May is the perfect time for kids to get creative. With warmer weather, longer days, and summer just around the corner, it’s a great month for hands-on art projects that let young artists explore, imagine, and have fun.
In this post, you’ll find 8 simple and engaging May art projects designed for kids of all ages to enjoy at home, in the classroom, or outdoors.
1. Have a Mexico-inspired day for Cinco de Mayo.
To celebrate Cinco de Mayo, introduce your kids to Mexican culture for a day. Invite a few friends over to spend the day crafting and celebrating Mexico’s victory over the Second French Empire. What a great way to educate young artists while engaging them in creativity!
Fill your Mexico-themed day with these activities and Cinco de Mayo art projects:
- Listening to Mexican music throughout the day
- Making chilaquiles, burritos, or flan and sharing their origin with your kids
- Making DIY Mexican maracas for an afternoon craft
- Recreating a masterpiece from Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo, in the Great Artist Program (GAP), an elementary art curriculum program
With these Mexican-inspired crafts and activities, your children will not only expand their minds and learn about new cultures but also be pushed creatively during a fun-filled day in May.
2. Create art based on your child’s favorite book.
What better way to spend a warm May afternoon outside, reading a favorite book and creating crafts inspired by it? GAP has easy-to-follow guided art lessons based on popular children’s books, making it easy for parents and young artists to follow along on a warm, sunny day.
Our Art + Lit program includes 20 easy-to-teach lesson plans with guided drawings, book suggestions, a color wheel, definitions of the elements of art, and much more. We even include information on how to host an art event, party, or art show with the material, and how to teach children of all learning abilities.
Within the curriculum, artists of all ages:
- Connect visually with what they read
- Build creative confidence
- Expand vocabulary, both art-related and beyond
- Develop a strong foundation in artistic skills
- Learn essential techniques like color, shading, symmetry, and more
GAP’s Art + Lit is a May art project that can be used by homeschooled students or by those in a traditional classroom setting on a day when they’re craving some creativity.
3. Put together May Day baskets.
May Day baskets are a great way to spread positivity and nurture your kids’ creativity. May Day, or International Workers’ Day, celebrates workers and the history of labor organizing. A May Day basket is a creative craft you and your children can make and deliver to neighbors or hardworking people in your community.
Here’s what you’ll need for May Day baskets:
- Flowers, which you can go hunting for outside!
- ¼ inch ribbon
- Hole punch
- Clear tape
- Craft/scrapbooking paper in colorful patterns
Follow these easy steps to create a basket for May Day:
1. Cut a sheet of paper from corner to corner to create two triangles
2. Roll one triangle into a cone shape and secure it with tape
3. Use a hole punch to create holes near the top of the cone, then thread a ribbon through. Leave enough ribbon to tie and hang on a door
4. Fill the cone with flowers
5. Optional: Write a short note for whoever your kids are delivering it to
This simple May art project helps kids develop creativity, fine motor skills, and spatial awareness as they design, cut, and assemble their baskets. It also encourages kindness and communication as they create something thoughtful to share with others.
4. Make a handprint flower bouquet for Mother’s Day.
A handprint flower bouquet is an easy May art project that doubles as a meaningful keepsake for moms. Not only does it capture a moment in your child’s growth, but it also introduces young artists to basic techniques like color mixing, stamping, and simple composition.
Here’s what you’ll need for a handprint flower bouquet:
- 1 sheet of paper (white or colored cardstock is best)
- Washable paint
- Paintbrush
- A marker or pen
- A cup of water + paper towels
- Ribbon bow (optional) + glue
Follow these steps for an endearing flower bouquet:
1. Prep your space by laying down the paper towels or scrap paper. Pour small amounts of paint onto a plate.
2. Make the handprint flowers by painting your child’s hand, or having them paint it themselves, and pressing it gently onto the paper near the top. Repeat with different colors slightly overlapping to look like a bouquet.
3. Add stems and leaves using green paint, drawing them from each handprint downward. You can also add leaves if desired.
4. Add a bouquet base (optional) by drawing a simple curved line under the stems. You can also add a ribbon bow below it using glue or drawn details.
5. Personalize it by writing a heartfelt message and the date for a keepsake.
If your students or child would rather draw a bouquet than use their hands, watch GAP’s free guided drawing tutorial on flowers!
5. Stay inside and do a free guided drawing tutorial.
If it’s a rainy May day, don’t let the weather stop you from getting creative. Have your kids or students sit down and watch a free, step-by-step drawing tutorial online.
The Great Artist Program offers a variety of online art lessons for kids ages 3–10, making them perfect preschool and kindergarten art projects for May, including:
These YouTube follow-along videos are an easy thing to turn on in the background and let kids’ imagination run free. Although the videos are designed for younger kids, children of any age can enjoy them and learn essential creative techniques.
For families who want to go even deeper into structured art learning, the Great Artist Program also offers a kindergarten homeschool curriculum, Animals of the World. This full program expands on these early skills and guides young artists through drawing and learning about animals from different habitats around the globe in a more in-depth, step-by-step format.
GAP also provides a free art lesson plan taken from our homeschool curriculum that teaches young artists how to recreate a Monet masterpiece.
6. Use sidewalk chalk for Memorial Day art.
Grab a bucket of colorful sidewalk chalk and head outside! Kids can draw stars, flags, flowers, or even write “Thank You” messages on the driveway or sidewalk. This is a fun, hands-on way to celebrate the holiday while also getting creative outdoors.
As they draw, kids practice important early art skills such as color recognition, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor control. They’re also learning to plan simple designs for a large, open space and to express ideas visually rather than just with words. Plus, experimenting with different colors and shapes helps build creativity and confidence.
Sidewalk chalk is an easy May art project with zero pressure for it to be perfect—just draw, create, and enjoy the process. And when you’re done, it all washes away easily, making room for a brand-new masterpiece another day!
7. Go for a walk and sketch what you see.
Take a slow walk around your neighborhood, park, or backyard, and become a “nature artist.” Bring a small notebook or sheet of paper and draw anything that catches your eye—flowers, trees, bugs, clouds, or houses. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just fun observations of the world around you.
As kids explore and draw what they see, they’re building important skills without even realizing it:
- Observation skills: noticing small details in nature and everyday surroundings
- Fine motor skills: practicing control while drawing shapes and lines
- Creativity: deciding how to represent what they see in their own unique way
- Focus and patience: slowing down to look closely and complete a drawing
- Nature awareness: learning to appreciate the environment around them
The goal is simple: enjoy the walk, look closely, and turn little discoveries into fun sketches.
8. Draw underwater sea life
Summer is almost here, and that means vacations are right around the corner—maybe even a trip to the beach or ocean! It’s the perfect time for kids to imagine what they might see under the water.
Use these fun, follow-along videos to guide easy May art projects and get young artists excited for the upcoming summer season:
- How to Draw Sea Life
- How to Draw a Sea Turtle
- How to Draw a Shark
- How to Draw a Fish
- How to Draw an Octopus
These step-by-step videos make it easy for kids to explore ocean-themed art while building confidence, creativity, and excitement for summer.
What May Art Project Will You Try First?
From handprint bouquets to sidewalk chalk designs and ocean-inspired drawings, there are so many fun ways for young artists to celebrate creativity this May. Each project is designed to be simple, hands-on, and engaging—perfect for building confidence while having fun.
If your child loves creating and learning through art, the Great Artist Program offers a full online homeschool art curriculum with guided lessons designed just for young artists. It’s an easy way to keep creativity going all year long, right from home.
So, what May art project will you try first?
Recent Comments