Celebrate fall with this fun early childhood art activity! Use pine cones to create fantastic flowers, magnificent mountains, or terrific trees. This print making project uses simple materials such as tempera paints and paper, and allows the young child to explore the artistic process.
Pine Cone Print Lesson Objectives
- Explore art materials and process.
- Develop an understanding of print making (this includes the process and the concept of multiple images).
- Increase knowledge of basic math concepts such as shape, pattern, and part to whole relationship.
- Build art vocabulary.
- Explore nature and the environment.
Age/ Grade Level
This art project can be used with children ages three and up. Try adapting it for children of different ages. Invite very young children to simply experiment with the printing process and paint. Ask older children to create a small design or picture.
Classroom Art Materials Needed for Pine Cone Prints
- Construction paper
- Tempera paint
- Tray or other flat, shallow washable surface (for paint)
- Pine cones
Steps to Create Pine Cone Prints with Children
Pre-activity
- Take a field trip outdoors, and help the class to collect pine cones. Make sure that the children are collecting fallen pine cones, and not pulling pieces from live trees.
- Discuss what the pine cones are. This may include trees, nature, and the environment.
- Compare the pine cones for different shapes and sizes.
Process Steps
- Place the tempera paint on a shallow tray or other washable surface. The paint should be in a puddle.
- Invite the children to dip the pine cones into the paint.
- Press the pine cones onto the paper firmly.
- Repeat.
- As the children continue to explore and experiment with the printing process, ask them to use different colors. Allow the children to blend and mix the colors together before printing.
Pine Cone Print Lesson Wrap Up
Hold an art show and share. Discuss the printed creations. If the children simply experimented with the process, talk about how the print was created or what colors were used. If a picture was designed, discuss the different parts, shapes, and textures.
Early Childhood Enrichment Activities
Connect this art project to classroom curriculum through enrichment activities. These may include:
- Color Recognition: Use this art activity with a color theme. Make different color prints for different color units. For example, if Monday’s theme is blue, create blue pine cone prints.
- Math: Discuss shape and pattern. Other math concepts to explore include the part to whole relationship and counting. Have the children make multiple images from one pine cone. Ask the class to count the pine cone prints.
- Science/ Environmental Awareness: Integrate this activity into a nature based theme or set up mini science experiments using this print making technique.
Pine cone prints are a simple art activity that can extend into multiple classroom areas. This project encourages artistic exploration and allows young children to learn about nature, math, and science. Adapt this lesson plan for specific classroom needs, and create unique works of art.
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