Let the your child create sand art. Purchase several bags of play sand and a large container that is about 6 inches tall. Fill the container 3/4 full of play sand, sprinkle a few cups of water over the top of the sand and have your child make things from the sand. If you have pails, buckets, shovels and cups, the activity works even better. Show him pictures of sandcastles and other things molded out of sand. Have him make an animal out of sand that lives in the sand after teaching a lesson about animals in the ocean. Compare the ocean to a big house where the animals live. Listen to music or tell poems about the ocean as he works.
Let your child get messy with finger paint, but prepare yourself first. Get out a large adult t-shirt. Slit the back of the t-shirt, so the shirt slides on like a smock. The shirt works as a simple apron for small children working in paint, and it covers most of their clothes. Put newspaper all around the painting area. Put pans of paint in the center of the table, let your child dip her hands into the paint, and paint all over a piece of paper. Let her paint butterflies, bugs, fish, make new colors, write words or write numbers.
Let the child express his feelings by drawing pictures showing his emotions. Tell him to "Draw a picture that looks happy," and let him also draw pictures showing sadness, excitement and anger. Looking at your child's artwork tells you a lot about how he is feeling. Expressing emotion is hard for kids. They might not be able to tell you in words but they show you in their art work.
Give your child a lump of play dough, and put out some craft sticks for modeling tools. Make simple figures of people. Talk with her as she works because discussions help build language and social skills.