Primary Colors

• Teach the children about primary colors and the ways they mix together to make other colors. Provide each child with a sheet of paper and three oil pastels in red, yellow and blue. Instruct the children to draw three circles, each in a primary color. Have them experiment by layering the primary colors and mixing them gently with one finger to create other colors.
  
  

Story Imaging

• Read a story about the desert, rainforest or the ocean. Talk about what it looks like and what plants and animals live there. Go into as much detail as possible and encourage the kids to ask questions. Give each child a sheet of paper and a selection of oil pastels. Instruct them to create a picture of what they think the subject you discussed looks like. Encourage them to blend the colors and add as much detail as possible.
  
  

Wax Paper Stained Glass

• Cut off an 8 1/2-by-11-inch sheet of wax paper and tape it to your work surface. Use a black permanent marker to draw a design or abstract shapes on the wax paper. Give the children a selection of oil pastels and instruct them to color in the picture. Encourage them to practice staying in the lines and experimenting with layering and coloring both light and dark sections. When the children are finished, make a frame out of heavier paper and tape the wax paper to the back of it. Hang the picture in the window so the sun can shine through the lightly colored sections.
  
  

Nature Walk Art

• Take the children on a nature walk to focus on the colors around them. Show them how many shades of green are in a tree or the different levels of blue in the sky. Encourage them to point out how many colors they see in a single item. Instruct the children to select one item from their nature walk. This item can be anything, including a flower, a leaf, a stick or a rock. Once you get back to the classroom, have them look closely at their item and differentiate between the colors they see. For instance, a twig will have at least a few shades of brown, while a flower may have several colors. Give each child a sheet of paper and a variety of oil pastels and have them draw their item. Help them learn to blend the colors they have chosen within the picture.