Don’t wrack your brain for ideas next time show and tell rolls around, try one of these DIY crafts for students! Creativity isn’t just about making art – it’s about helping kids explore ideas, express themselves, and feel proud of what they’ve made. If you’re looking for simple, engaging projects to bring into school, these ideas are a great place to start.
1. Easy Monet art
Introduce kids to the dreamy world of Claude Monet with this easy painting project. Using soft brushstrokes and layered colours, they’ll create their own version of a lily pond. It’s a gentle way to explore Impressionism without needing to be perfect! For show and tell, kids can explain who Monet was and what inspired their own little masterpiece.
2. Easy Mondrian art
Image: @elementarygoods
This eye-catching classroom display shows a collection of artworks inspired by Piet Mondrian’s iconic abstract grid style. Each piece has bold black lines with bright pops of primary colours – red, blue and yellow – filling in selected blocks. It's a simple way for kids to explore colour, shape, and balance, while having heaps of fun with rulers, markers, and collage paper. For show and tell, young artists could talk about primary colours and a little about Mondrian himself. Bonus points if they can pronounce “neoplasticism!”
3. DIY paper mâché animals
This hands-on project is great for animal lovers and budding sculptors. Using coloured paper, glue, and a little paint, kids can bring a tiger, lion or their fave critter to life! It’s messy in the best way and a great way to get talking about wildlife too. At show and tell, they can introduce their tiger and share cool facts they learned along the way.
4. Paper weaving
Image: @elementarygoods
This simple but striking paper weaving project is all about colour and coordination! It’s a fantastic sensory activity where kids weave strips of coloured paper over and under one another to create a bright, eye-catching pattern. Some of the strips are painted, some sparkly, and others solid coloured – giving the final piece a lovely mix of textures.
For show and tell, kids could describe how they created their pattern, what colours they used, and maybe even turn it into a placemat or folder cover to bring in. They could try doing a demo of the weaving technique in front of the class for an extra engaging presentation. This is an excellent project for encouraging patience and building fine motor skills too.
5. A rock painting
Turn a nature walk into a craft project by collecting rocks and transforming them into cute bugs! This one is super simple and great for any age. For show and tell, kids can name their insect pets, describe what inspired each one, and give some science facts about the critters and their place in nature.
6. Homemade foam slime
Foam slime is soft, stretchy, and oh-so-fun to make. It’s also a sneaky science experiment, showing how materials react and change. For show and tell, kiddos could bring in all the ingredients and show the slime come together live, so all their classmates can watch in awe! Bonus points for explaining some of the science behind why the ingredients turn into such a satisfying consistency.
7. DIY year calendar
Image: @studiorockpaperscissors
This sweet calendar project is a perfect way for little artists to celebrate each month of the year with their own creativity. Each page is decorated with a bold and cheerful design that reflects the season or a special theme – think Valentine's hearts for February, buzzing bees for March, and sunshine and flowers for May and June (unless you’re from down-under then the weather might be a bit opposite!).
This project is a fantastic show & tell piece, especially if your little one wants to talk about how the seasons change, or how they used their favourite colours to represent each month. To make your own version, start with a printed calendar template and get creative with markers, paints, or crayons. This activity is a great combo of creativity and practical use – and a great gift idea too!
8. Crayon melting
Show how heat effects wax in a cool presentation that makes a unique artwork! It’s a great way to learn about colour mixing and how materials can change when heated. This one is very cool to do live, and talk about solids, liquids, and gas while watching the colours run.
9. Planet acrylic pour
Make a cosmic craft that’s out of this world! Kids can create their own planets using a fun paint-pouring technique. It’s a low-pressure way to explore colour and movement, and each planet is totally unique. For show and tell, they can explain their colour choices and what each planet is like in their imaginary solar system. Otherwise you can use a realistic colour palette and make a pour painting for each of the eight planets in our solar system!
10. Chalk paint DIY
Ideal for outdoor fun, this project lets kids create vibrant designs on concrete – without any permanent mess. It’s also a great excuse to play outside! For show and tell, they can talk about how to make your own chalk paint and maybe even give a demo on the pavement outside their classroom.
11. Easy origami
This calming project is ideal for quiet creative time. Origami helps with focus and patience, and the finished results are so satisfying! You don’t need to be an expert – just pick a few beginner-friendly shapes and go from there. At show and tell, your child can demonstrate a fold or share a story about what they made.
These creative ideas are a great way to connect with your child through art, even if you don’t consider yourself especially crafty. Each one encourages imagination, learning, and a bit of fun (but manageable) mess – and they all give your little artist something special to share and be proud of at show and tell.
Share your crafty creations using #montmarteart or tag us @montmarteart on Instagram or Facebook. We’d love to see what you and the fam get up to!
If you want to see more art, browse our Inspo collection. You can sign-up to Creative Connection by popping in your email down below to get stacks of free art projects sent straight to you. We’re here to keep you inspired!
