Process Art for Kids: Glue and Color Exploration!

I’m a huge fan of process art. Now, I’m not saying that I haven’t hung a piece or two of more “product” oriented art that my son has made up on the fridge. But, in general (at home and when teaching preschoolers) I enjoy letting little artists explore. Today I was working on a somewhat failed activity with food coloring. That said, with a little experimentation we found something else to do with the food colors. Lesson learned – art doesn’t always work out. When it doesn’t, a little discovery play can turn a botched activity into something that’s super-fun!

This brings me to the process art at hand: The movement of colors on glue. Plain old white school glue makes a great medium for food coloring to travel on, mix and swirl together. Here’s a big time warning before your child gets started – food coloring will stain clothes, table surfaces, your pretty area rug that’s underneath the crafting table and anything else that gets in its way. It will also temporarily stain your child’s hands. If you are anxious about the mess, dilute washable tempera paint and use a pipette or never-used medicine dropper instead. I like food coloring because it comes in its own little dropper, but your child will feel like a grown-up scientist, getting to use a pipette- so why not give it a try?

Before your child begins this activity, prep for the mess and cover the table or other work surface with a garbage bag, thick cardboard or some other food coloring-proof barrier. You can also try this outside on the grass.

Have your child “draw” an abstract design, make lines or create shapes with the glue on a piece of cardstock paper.

Squeeze a few drips of food coloring or paint onto the glue. Don’t worry if it lands on the paper too- this is all about the process of exploring colors and movement.

Have your child pick the paper up and gently move it from side to side or up and down, letting the food coloring run through the glue.

The colors will blend, mix and mingle together!

Are you looking for more process art? Check out and follow my Pinterest board for ideas!

Follow Mini Monets and Mommies's board Process Art for Kids on Pinterest.