Round fruits such as apples and oranges are a great starting point for projects like fruit people. Banana pieces, dried fruit and cheese can be used as appendages and facial features. Use toothpicks to attach arms, legs and faces to the apple or orange. You can also have the children paint on the apples and oranges. Gluing dried fruit on paper makes great mosaics because of the small colorful pieces. Paint with fruit scraps. Watermelon rind and orange peels are wonderful paintbrushes and create interesting textures. Add flavored gelatin to nontoxic paint to make it smell like fruit, then paint pieces of fruit on paper. Cut colored construction paper into fruit shapes and let the children assemble watermelons, apples and oranges or make up new fruit.
The classic potato person is a consistent standby. Use strips of red, green and yellow peppers for faces. Use celery and carrots for arms and legs. Cut vegetables in half and use the pieces as paint stamps. Celery ends, okra and Brussels sprout halves make beautiful flowers. Carve shapes into potato halves that preschoolers can use as stamps. For snack time, let preschoolers put raisins on peanut butter inside the grooves of celery stalks. Paint pumpkins or other squash and send them home with recipes so the children can see how the squash can make food.
Pasta necklace art should never be overlooked. Children love stringing pasta onto yarn in different patterns. Use wholewheat, regular and colored pastas to give variety. Let preschoolers paint a piece of plain white paper with glue then sprinkle seeds and rice onto the page. Use yellow yarn or brown circles of paper or paint Styrofoam balls brown. Let children glue yarn into piles of "pasta" on plates with "meatballs," then mix oregano or other Italian spices with red paint and let them paint "sauce" on top. Glue a plastic fork to the plate.
Dying eggs is a fun way to use protein to learn about shapes and colors. Paint with strawberry, peach and blueberry yogurt then collage the painting with nuts, cheese and jerky strips to teach children about the different kinds of protein.