Painting with cars is a great way to integrate process art into the classroom and engage even the most reluctant students into enjoying a creativie experience. It’s a breeze to set up, fun for the students, and clean-up can be rolled inot a bonus activity.
Process art is an amazing resource for supporting the development of self-control and self-regulation. It is extremely beneficial for building confidence and fostering creativity. It allows students to make art that is truly theirs, from the initial idea through to the finished product.
Materials for Painting with Cars:
- Large sturdy paper, such as butcher paper or paper bags that have been cut open.
- Toy cars and toy trucks in a variety of sizes – the more wheel types the better!
- Plastic paint trays or cookie sheets
- 3 to 5 colors of washable tempra paint
It is hard for students to resist playing at this center. Students run the cars into the paint and then “drive” the vehicles on to the paper. Encourage students to try different sizes of vehicles if they’d like.
Sometimes, the art doesn’t happen on the paper, and that is fine. Some students may enjoy just driving the cars around the paint tray, mixing the colors and seeing how they interact. If they want, a print can be made by pressing a piece of paper gently over the tray when they are finished “driving.”
In both situations, students are experiencing art on their own terms, and loving the process.
This Transportation Unit has a bunch of great circle time activities and centers for the preschool classroom:
