft that looks at different types of hairstyles for the cartoon face that is provided. This is the perfect 1st Grade art project because it learns heavily on teaching about line forms.

Learn more: owholmesartgallery.blogspot.com

32. Black Sheep

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This activity is a different take on the traditional sheep and wool craft that is typically done with common cotton balls. The dark colors enhance this activity. This project can be done while happily singing the song "Baa Baa Black Sheep" with your kids! Make sure they wrap the entire body of the sheep in black yarn.

Learn more: craftulate.com

33.  Color Wheel Daisy

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Students can create this color wheel daisy using tissue paper, colored markers, or construction paper. This project would be a great introduction to your school year or used as an assessment to see if the student recognizes certain colors.

Learn more: fineartamerica.com

34. God's Eye Weaving Craft

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Kids will work on their fine motor skills by weaving God's eyes with different eye colors. The repetitive weaving and wrapping of yarn will engage the students by waiting to see what the finished product will look like. Students will have some art time fun.

Learn more: happyhooligans.ca

35. Happy and Sad Clowns

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Your students can have a fun time with their imagination as they decide on different hair colors for their clowns. They might choose cool tone hair colors for their sad clown and warm tone hair colors for their happy clown.

Learn more: firstpalette.com

36. Circle Pattern Painting

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Your lesson about patterns can be reinforced by assigning this pattern of circles art project. Students will paint the rim of a cup and then use it as a stamp to create alternating circle shapes on a piece of paper. Have the students test out different size cups!

Learn more: messforless.net

37. Foot Loop Hoops

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If your students are still learning about shapes, try out this Foot Loops or Cheerios art project. They can create a pattern of circles or a pattern with the different colors of foot loops. Who knew creating art could be this sweet!

Learn more: everydaychaosandcalm.com

38.  Floral Picture Frame

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This beautiful floral picture frame can display some of your students' favorite memories. They can place their school photo in the display of this picture frame. You will need acrylic paint, craft flowers, wooden rectangles, and a few other dollar tree items to make these!

Learn more: funmoneymom.com

39. Van Gogh Movement and Rhythm

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Teaching how to create a sense of movement and rhythm within an artwork can be tricky. Swirling lines to create this painting inspired by Van Gogh will allow the students to practice what you are teaching and be involved in creating a unique piece of Van Gogh-inspired art.  Their selection of shapes will make an impact.

Learn more: deepspacesparkle.com

40. Checkerboard Pattern Weaving

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Weaving strips of paper using a certain technique will result in a unique checkerboard pattern for students. This simple and low prep can be mesmerizing for students as they slowly start to see their work of art come together! Make sure students have a tight weave to achieve this look.

Learn more: kidsactivitiesblog.com

41. Watercolor Apple Tree Craft

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Your kid can experiment with liquid watercolors to bring coffee filters to life! By utilizing and mixing different shades of green, students can work with watercolors to design a forest scene or an animal habitat.

Learn more: funlittles.com

42. Cardboard Ice Cream Cones

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You can design a fun lesson surrounding ice cream! You can further engage the students by prompting them to come up with their very own ice cream flavors and toppings. This project will make a sweet treat addition to any art class with the piece of cardboard acting as the cone!

Learn more: craftingafunlife.com

43. Shape and Geometry Butterfly

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Add some dimension to your next math class by also incorporating this art activity. Providing students with examples of shapes will kick start the imagination process as they work with symmetry to create beautiful 2D-shaped butterflies.

Learn more: firstpalette.com

44. Brown Strips Reindeer

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Add a festive touch to your art class with these reindeer. Overlapping brown stripes of brown construction paper will be the main focal point that creates the reindeer look. This craft makes a great addition to any holiday card by simply using strips of construction paper!

Learn more: thekeeperofthecheerios.com

45. Paper Bag Monsters

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This fun and cost-effective art project has limitless possibilities for creativity and future uses. Students can use their imagination to design their monsters by giving them a certain amount of ears, horns, or eyes. Then, they can use it to put on plays and skits with their friends!

Learn more: iheartcraftythings.com

46. Sparkly Scale Fish

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Add some sparkle to your favorite underwater creature by creating sparkly scales on this fish. The fold papers that create the look of the scales add a 3-D element to the artwork that makes this activity that much more unique.

Learn more: naturalbeachliving.com

Conclusion

Implementing art in different ways throughout the school day with your students can be fun and enjoyable for everyone. Check out these ideas for low-cost entertaining activities that will enhance your art lessons and support your teaching in a hands-on way. Your students will be applying the information you are teaching them in their own unique ways.

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