Last Updated on July 13, 2024 by Sheryl Cooper
Inside: Add some process art to your community helpers theme with fire truck painting. Easy and fun for toddlers … and preschoolers!
Looking for an art activity that even the busiest toddlers will love?
Fire truck painting!
Remove all the chairs so that the children can stand – and even move around – as they roll their vehicles through paint and then onto the paper.
Easy and fun!
Easy and Fun Fire Truck Painting
Toddlers love big movements.
Especially toddlers who are on the go what feels like all day long.
Our favorite toddler art activities involve big sheets of paper with plenty of space to move while painting.
We used this method with our Lego art, while driving toy cars through paint, and when we scrubbed paint to mix colors.
Since the entire table is covered, toddlers have lots of space to move while creating.
The big motions are perfect for strengthening the shoulder and arm, important for fine motor development.
During our community helpers theme we decided to add fire trucks to our art table with long sheets of paper.
Every one of our toddlers gave this activity a try, some returning to the table several times!
What you will need for this fire truck painting:
- Long sheets of paper that cover the surface of the table
- Shallow trays of red and yellow tempera paint
- Toy fire trucks
The set up:
Cover the table with paper and tape some of the edges (to keep the paper from sliding around).
Place fire trucks on the paper as well as containers of paint.
We like to pull the chairs away for these types of activities so that the children can walk around the table as they roll the trucks.
Dip the fire trucks into the containers of paint and then roll them across the paper.
Because this is a shared area, young children are learning how to respect each other’s space as they maneuver around the table.
This is a great activity for building communication skills if conversations are taking place at the table.
When we have activities like this set up, our toddlers love walking right up to the table to start painting.
Since this is done during our free-choice centers time, various children come and go throughout that hour.
Some children leave and decide to come back later.
This can also be done at the easel!
Because the trucks are rolled up and down a vertical surface, the wrist is put in a different position than when it’s on a flat surface.
A great fine motor strengthening activity!
Community Helpers Activity Plans
I’ve teamed up with other early childhood teachers and homeschoolers to put together these hands-on community helpers activity plans for toddlers and preschoolers!
Easy to follow activity plans that include activity modifications and adaptations to meet the needs of all learners.
Note: This is a digital product. That means when you make a purchase, the link to the activities will be emailed to you.
For more information, click on the graphics below:
FREE CIRCLE TIME PLANNER!
Get your FREE circle time planner as a gift when you subscribe to my free weekly newsletters.
Here is my Privacy Policy
My son would love this!