Provide a sheet of paper and fingerpaint in the three primary colors (red, blue, yellow). Encourage students to mix the colors together to discover how all of the colors of the rainbow are made. Mixing colors can also be done with tempera paint. Watercolors do not mix as well but can also be used. Encourage students to explore painting by creating objects they know and imaginative items.
Provide clay and demonstrate how to roll it into balls and snakes. Demonstrate sculpting the clay into a flat pancake and utilize cookie cutters to make shapes. Encourage the students to use their imagination to combine balls, snakes and pancakes into new sculptures. Allow finished products to dry or store the clay in airtight containers for reuse.
Provide small noodles, beans, buttons or pictures from magazines for students to create a collage. Glue the items to construction paper in a specific shape or design. Demonstrate patterns in shape and color or encourage students to create their own collage. Collages can also be created with items found outdoors on a walk or field trip.
Combine mediums for a large project. Demonstrate painting a picture and adding collage items for texture.