Clay is inexpensive, malleable and enjoyable for kids to play with. Clay pottery art projects are easy ways for kids to work with their hands and make small pieces of pottery to take home and show off to their parents. Clay pottery art projects can include small bowls, animal faces or plants. When the clay drys and hardens, the students can also paint their projects to add color and individuality to their work.
Simple art projects using recycled materials is an ideal way to combine art with a lesson on the importance of recycling. Instead of using new materials for art projects, ask students to bring in recyclable materials from home. For example, students can create a kite with a paper grocery bag, paint, streamers and string. Kids can also make a drum out of an old coffee can or a bird feeder with a paper milk carton.
A flower vase is a perfect gift for Mother´s Day, a birthday or any special occasion. Seventh- and eighth-grade students can make easy flower vases using a clean glass bottle with all of the labels removed. Provide the students with adhesive felt, scissors and marbles or beads. The students can get creative with the felt and design the bottle however they wish. Putting beads or marbles inside the bottle along with a flower completes this simple vase.
Students can personalize their books by making their own book covers as an art project. For a standard text book, give each student a 12-by-18-inch sheet of colored construction paper. Kids can use magazine cutouts or their own pictures along with markers and stickers to decorate their book covers. Instruct the students to cover both sides of the construction paper with clear contact paper and cut off any excess paper around the edges. The construction paper folds around a textbook, creating a personalized book cover.