Graduating from preschool into kindergarten is a special occasion. Celebrate the children in your class by having a graduation ceremony. This lesson plan details how to involve the students in creating unique graduation hats.
Preschool Graduation Hat Lesson Objectives
- Increase fine motor development
- Explore art materials and processes
- Build self-expression
- Celebrate a special day
- Experiment with color
- Build shape recognition skills
Grade/ Age Level
Preschool: Any class of children finishing their last year in a preschool or daycare setting.
Materials Needed to Create the Graduation Hats
- Thick paper such as card stock or poster board
- Scissors
- Glue
- Tape
- Tempera paints
- Paint brushes
- Ribbon
Steps to Create the Preschool Graduation Hats
Pre-planning/Preparing
Before beginning this project, an adult should prepare the paper for use.
- Cut long, then strips in a rectangle shape from the paper. This will be the band that goes around each child’s head.
- Cut large squares (these will be the tops of the hats) from the paper.
- Measure the cut paper to the child’s head to ensure proper fit.
Process Steps
- Discuss the shapes that will form the hat with the children (i.e., rectangle and square).
- Invite the children to paint the rectangle and square with tempera paints. This may be done in a free paint manner, allowing the children to paint more abstract color expressions. If there is a specific theme that lends itself to this class project, the children can paint more realistic style pictures onto the hats. Make sure that the children only paint one side of the rectangle. Painting on the inside of the band may become messy and rub off when the child wears the hat.
- Set the hat pieces aside to dry.
- Once fully dry, create a circle band with the painted paper rectangles.
- Fit each child to his or her head size. Secure with masking tape. Make sure to tuck the tape in firmly to avoid catching hair. Some teachers may prefer to use staples to secure the band. Special caution should be taken if doing this. Staples may easily become unfastened during movement or play. It is very possible that a stray staple could cut the child’s head. If possible, use tape to avoid injury.
- Have the children place a line of glue around the top of the band. This will be a in a circle shape. The children can firmly press the painted square on top.
- Set aside to dry. If the glue is not strong enough to adequately hold the hat together, try adding some tape of the inside.
- Give each child one piece of ribbon. This can be glued to the top of the hat, hanging over one side.
Lesson Wrap Up for the Preschool Graduation Hats
Discuss the activity with children. Ask questions about how it felt to use the materials and art processes involved. Hold a fashion show and share that encourages each child to display his or her wearable work of art.
Enrichment Activities for Graduation Hat Lesson
- Graduation Ceremony: Each child can wear his or her hat during a preschool graduation ceremony.
- Matching Invitations: As the children create the painted hats, ask them to paint matching invitations for a special guest to attend the graduation ceremony.
- Color Play: Try giving the children the primary colors of paint (blue, red, and yellow), plus white. Encourage the children to create their own individual palette.
The preschool graduation hat activity is a great way to end the school year. Making wearable art that functions as a special prop for an important day is a challenging and rewarding project for any young child.
