Best Color Theory Art Lessons for kids Leah Newton Art

These are my best Color Theory art lessons for kids ages 4-14. They focus on multiple art elements and principles, and embrace the magic of the rainbow.

Color Theory is one of the most basic elements of art. I teach this unit every other year. This helps students stay connected to the important vocabulary. One year we create a color theory focused project. The next year, focus on a different element of art. However, even if we are not making these projects, I still begin the year with a color theory review.

Ask students to make a list of Disney characters. This list is made up of characters representing color groupings: primary colors, secondary colors, etc. (The power point for this can be found with each lesson.) Helping kids find art all around them continues to reinforce an understanding of this concept and makes art fun and engaging. My favorite thing is having a first grader point out and call a group of colors tertiary.

Here are my favorite art lessons celebrating all things Color. These lessons were taught in grades TK-8th grade. Each lesson focuses on an element of art or principle of design and use a variety of tools and techniques from watercolor to acrylic paint, chalk to oil pastel, printmaking and collage.

While I have labeled the artwork with the grade I taught it for, many of these can easily bridge across more than one grade level. Click on each title to go straight to the lesson plan.