Rain or shine, the opportunity to create outdoor art is always at our fingertips and offers a whole host of benefits for children’s mental well-being and creativity.
In this blog, we share a range of art techniques and creative learning opportunities to try in your outdoor setting. From sun catchers to rain paintings, get inspired no matter the season with our top 20 outdoor art ideas to create one-of-a-kind art pieces while nurturing a love for the environment from a young age.
1. Flower Pounding Art
Tataki-zomé, also known as flower pounding, is the process of creating eco prints by extracting natural plant dye from flowers. Thick card and plain fabrics are ideal for this activity as children discover which plants and leaves make the most vibrant botanical dyes. To squeeze out these natural pigments, use a rubber hammer with a smooth face to transfer the colours while also building muscle control and hand-eye coordination.
2. Chalk Painting
Chalk provides endless possibilities for children to get creative as they learn through play. As children practice writing and drawing murals they naturally begin to develop their artistic expression and improve their fine and gross motor skills.
Extend the activity: Soften the chalk by setting out a cup of water to dip chalk in to create vibrant colours with pigment from the wet chalk or use a paintbrush to add water to chalk drawings and watch the colours bleed and blend.
3. Shape and Shadow Art
Explore shapes, colours and shadows with Rainbow Blocks and tuff tray paper. Build towers and trace the outlines to see how shadows shift as the sun moves through the sky. Test colour mixing by layering rainbow blocks to investigate what happens when shadows stretch and overlap. Once complete, tear away the paper for a unique abstract art print to display.
4. Colourful Sun Catchers
Cast rainbow shadows with this DIY suncatcher activity for children. Use tape or sticky back plastic as a base and add tissue paper to build a mosaic of colours. Why not try this fine motor activity by decorating our free suncatcher template with colourful cellophane pieces for a beautiful stained glass effect that can be hung up in the sunlight for the colours to shine through.
5. Rain Painting
Make the most of a rainy day by using raindrops to create art. Use pipettes or water droppers to add spots of food colouring onto card and place them out in the rain. Encourage investigation by repeating this activity when there is a light drizzle and comparing patterns to spark discussions about the weather and the water cycle.
Extend the activity: Add a magical spin to this activity by using a white crayon to write a secret note and watch as the rain reveals the hidden message!
6. Painting with Wheels
Set up this action art activity with toys cars and shallow plates of paint. To create colourful patterns that look just like the grooves on wheels, move a toy car through the paint so it picks up the colour. Next, roll the car on blank paper to print tracks in different directions and experiment further with more wheel types and paint colours.
7. DIY Flower Pressed Bookmarks
Recycle old plastic packaging into transparent flower-pressed bookmarks to keep or gift to a special someone who likes to read. For this outdoor art activity, collect flowers and press them flat. Next, arrange the dried flowers on the plastic strip and use PVA glue to seal them in place. Once dry, use a hole puncher and ribbon to complete the bookmark!
8. Splatter Painting
Get messy with open-ended paint play! Flick, splash and drop paint onto your paper to create a collage of colour. There are so many ways to try this activity from flicking paintbrushes to dropping sponges from a height to see how they splat onto the paper.
Extend the activity: Fill balloons with paint and pop them over a canvas to release splats of colour!
9. Mirror Painting Tuff Tray
Use reflections to paint flowers using a Mirror Tuff Tray Mat. Get inspired by gathering natural leaves and flowers and explore art through a new dimension. Assemble DIY nature brushes with sticks and leaves or try finger painting for an alternative sensory experience. Once finished, wash away the paint with water in minutes.
10. Rock Painting
Children of all ages can get involved in painting colourful rocks that they can use in play or hide away for others to find. Younger children can paint small words or creatures, such as bees or ladybirds, that can be used in storytelling. For older children, kindness rocks with special messages or words of affirmation like ‘I am a good friend’ and ‘I believe in myself’ can be kept as positive reminders or given as gifts to others.
11. Pendulum Painting Tuff Tray
Learn about forces and gravity with this children’s pendulum art activity. Create a simple frame using Bamboo Guttering and two Water Channel Stands to hang the paint cup pendulum for this tuff tray activity. Next, pierce a hole at the bottom of the cup to let the paint flow and watch as the paint falls, creating mesmerising patterns on the paper pad.
12. Water Pistol Painting
Fire paint from different distances to create abstract splatter art to hang up. For this easy process art activity, we recommend diluting ready-mixed paint with water for the best results. If you don’t have access to a water pistol, try using paint sprayer bottles for an inexpensive alternative and get experimenting with techniques and angles for different effects.
13. Tree Rubbings
Spark sensory exploration, fine motor skills and a love for nature with this simple budget-friendly activity. For small hands, chalk and crayons provide a better grip as children investigate different textures and patterns found in nature. It’s the perfect activity to help children stimulate their logical thinking by discussing their findings and comparing the differences in tree bark rubbings.
15. Leaf Mandalas
Let’s go on a leaf hunt! Take time to observe the different shapes and smells of autumn, the time of year when leaves begin to change colour and fall to the ground. Encourage children to arrange these fallen leaves in patterns and experiment with other loose parts such as twigs, pine cones and pebbles to add to their mandala designs.
Extend the activity: Preserve designs by covering one side of the leaves in paint and gently pressing them onto paper to transfer the prints.
14. Leaf Monsters
Create a family of leaf monsters using paint and googly eyes to decorate fallen leaves. This autumn leaf art activity provides opportunities for children to discuss why trees lose their leaves and what happens to the animals that depend on trees for food and shelter.
Give the monsters extra character by using broken and brittle leaves to create unique pieces. Let your imagination run wild. There’s no limit to the designs children can create!
16. Nature Paintbrushes
Nature walks are a great way to draw attention to the natural world and observe our local habitats. Collect natural materials while exploring the outdoors to create DIY paintbrushes for a simple way to engage children in critical thinking. Children can investigate which pieces will make interesting print marks and experiment with transforming these loose parts into paint tools and nature brushes.
17. Paint with Mud
Stimulate children’s natural curiosity and help them connect with nature by painting with mud. To set up this messy play activity, mix water into a bowl of mud until it forms the right consistency to paint with. Children will develop tactile skills through sensory play as they use their hands to smear, squeeze and flick mud
Extend the activity: Mix washable paint into the mud mixture to create colourful textured paint to draw with.
18. Bubble Art
Create vibrant prints by blowing colourful bubble clouds and transferring them onto paper. Try this easy print-making craft for kids by mixing water, washing up liquid and a splash of paint together. Shake the mixture to create bubbles then press paper gently over the bubbles to transfer the print.
19. Forest Faces
Clay forest faces are an easy outdoor art activity to set up in your garden, forest school or outdoor classroom. Start by flattening a small ball of natural clay onto a tree bark, then add features using materials found outdoors such as berries, leaves and flowers. Once complete, peel the clay faces away to take them home or leave them up to dry.
20. Painting with Water
Painting with water is a low-cost, no-mess outdoor activity, perfect for sunny days. Use brushes, pouring cups and water droppers to get drawing. Don’t worry if you run out of space, simply wait for the sun to dry the marks, and then you’re ready to paint again.
Extend the activity: Make a sponge snail by adding pipe cleaner tentacles and shells to a sponge. Soak the snail in water and it’s ready to set off to create water trails!
Check out our full range of painting accessories and water play resources to get inspired!
Don’t forget to share your outdoor art ideas with us on social media by tagging us or using the hashtag #ExploreWithEYR!
