With all of the wonderful and vibrant colors of fall, I can’t help but offer my preschool toddler class a little fall process art. This art activity was simple to set up, super fun, and best of all – process art is full of learning! There are several other process art activities on our master list of the best fall activities for preschoolers. We just can’t get enough of them!
Fall Process Art for Toddlers
This art project is pretty basic and simple, but that’s exactly what toddlers love! It allows those young hands to get messy because the focus is on doing the art, rather than the end product. In this case, however, the end product is something my toddler class was very proud of.
FAQ’s about Fall Art Activities
Preschool process art is art that is focused on the experience the children have while they’re creating, not necessarily the end product. If the process art activity has a nice result, that’s great! But the finished product is not the point.
Children learn through play and open-ended activities. Process arts and crafts allows them the chance to explore, ask questions, try new things, and see how things work. Process art fits in with how children learn because it allows them room to be themselves, make their own decisions, and just create!
There are lots of autumn craft ideas and art projects that you and your kids will love! We love fall process art and have really enjoyed making paper plate wreaths for fall, fall suncatchers, and fall tree science art. Making tissue painting mini pumpkins instead of carving them is always a big win!
We think that autumn is the perfect time for a preschool food and nutrition theme! This healthy food process art and this lettuce process art tie in perfectly.
There are many wonderful fall crafts for kids centered around autumn leaves, like this fall tree alphabet craft and this fun splat fall tree craft. Don’t miss making an autumn leaves sensory bin! We also love using acrylic and felt leaves in all sorts of projects and invitations to play.
Other Fall Activities
Don’t miss these other fall and nutrition learning activities!
Fall Theme Art for Toddlers
Materials
- fall colored tissue paper
- fall colored string or yarn
- liquid glue
- paint brushes
- heavy paper
The Set-Up
Because this project was designed with my toddler class in mind, which is made up of two year olds and young threes, I cut the tissue paper in advance. Some pieces were deliberately cut long, while others were short. I followed the same for the yarn.
Place the tissue paper on a plate or tray, and the yarn on a separate plate. Give your toddler a sheet of heavy paper, like card stock, and a paintbrush. Pour some liquid glue into a shallow bowl. In this activity, the toddlers painted the glue onto their paper, rather than squeezing it from a bottle.
Although this fall themed project was meant for toddlers, it’s really a craft for kids of all ages! Preschool, kindergarten, and even early elementary kids all love process art, and the benefits last for years! For older kids, I would do a little less prep work. They can cut or tear the tissue paper themselves, and cutting the yarn is great scissor practice.
Creating the Fall Process Art Activity
Tissue paper is one of my favorite art materials because it is so versatile and beautiful. It is also very flimsy and easy to tear. For these reasons I had my toddler class paint the glue onto their papers, rather than squeeze it or use a glue stick.
Painting it onto the paper meant for more coverage. You can have the children paint the cardstock, the tissue paper, or both!
Instead of setting all the materials out at once, I first offered my preschoolers the tissue paper and glue. They loved being able to create whatever they wanted! Because of the thin nature of tissue paper, it created a wonderful texture in their art. Some of the tissue got crumpled and torn, which just added to the layers.
Then we added the yarn. Some toddler preschoolers were very deliberate and meticulous about how they added the yarn. The older children tended to place the yarn in lines across their paper, and one student even arranged the yarn pieces from largest to smallest.
And that’s all there is to it! Overall, this is one of my favorite fall activities for toddlers. The kids really loved using the paintbrush to paint the glue, and working with tissue paper is always a hit. I loved seeing their creativity and originality as they worked on their craft for preschool.
I also loved seeing how much learning was happening as they created this easy fall process art. Their fine motor skills got a workout, as did their imaginations. Process art is always a win!
Don’t Forget Fall Picture Books!
There are so many beautiful fall books for kids to use in your classroom or at home! After you’ve finished your fall process art activity is the perfect time to snuggle up with a good book, or you can pull one out during circle time. We’ve hand-picked some of our absolute favorite fall books, especially those about leaves.
Other Related Fall Seasonal Activities
Fall Process Art for Toddlers
Tissue paper, yarn, and glue come together in an easy fall process art project for toddlers!
Materials
- fall colored tissue paper
- fall colored string or yarn
- liquid glue
- paint brushes
- heavy paper (like cardstock)
Instructions
- Prepare the project by cutting the tissue paper and yarn. The pieces can be different lengths for variety. Place the tissue paper on one plate and the yarn on another. Get out some fall-colored cardstock.
- Pour some liquid glue into a shallow bowl and get out some paintbrushes.
- Invite the children to create! Start by giving them the tissue paper and having them glue it onto a piece of cardstock. They can paint the glue on either the cardstock or the tissue paper, or both.
- Once the tissue paper is on to their satisfaction, add some yarn pieces.
- Enjoy the finished process art project!
Notes
Preschool process art is focused on the experience the children have while they’re creating, not necessarily the end product. So don't worry about what the finished products look like or having a desired outcome in mind. They are learning so much as they create their works of art!
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I’m Sarah, an educator turned stay-at-home-mama of five! I’m the owner and creator of Stay At Home Educator, a website about intentional teaching and purposeful learning in the early childhood years. I’ve taught a range of levels, from preschool to college and a little bit of everything in between. Right now my focus is teaching my children and running a preschool from my home. Credentials include: Bachelors in Art, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction.
It is great thank you for idea ..;-) I am looking forward to do this with children. Regards Emilia