Creative Expression Activities for Preschoolers

Being able to communicate social-emotional learning visually or through movement, sound and words is not only an essential developmental skill, but it can also be a lot of fun for preschoolers.

Always include designated creative spaces in your classroom that invite children to engage their imagination, encourage their curiosity about life and express themselves.

These types of experiences can help develop meaningful connections in their developing minds as they move, touch, manipulate different materials and experiment. The following creative expression activities for preschoolers are an ideal way to develop imagination and expand curiosity:

Open-Ended Crafting

Provide a wide range of materials for children to choose from (string, paper plates, popsicle sticks, construction paper, etc.), allowing them to create imaginative crafts using the materials they select instead of objects pre-selected for them. This type of activity provides the opportunity to explore materials and how they work together, and lets children come up with a story behind what they have created.

Free Drawing

While most child care art stations provide paper and markers for children to be creative, free drawing can sometimes take a little more encouragement. Create a space on your classroom wall to display students’ art on a regular basis to encourage them to create and show off their artwork. We especially love this idea of using clipboards to display their latest masterpieces!

Move Like an Animal

Children love to express themselves through creative movement. Create flashcards featuring ocean life, farm animals, zoo animals or any other types of animals popular in your classroom, asking children to show off their best moves. Give hints to guide their movements (i.e. dolphins like to jump in the water, horses love to gallop), but watch as preschoolers perform their own creative interpretation of each animal.

Build Your Own Instrument

Provide materials to make elastic band guitars, empty container maracas or coffee can drums. Or, let preschoolers use the materials available in your classroom to design their very own instrument with a totally unique sound. Ask children to use their instrument in a classroom sing-along.