Claude Monet for preschool? Of course! Exploring famous artists can be a fun and valuable experience for preschoolers. Art projects inspired by real artists help children build skills and appreciate creativity. A great project to try is based on Claude Monet’s Water Lilies, a famous painting series known for its calm colors and peaceful water scenes.
Make sure to explore some of Claude Monet’s art during circle time. Discuss what the children see in his famous paintings. How does it make them feel? How do they think he made the art? Having short lessons about the artist helps students tie in the art they are making to the lesson they are learning.
Materials Needed for a Claude Monet Preschool Art Project
Special thanks to Friends Art Lab for inspiring this project!
- 8×10 canvases – one per student
- Liquid Watercolors in blue, green, and turquoise
- Clear school glue
- Mini cupcake liners in green
- Tissue paper in pastel colors
- art smocks
To start, gather 8×10 canvases for the children to paint. Canvases are often sold in multipacks for a discount at local craft stores or online. The canvases are necessary for this project as the art will be very wet and heavy at first. Provide students with blue, green, and turquoise liquid watercolors. Keep the colors undiluted for bold, bright shades. Be sure to protect both the children’s clothing and the work surface before starting the project!
Creating the Water Effect
Next, it’s time to add the “secret ingredient.” While the paint is still wet, encourage students to drizzle clear glue over it. The glue and paint will mix to form a unique, watery look, adding an interesting texture. Plan on a lot of glue being squeezed, as students will enjoy watching how the paint reacts to the glue. This is fantastic for making a unique “water” look and building those fine motor muscles in students’ hands at the same time!
Adding Water Lilies
Next, students glue green cupcake liners and small pieces of tissue paper for the water lilies. More glue helps attach the layers to the canvas, creating a 3D effect. This adds depth and lets kids put their personal touch on their water lily pond.
Because of all the glue and liquid, this project does take a while to dry. Make sure it is completely dry before attempting to hang this art!
Learning About Claude Monet
This project is an excellent chance to talk a little about Claude Monet. Monet loved painting nature and often painted his garden with water lilies. This story can help children connect with the art and look closely at the world around them.
