Kicking off summer at preschool with a friendship mural

Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed.
June 9, 2011

Friendship murals are a great way to build community and foster collaboration!

If you have not yet tried collaborative murals, we HIGHLY suggest you give it a try! Friendship murals are such a fun process-based art experience and the perfect way to kick off the summer.

Every mural is unique

Friendship murals are a wonderful process art experience. A canvas drop cloth or a long piece of easel paper works great for collaborative murals! The kids can have fun exploring a variety of materials and mediums while using their creativity. We used paint, plungers, pool noodle slices, cotton balls with liquid color, glitter, bubble wrap, loofas and sponges, pendulums, spray bottles, and more!

Promoting friendship

A large group mural is also a wonderful way to promote friendship. As the children participated in making their murals they talked with each other and spent time working together side-by-side to achieve a common goal…

Encouraging creativity

Friendship murals invite individual creativity as well. Children come up with new and interesting ways to use materials! Some even enjoy creating using their hands and feet to make prints.

Fostering friendship

The next time you are looking for a way to foster new friendships, set out lots of different materials, and let your children make a mural together… And for a fun way to display the friendship mural, you can leave it as it is or section it off and display it in frames throughout your classroom!

Here are a few ideas for murals you can try out over the summer…

Large Scale Collaborative Murals for Kids from Meri Cherry

Bottle cap mural from Lines, Dots, and Doodles

Painting a Mural from Chasing Cheerios

Shadow Murals from Atelierista

Deborah J Stewart

Every time I think I know everything I need to know about teaching young children, God says, "Hold on a minute!" and gives me a new challenge.

Let me tell ya...

With each new challenge that you overcome, you will find yourself better equipped and more passionate about teaching young children.

God didn't call wimps to lead, teach, or care for His children. Nope, he has high expectations, so get ready. You will have to give your very best but after teaching for over 30 years, I can tell you that it is a wonderful and rewarding journey.

Whenever your calling feels hard, just remember, 'He who began a good work in you (and in the children you serve) will be faithful to complete it.'