Introducing arts and crafts in early childhood greatly benefits their brain development. So it’s really best for them to start early. “But how do I teach young kids all that stuff?” Don’t worry, we have you covered! Here are some inspiring books that will surely spark the passion of those little artists.
Great Preschool Books About Art
My First I Can Draw is a how-to-draw book that will surely make art fun for your little kids! This book by Thomas Nelson includes over 150 pages of pull-out practice pages that your budding artists can work on. It also has simple instructions that are very easy to follow for young kids, making it easier for you to facilitate with minimal instruction needed.
You can also use this book as a supplement when teaching different animals and objects to young kids, as it includes over 100 different animals and objects! This will be very helpful as little children tend to be very visual learners. My First I Can Draw is best tailored for kids over three years of age, which makes it perfect for your preschoolers.
Feel free to grab a copy of My First I Can Draw by Thomas Nelson and have lots of fun with your preschoolers!
This interactive picture book will surely make your preschoolers giggle while diving into the world of colors! It is the perfect tool to assist you in teaching young kids all about colors and how to combine them. You can read each page aloud with the little ones while following each instruction altogether. You can also try dividing them into small groups later and watch them do it by themselves. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?
Herve Tullet’s book is one of the best ways you can jumpstart your kids on basic color theory without all the painting mess! Moreover, it is also very engaging and will keep young kids interested up to the very last page. Mix It Up is the best fit for children between three to seven years of age, a perfect book for your young preschool artists.
Mix It Up! by Herve Tullet will surely top the charts on your next art class.
Looking for ways to take your alphabet lessons to a whole new level? This book is the perfect tool to help your preschoolers deepen their knowledge about the alphabet. On top of it, they will also be learning about tons of famous artwork! Pretty cool, right?
You can read this book aloud while reiterating the sounds of each letter and letting the kids repeat after you. You can also read the captions all together and then explain a bit more about each artwork to the kids afterwards. Not only will you help nourish their alphabet literacy and reading skills, but you’ll also introduce them to some of the world’s most iconic paintings. Who knows, you might’ve just introduced art to the next Van Gough!
The ABCs of Art is an excellent book for kids between one to four years old, making it a perfect early childhood education partner.
This picture book follows the adventures of three little mice as they come across three jars of paint colored red, blue, and yellow. Your preschoolers will discover what happens when they accidentally mix red with blue or put blue and yellow together. It is an excellent tool to introduce the basic color theory to your curious little artists.
You can start by reading the story out loud and then asking the children some questions after. You can also have the kids repeat the result of each color combination. For example, “Red feet in a yellow puddle makes orange!” Repeating the key sentences, again and again, will help them remember them much easier.
Mouse Paint is best read to young kids as early as two up to five years of age. The discoveries of the three little mice will surely keep the kids engaged in learning about colors!
We always tell children that it is totally fine to make mistakes and that it happens in life sometimes. Teach them early on how the little “oopsies” in life can turn into big opportunities! This award-winning interactive book will help you impart this wonderful life lesson in the most creative way possible.
You may read it out loud together while exploring those pop-ups, lift-the-flaps, and other cool, creative stuff. Afterwards, you may also have them create their own artwork made from a tear, a spill, or a smudge. It will be a cool and fun activity that everyone will surely enjoy! You can also display their artworks in your classroom so everyone can see the beautiful outcome of their tiny “oopsies”.
Your little budding artists will love Beautiful Oops!, and it will surely leave a smile on their faces.
This awesome picture book will surely inspire your little artists to believe that they can also accomplish something big! It follows the story of a little girl named Mira who lives in a gray community, until a muralist comes and gives color, joy, and hope to their neighborhood. The book portrays how transformation can be inspired by art.
You may read it out loud to the whole class and then ask questions about it. You may also try dividing them into small groups to read it amongst themselves. It’s also great to proceed with some art activities after discussing the story, so they can instantly apply what they just learned.
Maybe Something Beautiful is perfect for your little preschoolers between four to seven years of age. Not only will they learn about colors, but will also be surely inspired to accomplish great things!
Your preschoolers will surely have fun reading and singing along with this cute and fun book featuring a sing-song rhyming text and humorous energetic illustrations. The book follows a child who gets caught by his mom painting everything and gets told, “Ya ain’t a-gonna paint no more!” But of course, nothing can keep him from painting!
It’s best to read this book out loud and create easy-to-follow melodies with the rhymes so the young kids can also sing along. This way, it’ll definitely be enjoyable and the story and song will stay on their minds. You can also integrate it with your parts of the body lesson. Afterwards, you can have a short painting session either individually or in small groups.
I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More! will surely make your young artists giggle as they sing and dance along. It’s ideal for your preschoolers between two and five years of age.
Featuring playful rhyming texts alongside timeless paintings, this book is a great way to introduce fine art to young children. It has eleven classic Van Gogh pieces that will surely spark the artist inside your preschoolers. Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?
You may read it aloud and then have the kids repeat each rhyme after you. For pages with numbers and colors, you can count together and point out the colors. After reading, you can go over each painting and ask them what they like most about each one. It’s a great way to learn art appreciation. You can also ask them to paint their own masterpiece afterwards.
In the Garden with Van Gogh will surely entertain art lovers of all ages but is best for toddlers aged one to three years old.
Brown’s award-winning illustrated book follows the story of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo and her beloved pets. This book is an awesome way to spark your little artists’ passion for art. On top of that, they will also get to learn about the life of one of the world’s most influential painters.
It’s great to read it aloud all together with your preschoolers. You can also unlock quite a lot of new vocabulary for them to learn! After reading, you can ask a few questions and have a short discussion, as well. For their output, you can ask the kids to draw or paint themselves with their pet or a pet they want to have. This book is recommended for young children between four and eight years of age.
Grab your own copy of Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos and get ready to have fun with your budding artists!
This fun illustrated book tells the story of little Lisa as her mom takes away her beloved crayons. How will she respond to this situation? This cute story will inspire your young artist’s creativity and resourcefulness. They’ll surely think outside the box about some cool alternative art materials.
A great way to start is to read the story all together and have a short discussion about it. You can also let them identify the different colors and objects that Lisa used throughout the story. Afterwards, you can ask them to create their own masterpiece by using everyday stuff. It could be a mosaic or something similar that uses anything other than traditional coloring materials. Let them think about what they want to use — be it popsicle sticks, cotton balls, beads, foil, or whatever they can think of! Let their imagination be the limit.
Grab a copy of A Day With No Crayons and enjoy it with your four to eight-year-old preschoolers.
Conclusion
Reading with your preschoolers is an excellent way to help them build their oral, listening, and comprehension skills. If you’re on the lookout for awesome books about art, you’ll definitely love the ones on our list! Get them now and start nurturing your budding artists’ passion for the arts.
People Also Ask
We hope that our list has helped you out with your search for awesome preschool books about art. Looking for something else? We have a few more questions to cover! Here are a couple of frequently asked questions about art for preschoolers.
In addition to reading art-related stories to your budding artists, you may also familiarize them with the fundamental elements of art such as color, line, shape, form, and texture through various art activities. Introduce crafts by age, look at their interests, and create activities that match them. Don’t forget to listen to their ideas, too!
Art is very important for young kids as it helps them understand themselves and their world. It can be a safe outlet for their emotions, too! Little children can develop a ton of skills through art such as cognition, focus, creative thinking, art appreciation, collaboration, problem-solving, fine motor, and non-verbal skills.
