Corn Painting – Fun Process Art Activity for Kids

Have you tried painting with corn before? Corn painting is a fun and easy process art activity. Your kids will have a great time making patterns on the page using ears of corn instead of a classic paint brush.

This art project is perfect if you’re looking for fall or Thanksgiving activities to do with your toddlers and preschoolers.

Adult supervision is required for all activities at all times. Some of the links provided in this blog are affiliate links. I will be paid a commission if you use this link to make a purchase.

Fall is a wonderful time to stay indoors and spend some quality time with your kids. If you’re looking for a bit of inspiration then check out these Fall activities for kids. Or invest in the Fall Activity Pack, which is filled with educational ideas for young kids.

Table of Contents

• What You’ll Need
• Instructions
• What You’re Learning
• More Fall Craft Ideas
• You May Also Like

Materials Needed

1. Ear of corn
2. Corn holders (optional)
3. Paper
4. Different colors of paint
5. Paint brushes

How to Make a Corn Painting

1. Remove the corn husk.

Get your kids to help you remove the silk and husk from your corn cobs before you start painting. They’ll love getting involved and learning about the different parts of a corn cob while they do it.

2. Place paint in a tray or paint pot.

I picked different paint colors that reminded me of Autumn, like yellow, gold and red. But of course, you can use whatever colors you want. Your young children will probably love making rainbow corn art instead.

3. Insert your corn cob holders.

I wish that I had done this step when I was doing this activity with my kids. Using corn cob holders would have made rolling the corn so much easier, while also giving the kids a different fine motor skill to develop.

4. Cover the corn in paint.

I let my kids apply the paint using a paintbrush. However, you can also lay the paint on a tray, and roll the corn through it. Going back and forth until the entire cob is covered in paint.

5. Roll the corn over your paper.

Start at one end of the page and roll the corn towards the other end. Pressing down so that it creates dotted patterns on your paper.

I taped a large piece of paper down to the table. I did this because if you don’t tape it down, the paper can sometimes lift up off the table, and stick to the corn. If you use painter tape to attach the paper to the table, you don’t need to worry about peeling your picture off of the corn while it’s being rolled.

What You’re Learning

Creativity

This is a fun way to encourage your kids imagination and creativity. There are so many different ways to express yourself with this process art idea. For example, you can:

1. Try different colors, making rainbow corn crafts instead.
2. Use the dried art pattern as a base for some Indian corn crafts.
3. Place paint on the flat end on the corn and use it as a stamp.

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills refer to the small muscles in the hand and fingers. Developing these skills are important in being able to write when the kids go to school, as well as being able to complete tasks independently. (For example, dressing and feeding themselves).

Applying the paint, and rolling the corn cob around is all going to help young kids develop:

1. Pincer grip and/or tripod grip
2. Palmar grasp
3. Hand-eye coordination
4. Dexterity
5. Hand strength

Emotional Regulation

Process art is particularly fantastic at helping with emotional regulation. Especially for young kids who don’t have the vocabulary to vocalize how they feel. Process art gives them the opportunity to process what they are feeling, as well as being able to express those emotions through physical means.

This is possible because there is no desired end result with process art. The focus is entirely on how you create, not what you create.

Science

Learn about the different parts of a corn cob while you are cleaning it and using it to paint. You can also talk to you kids about the other aspects of corn, such as:

1. Where does corn come from and how does it get from the farm to our kitchen?
2. What does it need to grow?
3. Is it healthy? What nutrients does it give your body?

More Fall Themed Arts and Crafts to try

If you’re looking for more Fall art projects to try with your class. Take a look at some of these different ways to get creative this fall season.

1. Handprint Fall Leaves
2. Paper Cup Sunflower Craft
3. Fork Painted Hedgehog Craft
4. Fall Leaf Suncatchers
5. Autumn Tree Paper Plate Whirligig

For more ideas, take a look at these 100 Easy Fall Arts and Crafts for Kids.

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