Have your preschooler create a shape collage. Cut out a variety of different sized shapes from different colored construction paper or, to promote scissor practice, have your preschooler cut out shapes drawn on construction paper. Instruct her to glue the shapes onto a piece of paper, creating a collage. While she's working, review the names of shapes and colors.
Use uncooked pasta to create a necklace. Cut a 12-inch length of yarn and tape one end of it to a table -- this will prevent the pasta from falling off the yarn. Provide children with a variety of different uncooked pasta -- penne, elbows, ziti and any other type of pasta that has a hole in the center is suitable. Instruct kids to string the pasta onto the yarn. When they are finished, remove the tape from the end of the yarn and tie the ends into a secure knot. To add color to their necklaces, children can color in the pasta with markers.
Instead of using brushes, use marbles to create a painting. Lay a piece of paper inside a cardboard box. Place a dab of paint on the paper and place a marble in the box. Have your child hold the box and move it around -- as the marble moves, it will spread the paint across the paper, creating interesting lines. Add different colors to the paper to create a colorful, abstract work of art.
Create a garden of flowers using cupcake filters. Provide each child with a cupcake liner and instruct him to use markers to color it. Once he is satisfied with the colors, instruct him to glue the liners in the center of a piece of blue paper. Provide each child with a thin rectangle and two small ovals, cut from green construction paper. Help him glue the rectangle vertically underneath the cupcake liner, creating a stem for the flower. Have each child glue the ovals on either side of the stem for leaves. Children can make one flower or a garden of flowers. Have them use crayons to embellish the rest of the picture.