Teach your class an art lesson discussing abstract sculptures. Show them photos of famous abstract art, and introduce the materials they will use to make their own abstract art. Give each child a ball of play clay as the base for their art. Provide feathers, beads, pipe cleaners, paper flowers, colored popsicle sticks and any other art supplies available in your classroom. Show them how to stick things into the clay and attach shapes made out of other art supplies to add depth to their creations. Ask them to personalize their sculpture in some way by adding their favorite color or shape. They need to recognize that the purpose of art is to make something unique that others will enjoy.
Teach an early childhood art lesson on the lines and shapes found in art. Let your preschool class see some famous paintings of animals. Show them the lines and shapes the artist used in making them. On a large table, place cut-outs of circles, squares, ovals, rectangles and triangles made out of construction paper. Include some different-size strips to use as lines. Invite your preschoolers to make their own animals using the shapes and lines on the table. After they make their animals, take their pictures beside them to remember their artwork. Ask them to make other things while they wait for their classmates to finish their animal art.
Teach a preschool art lesson utilizing the idea of seeing themes in art. Explain to your early childhood class that by careful observation you can see an idea that the artist is trying to portray. Use pictures of other art pieces that explore the theme of happiness or sadness. Tell your class that they will make an art piece that shows friendship as its theme. Provide construction paper in different colors to each student and place them in groups of four and five. Show your preschoolers how to trace each other's hands on the construction paper. Write each child's name on each hand. Make enough of each child so that he has at least five hands to give to his friends in class. If able, they can cut the hand prints out, or have some adults ready to cut the hand prints out for them. To assemble their friendship art, they should distribute their hand prints to five friends. Everyone should receive a minimum of five hand prints to make into an art form. Show them how to make a picture frame or wreath with their friend's hands to take home and remind them of their friendships.