Arts and Crafts for Preschoolers: 8 Ways to Spark Creativity at Home

When it comes to arts and crafts for preschoolers, there are endless ways to get creative and have some hands-on fun while strengthening key skills and promoting self-expression and positive development. We gathered eight of our favorite activities here to help get you started – they’re simple, timeless, and use supplies you likely already have at home. Watch your child’s imagination come to life as they create their one-of-a-kind artwork!

Why Arts and Crafts Matter for Your Child’s Development

For preschoolers, arts and crafts are more than just a way to spend an afternoon; they play a fundamental role in early learning. These activities allow children to advance their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination by practicing working with tools like scissors (safely!) and different textures such as playdough, hard pasta, and soft tissues. They learn how to follow directions and progress through the steps of a project, and enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done with a tangible finished product. What’s more, they have an opportunity to be creative through self-expression, completing a craft that is uniquely theirs.

What Materials Do You Need for Preschool Crafts at Home?

One of the best parts about arts and crafts for preschoolers? You most likely already have the needed materials in your home as these activities typically incorporate basic, budget-friendly household items. From paper plates and coffee filters to all-purpose flour and leftover cardboard boxes, you’ll be amazed at how you can turn everyday items into fun, creative activities, discovering a new way to reuse and recycle materials for a more sustainable future.

Ready for more advanced crafting? Explore local thrift and discount shops for inexpensive supplies to upgrade your crafting corner.

8 Arts and Crafts for Preschoolers Using Everyday Items

Paper Plate Animals

Gather a few paper plates, markers, colored construction paper, scissors, and glue, and let your preschooler recreate their favorite animal. From lions who “roar” to turkeys to complete your Thanksgiving centerpiece, the ideas are endless when your little one puts their creativity to work. 

As an added bonus, this activity also promotes fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination.

Nature Collage Art

Nature crafts let your preschooler explore the outdoors and bring that beauty inside to create a unique keepsake. 

Wander through your neighborhood or local park, picking up seasonal treasures – colorful fall leaves, winter pinecones, spring flowers, and summer greens. 

Help your child place their finds on a sticky-side-up piece of contact paper, then cover with a top sheet, sticky-side down. Your preschooler can now proudly display their nature collage! 

Homemade Playdough

What’s more fun than playing with playdough? Making it from scratch in your favorite colors!

A basic playdough recipe combines kitchen staples such as all-purpose flour, water, salt, and vegetable oil, in addition to cream of tartar and your choice of food coloring. 

Let you preschooler dig their hands into some sensory play and sculpt their very own masterpieces!

Coffee Filter Butterflies

Coffee filter butterfly crafts are a fun way to turn the magic of the backyard into art projects for preschoolers. Collect some items from around the house – including coffee filters, clothespins, glue, and washable markers – and check out your local dollar store for some fun add-ons like pom-poms.

Help your little one bring their butterfly to life as they practice following directions and explore their creativity!

Cardboard Box Cars

Preschoolers love to pretend they’re driving a car – and with some cardboard boxes and other recycled materials, they’ll feel just like they’re behind the wheel!

Keep it basic or deck out their new ride with accessories made from plastic cups, paper plates, and paper towel rolls.

While this project entails more parent involvement and special supplies like paper tape and acrylic paint, the finished product inspires endless pretend play. 

Handprint Garden

Everyone loves handprint crafts to cherish for years to come and look back on how much your preschooler has grown! 

For a simple handprint garden painting project, gather some paper plates, markers or paint, popsicle sticks, and any glue-on accessories or stickers you have. Now for the fun part: let your preschooler get hands-on watching their own imprints turn into a special keepsake.. 

Pasta Necklaces

Pasta crafts are a fun way to use up your pantry supply while helping your child work on their fine motor skills through pattern-making activities. 

Use pasta, paint, and Ziplock bags to design the “beads,” and then guide your preschooler to place the pieces onto string in a set design. 

Watch your child’s eyes light up when they see you proudly wearing the pasta necklace they made just for you!

Tissue Paper Suncatchers

Window art lets preschoolers show off their crafting skills for all to see!

Let the sunshine in with this simple tissue paper craft that you can make with contact paper or wax paper and glue, depending on what you have available.

Your little one can explore various color and texture preferences and watch how the sun catches the light pattern they designed!

Tips for Mess-Free Preschool Art Projects

While arts and crafts are meant to be a fun and relaxed time to explore and experiment with different materials, easy cleanup is key to making projects a regular part of your preschooler’s routine. If possible, create a separate workspace setup or station where supplies can be kept in one place.

Use washable tablecloths, mats, aprons, and other protective materials to minimize permanent stains or damage. For younger children, it’s best to stick with mess-free crafts (or those with limited mess potential) so that activity time is fun for everyone!

How Parents Can Make Art Time More Meaningful

Arts and crafts for preschoolers provide multiple benefits. With the endless ideas available online, they offer a screen-free, affordable option for free time at home. Working on art projects also enables a memorable opportunity for family quality time and parent engagement, when preschoolers can talk about what they’re creating and other topics on their mind. Your child can also strengthen skills introduced in professional early learning classrooms, including fine motor skills, creative expression, and general school readiness. 

Learning through play succeeds when it happens naturally – with preschoolers having fun exploring their imagination and trying out different art forms while working on valuable skills.

Partner with Ducklings for Your Child’s Creative Journey

At Ducklings Early Learning Centers, we believe that critical learning takes place through play. That’s why we make arts and crafts for preschoolers a regular part of our classroom routine. 

We see firsthand how preschoolers develop key skills, from safe scissor use to decision-making, and grow their creativity and confidence while they work hard on their project.

Ready to partner with us to inspire your child’s creative journey?  Find your nearest Ducklings Early Learning Centers location to schedule a tour.