Open-ended process art projects offer young children rich opportunities for learning and skill-building. Process art activities are open-ended and child-led, with no end product or set of step-by-step instructions for children to follow. This encourages early learners to be creative, explore materials, experiment with techniques, and express themselves freely. In addition to fostering creative self-expression, process art activities engage fine motor skills, and can even incorporate movement and gross motor skills for little ones who are particularly active or wiggly!
In this article, you’ll find process art ideas that encourage creativity, fine motor skill development, and gross motor skill engagement.
There are many ways to organize and offer art activities in our early learning programs. Open-ended process art projects make it possible for children to express themselves creatively, explore new art materials, practice fine motor skills, and stay physically active! Below are some strategies for turning art time into an activity that supports fine and gross motor skill development.
Fine motor skill development refers to building and strengthening the small groups of muscles in fingers and hands that help little ones with self-care activities like washing hands, holding a utensil, and buttoning clothing. Fine motor skills are also foundational academically, since they support a child’s ability to write with a pencil in kindergarten and elementary school. Educators can incorporate fine motor skill-building into creative art projects by encouraging young children to try the following activities:
Gross motor skill development refers to building and strengthening large groups of muscles in the arms, legs, and torso to support walking, running, jumping, and more. These skills are crucial for mobility, independence, and overall health. Educators can encourage movement and incorporate gross motor skill-building into process art activities with the following strategies:
This colorful and engaging art activity requires only a few items: construction paper, tempera paint, and paintbrushes. Set up a sheet of paper for each child (or set this activity up on one large sheet of paper to encourage collaboration and more movement!). Start by squeezing small dots of paint onto the paper. Older preschoolers will be able to do this step on their own, while younger children might need support. Once all the dots are set up, encourage little ones to use the brushes and paint to connect the dots! Squeezing the paint tubes and holding paint brushes are both great ways to encourage fine motor skill-building.
This simple, collaborative activity only requires a few items: a large cardboard box, tempera paint, and paintbrushes. To prepare for this activity, you’ll want to deconstruct the box to create a flat surface for children to create on. (If you cannot find one large box, tape a few smaller boxes together to create one big surface!) Take the cardboard outdoors and hang it on a fence or wall. Then, offer the children paints and brushes, and invite them to create! This can easily be changed or modified by adding additional art supplies, such as tape, stickers, do-a-dot paints, and any other supplies you have on hand.
The canvas’s large surface encourages children to stand, reach, and move around the canvas, supporting gross motor skill development. And, working with the paintbrushes and art supplies is great for strengthening the small muscles in the hands and fingers that enable fine motor movements.
To set up this simple activity, you’ll need sheets of tissue paper, construction paper, glue, and paintbrushes. Get started by offering large sheets of tissue paper to the little ones and inviting them to rip and tear them into small pieces. If you work with older children, you might offer them scissors and encourage them to cut the tissue paper. Once the tissue paper has been torn, offer each child a piece of construction paper, some glue, and a paintbrush. Invite children to use their paintbrushes to paint glue onto their paper so they can create a colorful collage by sticking the tissue paper pieces onto the glue-covered surface. Ripping, placing, and gluing the tissue is a fun way to practice using fine motor skills!
Setting Up Early Learning Spaces that Inspire Creativity 
