Creating An Artful Outdoors

I have never been a great “art” teacher, especially when it comes to creative art. Let’s face it- I never went to art school or painted a mural, so my expertise in that area is limited. However, every early elementary teacher needs to incorporate some type of art activity into their day. Since, it is so important that kids get time for gross motor play, we decided to combine the two together. My co-teacher this year is WONDERFUL at planning awesome art inspired activities that correlate with our theme each week. She really wanted to take a sensory/art project outside for the kids to do. We took paintbrushes, paint cups with red and purple shampoo paint and let the kids paint on the white easel paper. We taped it up and told them to go to town! They had a blast and we used the art to create cut out hearts for another project later in the week.  The positive benefits of taking art outside: It allows the children to express creative art. It gives the students the ability to touch, smell, walk, experience, and create in an environment that is considered to be “out-of-the box” learning. Hearing sounds of nature, feeling sunshine, and communicating with others allows less stress for the child and releases the “happy hormone,” (aka Serotonin). Taking art outside is highly beneficial for better classroom attitudes and overall community improvement. It promotes team building and gross motor skills.

The negative downfalls of taking art outside: Let’s face it, paint of any kind whether you are sitting at a table or painting on easel---gets messy quick! If you don’t have washable paint or plastic fences that can easily be rinsed off with a hose, I would suggest maybe taking crayons and coloring books outside instead of paint. Another downfall, the paint has to dry somewhere, so if you have other classes that use the same playground or outdoor area that you do, you might want to clear it with them first. Our final product was a hit with the other students/staff and the parents loved seeing the kids pictures of them painting outside! What are some other fun lessons you have done outside with your class?