Endless Sun and Sand/ Bright colors and shapes

Art Explorers:

Class 1: Paper Plate Sunflower

Goal: Shape and texture exploration.
Activity: Paint the center of a paper plate brown, then glue yellow cupcake liners around the edges for petals.

Class 2: Wet Chalk Extravaganza

Goal: Pencil grasp development.
Activity: Have toddlers dip broken pieces of sidewalk chalk in water before coloring on thick dark construction paper.

Class 3: Citrus/Fruit Stamping

Goal: Process art and shape recognition.
Activity: Dry out halved lemons, limes, or oranges overnight, then dip the flat side in neon paint to stamp onto white cardstock.

Class 4: Sponge-Painted "Camping" Campfire

Goal: Color recognition (red, orange, yellow).
Activity: Cut clean kitchen sponges into triangles. Let toddlers dip the sponges in paint and press them onto dark paper in a pile to build a campfire.

September lesson Plan

Little Picassos:

Class 1: "Melting" Summer

Activity: Ice Cube Painting
Concept: Color mixing and sensory
Details: Freeze washable temper paint into ice cubes using popsicle sticks. Let preschoolers paint on heavy cardstock. Watch colors blend and discuss how the ice melts in their hands.

Class 2: Ocean Friends

Activity: Cupcake Liner Jellyfish
Concept: Scissor practice and texture
Details: Have children flatten cupcake liners and color them with markers. Provide pre-cut yarn strings in various lengths. Show them how to glue or tape the yarn to the bottom of the liner to create tentacles.

Class 3: Self Portraits

Activity: First-Day Self-Portraits
Concept: Identity and self-expression
Details: kids glue the pieces onto a large construction paper and use crayons to draw themselves

Class 4: Colors of the Rainbow

Activity: Tape-Resist Name Art
Concept: Letter recognition and patterns
Details: Use painter’s tape to spell out each child's name (or just their first initial) on thick paper. Have the kids paint entirely over the paper using watercolors. Once completely dry, peel off the tape to reveal their name in white!

Studio Explorers:

Class 1: Golden Sunbursts & Textures (Late Summer)

Focuses on capturing the high-heat energy of late August.

Objective: Explore line and space using warm color palettes.
Materials: Mixed media paper, watercolors, salt, oil pastels.
Ages 6–8: Draw a large circle. Draw intersecting lines out to the edges. Fill sections with warm watercolors.
Ages 9–12: Create radial symmetry. Use a wet-on-wet watercolor technique. Sprinkle table salt over wet paint to form sun flares.

Class 2: Cool Sunglasses Self-Portraits (Identity)

Bridges the gap between summer relaxation and heading back into the classroom.

Objective: Practice composition and personal expression.
Materials: Cardstock, markers, mirrors, metallic foil paper.
Ages 6–8 : Trace a face template. Cut out oversized sunglass shapes from construction paper. Draw a simple summer memory inside the frames.
Ages 9–12 : Sketch a realistic portrait utilizing mirrors. Draw highly detailed reflections in the lenses (e.g., a beach scene or camp) using colored pencils.

Class 3: Symmetrical Nature Mandalas (Transition)

Utilizes late-summer natural elements to explore patterns.

Objective: Understand symmetrical balance and form.
Materials: Paper plates, glue, pressed flowers, dried grass, sunflower seeds.
Ages 6–8 Fold a paper plate into quadrants. Glue a repeating sequence of seeds and petals outward from the center.
Ages 9–12: Paint a black ink background. Arrange geometric patterns with natural materials. Ensure exact mirror balance across eight axes.

Class 4: Collaborative Brick Wall Graffiti (Community)

Builds teamwork and solidifies class identity for the new school year.

Objective: Introduce graffiti typography and collaborative installation.
Materials: Sponges, brown paint, large butcher paper, markers.
Ages 6–8 Sponge-paint "bricks" onto a massive paper backdrop. Draw a mini symbol of personal strength on a single brick.
Ages 9–12: Plan and paint stylized block letters spelling out a community word