Easy Paper Sun Art for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Learn how to make this Paper Sun Art for kids. This art project is easy enough for toddlers and preschoolers to make, but still fun for kids of all ages. Learn a bit of sun safety while you get creative and make your very own paper sun pictures.

If you want to make your Summer themed lessons a breeze, then check out the Summer Activity Pack. It’s filled with math and literacy centers, fine motor activities and arts and crafts templates. All of which are aligned with preschool learning standards. Check it out today.

Disclosure: 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.

More Summer Arts and Crafts for Kids

Doing arts and crafts is a great way to spend a hot summer day with your kids. Take a look at these summer themed kids art ideas to get you inspired.

For more ideas, take a look at these 40 Summer Crafts for Kids.

Materials Needed

Blue paper
Yellow paper in different shades
Scissors
Glue
Paper plate or bowl (optional)
Pencil

How to make Paper Sun Art

Make the center of the sun

1. Place a paper plate or bowl in the corner of one of your yellow papers. Trace around the plate using a pencil.

2. Use a pair of scissors to cut out the sun.

This step is easy and should be no problem for kids aged 3 years and older to do by themselves. If you want to try this activity with your toddlers, you may need to help them to complete this step of the art project.

3. Glue the yellow sun onto the blue background.

You can also just use a plain white background if you don’t have any blue paper on hand. The kids will still love making their own sun pictures out of paper.

Make the rays

4. Use a pair of scissors to cut the different shades of yellow paper into strips. These can be different widths and lengths.

One thing that I wish that I did differently for this art project was to use different patterns on my colored paper (like wrapping or scrapbooking paper), instead of having paper that was just one shade of yellow.

I think that the overall effect of the pictures would have been so much better with different types of yellow patterned paper.

5. Glue down the strips of yellow paper, radiating outwards from the sun’s center circle.

6. Wait for your picture to dry.

What You’re Learning

Creativity

Creativity is one way children learn to communicate (non verbally) what is in their heads to others around them, by showing them what they mean.

Let your kids use their imaginations to make any kind of sun they want.

While I wanted to place my sun in the corner of the page for this art project. Maybe your kids would prefer to have a sun that is in the middle of the page and has rays all the way around the circle.

Sun Safety

Making a sun picture is the perfect opportunity to talk to your kids about sun safety. Discuss the importance of wearing sunscreen, a hat and other ways we use to protect our skin.

Fine Motor Skills

Using scissors, drawing with a pencil, and gluing things down with precision are all fantastic ways to help toddlers and preschoolers strengthen their fine motor skills. This art project will require kids to use their hand and finger muscles in different ways.

Planning and Organization

Planning and organizing are essential executive functioning skills that all children need to develop. Multi-step art projects are great for this because they:

Require you to organize the materials required beforehand.
Need you to know the different steps you need to take to finish the project, before you even begin.
Need you to understand why the steps are in a certain order. For example, if you put glue on the paper, before cutting it, you’ll end up with sticky scissors. That is why we cut before pasting.