All About Me Art Idea for Kids

Inside this post I’m sharing a simple All About Me art idea for kids! This simple photo art project is great for all ages!

Why are oil pastel activities good for toddlers?

Oil pastel activities are good for toddlers because they pack so much learning and sensory value into one simple material.

Here are 4 reasons oil pastels are good for toddlers:

1. Oil pastels help with fine motor development. Toddlers build hand strength and control as they grip, press, and move oil pastels. The waxy texture requires a bit more pressure than crayons, which strengthens little hand muscles used later for writing.
2. Oil pastels provide a rich sensory experience for kids. They are smooth, creamy, and glide across paper, which feels different from crayons or markers. The vibrant colors give strong visual feedback, making it extra engaging.
3. Oil pastels provide immediate success! Because oil pastels are bold and bright, even the lightest scribble shows up beautifully. Toddlers feel successful, which boosts confidence and encourages more experimenting.
4. Oil pastels provide a fun and creative art experience. Toddlers can experiment with blending, smudging, and layering colors, something crayons don’t do as well. This open-ended play lets them feel like little “artists” without needing exact skills.

RELATED: I share more about fine motor skills and how to help kids build them in my new ebook, Fine Motor Magic! This ebook also includes some fun art activities.

Why are All About Me Activities good for kids?

Here are a few reasons All About Me activities are good for kids.

1. They build self-awareness

• Toddlers/preschoolers are learning to name their body parts, describe their likes/dislikes, and recognize their strengths.
• Activities like drawing themselves, talking about favorite foods, or showing a family picture help them develop a sense of identity.

2. They foster belonging & community

• Sharing “all about me” projects (like posters or collages) helps children feel seen, valued, and accepted.
• When kids learn about each other’s families, traditions, or favorites, they begin to see similarities and celebrate differences.

3. They support language development

• Talking about themselves gives kids opportunities to practice vocabulary (“I like pizza,” “My eyes are brown,” “I have a baby sister”).
• Teachers can model and expand language while children share.

4. They help kids with social-emotional growth

• These activities help build confidence as children present or display their projects.
• Encourages empathy and respect when they learn about classmates’ unique stories.
• Helps normalize diversity in families, cultures, and abilities.

5. They support fine & gross motor skill development

• Making self-portraits, cutting pictures, gluing, and drawing in “All About Me” projects strengthen fine motor skills.
• Movement games support gross motor development.

Do you have any favorite All About Me activities you do that kids enjoy? Share them in the comments.

How to set up this All About Me Art Activity

• Put out several oil pastels for each child. I typically remove black, brown, and white from the box when we’re painting on white paper or white canvas.
• Place a canvas or paper on a craft tray for each child.
• Print off a small photo of each child in black and white.
• Now you’re ready to create! Easy!

All About Me Art Activity Instructions

1. Encourage kids to color all over the canvas (or paper) with oil pastels.
2. Talk with them about using lines, shapes, and trying out each color to cover up the entire canvas as much as possible.
3. Next, have them put some glue in the center of their canvas or on the back of their photo.
4. Then have them stick their photo onto the center of the colorful canvas.
5. Now give them sparkly stickers or other items to use to embellishment the canvas.
6. Let the art dry and display!

My pro tip for using glue with toddlers!

Use the Elmers purple glue so that kids can see how much glue they’ve put on their art and where they’re put it.

If they put more than they need, it’s fine because it typically dries clear!

How can I adapt this for older kids?

You can keep this art activity simple for older kids and let them use their imaginations and just decorate the canvas however they want, or you can give them a little direction and a prompt.

For example, here are some prompts you could use with big kids as they decorate the canvas

• Draw colorful borders around the canvas and leave a spot for the photo. Try and use every color.
• Draw patterns or colorful lines on the canvas. Try using only cool colors or only warm colors.
• Incorporate shapes onto your canvas- circles, rectangles, squares, diamonds, etc.
• Use your favorite colors to make a design.

What else would you add?

What are some other easy art activities for kids?

Do you have any other favorite art activities or oil pastel art activities? Tell us about them in the comments!