# Geometric Art
> Kids dip wooden and foam blocks (cubes, cuboids, triangles, cylinders) in bright acrylic paint and print with them on colored paper. They create any art they like using just basic shapes. It is open-ended process art that toddlers, preschoolers and grown-ups can all do together.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-for-kids-geometric-art/
- Ages: 3–7 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: medium
- Time: prep 10 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class
- Skills: shapes, geometry, patterning, planning, fine-motor, process-art, creativity

## Materials (one batch)
- Wooden and foam blocks in basic shapes (cubes, cuboids, triangles, cylinders)
- Bright colored acrylic paint
- 2 sheet Colored paper (and white paper)
- 1 piece Paper plates (paint palettes) (household)
- 1 piece Tray for the blocks (optional) (household)
- 1 piece Paper floor/table covering (household)
- 1 piece Black marker (optional) (household)

## Safety
- Acrylic paint can stain clothes and floors. Cover the work area and dress kids in old clothes or smocks.
- Paint is not food. Supervise young children so paint and blocks stay out of mouths.
- Small foam shapes can be a choking hazard for kids who still mouth things. Use larger blocks with toddlers and supervise at all times.
- Wash hands after painting.

## Steps
1. Gather wooden and foam blocks: cubes, cuboids, triangles and cylinders.
2. Cover the floor or table with paper and set out a few sheets of colored paper for each child.
3. Squeeze small puddles of a few bright acrylic colors onto paper plates.
4. Give the creative prompt: "Create any art by using just these basic shapes."
5. Dip one face of a block into the paint and press it onto the paper to print.
6. Try every shape and textured face. See if you can make a pattern.
7. Older kids: plan a scene first, then choose the shapes to build it, like a circle for the sun and cuboids for the rays.
8. Let the artwork dry and sign it.
9. Optional: once dry, add details like windows with a marker.

## Tips
- Toddlers will likely just start printing with the cubes. Mine tried a pattern and eventually got distracted, but this is a great opportunity to introduce patterning.
- Older kids can plan the art in their minds first and carefully choose their pieces to get what they want. Talk about planning, organizing and executing, all in this simple art activity.
- Kids who have practiced drawing something, like a car, get a fun challenge translating it into shapes.
- Grown-ups join in too. Grandma enjoyed making art with her grandchildren. What's more fun than getting messy with granny!
- This is the reality shot: your floor will look like the photo if you do this art activity. Not a whole lot of mess honestly.
- It works for multiple ages at once, which helps with a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old together. (from readers)
- For older kids, show them images of places made of shapes before handing out the shapes, so they can choose to create a picture with them. (from readers)

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013)

Welcome to another week of Paint and Play along with [**Growing a Jeweled Rose**](http://www.growingajeweledrose.com), and [**Mess for Less**.](http://messforless.net) Today we are exploring math and art and boy! it was so.much.fun. The kids used basic shapes to create art work. It was a great example of process-oriented art activities which all love and enjoy. {Access all our [**art activities**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/art-projects/) here} I gathered all our wooden and foam blocks and set out an assortment of solids ( mostly cubes and cuboids) along with bright colored acrylic paint and few sheets of colored paper.  The creative prompt : "Create any art by using just these basic shapes"  The kids set out to explore immediately. My toddler approached the art activity in a typical fashion and started printing using the cubes.  She used pretty much all the shapes, including the foam triangles to create her art work. She also tried to do a pattern and eventually got distracted haha. But this is a great opportunity to introduce patterning.  My 5 year old true to form needs to create a scene! She was very thrilled and quite proud of herself to create art with just basic shapes.  It was amazing to see her plan the art activity in her mind first and then she carefully chose her pieces to get what she wanted! Talk about planning, organizing and executing - all in this simple art activity. I adore the sun she made with a circle block and her cuboids for the rays!  That's actually grandma's! She is visiting and enjoyed making art with her grandchildren.! What's more fun than getting messy with granny!  My toddler's "product" of her process art.  Some more 3 year old geometric art - this apparently is a butterfly garden. Please note her signature on the top right!  That's my 5 year old's "shape scene" Cuboids for the sky and the rest are obvious.  This one I got to tell you is by far her favorite and mine too. She planned out her car and implemented is so beautifully. She has practiced drawing a car for a long time. This time however she had to translate that by using shapes. It was quite a challenge and she was very happy to have done it.  This is a shape "machine" which makes fairies?  One collaborative one with the 5 year old.  Well since this is a such a fun art activity, I had to make one, right.  My colorful city scene with the wooden blocks.

 Ok, this is the reality shot- you floor will look like this if you do this art activity. Not a whole lot of mess honestly. 

Thanks for reading

Please head on over to Growing A Jeweled Rose to check out her **Art Dice**

Don't forget Mess for Less to see her **DIY Shape Stickers**