12 Easy Art Therapy Ideas for the Classroom

This post brings together a set of simple art therapy ideas for the classroom: short, low-prep activities that support focus, calm, and emotional expression.

While these are not clinical art therapy sessions, they draw from similar principles and can be used to help students decompress, regulate, or quietly reflect.

Some can be done as part of the daily routine, others work well as independent options for students who need a break.

Hi there — before we continue:

I’d love to build a small community on Instagram and try out some short-form content over there. It would mean a lot if you could hop on IG and follow me @art_sprouts_art.

Also, what kind of content would you like to see from me next? 

Drop a comment below or send me a DM on Instagram to let me know!

Is Mindfullness Coloring Art Therapy?

The term art therapy is often used loosely, and in this post, it’s meant in an informal, accessible sense—not as a substitute for clinical or therapeutic care. True art therapy is a structured, accredited practice led by trained professionals.

What follows are classroom-friendly activities inspired by some of the same principles: mindfulness, emotional expression, and self-regulation through creative processes.

These ideas are designed to be simple, low-prep, and easy to clean up. They can be used flexibly throughout the day—during transitions, quiet time, or after a challenging moment—and many can be completed independently by students who need a few minutes to reset.

Whether it’s doodling, journaling, or choosing from a small set of prompts, the goal is to provide calm, non-evaluative options that help students regulate emotions and focus.

If you have the space, consider setting up a small mindfulness cart or calm corner stocked with basic materials—scrap paper, colored pencils, sensory trays, or personal journals—so students always have a gentle creative outlet available when they need it.

Want to raise kids who are kind, thoughtful, and emotionally aware?

This free printable guide helps you build an age-by-age bookshelf that supports emotional intelligence from toddlerhood to the teenage years.

Name*

Email Address*

Paint to Music

This is one of the simplest ways to bring a moment of calm into the classroom. Put on a short piece of instrumental music—anything from a gentle piano track to a slow jazz tune—and let students paint or draw freely while they listen. The idea isn’t to create something beautiful or to “match” the music. It’s about slowing down, tuning in, and letting sound guide the process.

Studies suggest that combining music with art-making can lower stress and help kids focus, even in short bursts. You don’t need anything fancy: a sheet of paper, a few paints or crayons, and five to ten minutes are enough. Try it after a noisy transition or at the end of the day. Next time, use a different track and see how the tone shifts.

Collage

Collage is a great go-to when kids need something low-pressure but still meaningful. It works well for all ages and doesn’t require any drawing skills, which can be a relief for students who get frustrated with their hands not matching their ideas. Start with a simple prompt—like choosing words that feel strong, comforting, or kind—and let students cut, arrange, and glue them into their own personal message or board.

You can focus on a theme, like “Words to live by” or “Things that matter to me,” or keep it completely open. Students might make a small affirmation card to tape inside a notebook, or a full-page vision board with pictures and textures they’re drawn to. Magazine cutouts, old handouts, flyers, and scrap paper are perfect materials for this. It’s a quiet, focused task that gives kids a sense of control and ownership over what they choose to see every day.

Color Your Feelings

Some students find it hard to talk about how they feel, especially in the middle of a busy school day. Giving them the chance to show emotions through color and shape can be much more approachable. Ask them to fill a page with lines, marks, or blocks of color that match how they’re feeling in that moment. It doesn’t need to look like anything—it’s just a way to get feelings out of the body and onto the page.

You can offer simple prompts like “Choose a color for each feeling you’ve had today” or “Draw what calm looks like.” Over time, this can evolve into a kind of personal code—a visual language for emotions that might otherwise go unnamed. It also works well as a quiet check-in before starting a lesson, or as a reset after something disruptive. Some students may want to keep their drawings private; others might start recognizing patterns in what they make. Either way, it’s a useful habit to build.

Self-Portraits

Self-portraits don’t have to be about getting faces right. In fact, they’re often more meaningful when students are invited to represent who they are using symbols, colors, or words. Instead of focusing on likeness, you can ask them to fill a silhouette with things they love, values they hold, or patterns that match their mood. Some might draw their actual face; others might create something entirely abstract—and that’s the point.

This kind of open self-portrait encourages reflection without the pressure of “doing it right.” It works especially well at the start of the year, after a tough day, or during identity-focused lessons. You can revisit the exercise across the term and see how things shift. It’s also a great way to let students quietly tell you what matters to them, even if they’re not ready to say it out loud.

Journaling

Keeping an art journal or diary in the classroom gives students a private space to return to when they need a pause. These journals don’t have to follow a strict format—they can be filled with drawings, color swatches, notes, lists, scraps, or even quick mood check-ins. What matters is that they’re consistent and accessible. Ideally, each student keeps theirs in the classroom and knows they can pick it up when they need a moment to themselves.

You might also set aside short journaling times during the week—just ten minutes can be enough. Some students will jump in right away; others might take time to warm up to the idea. Either way, having a space that’s theirs, where nothing needs to be shared or assessed, can be incredibly grounding. You can leave optional prompts on the board or encourage free entries. Over time, these journals can become quiet companions—tools for reflection, regulation, and small creative rituals.

Doodling

Doodling is often seen as a distraction, but for many students, it’s a natural way to decompress or even concentrate. Giving kids permission to doodle—without judgment or correction—can help them self-regulate in quiet, subtle ways. Keep a small stack of scrap paper and a few pens or markers available in a shared spot, so students know they can grab one when they need a break.

Some might doodle to calm down after recess; others might use it to stay focused during a read-aloud or a long explanation. What matters is making it part of the classroom culture in a structured, respectful way. You can introduce it as a self-regulation tool, not just a free-for-all. Over time, students often build a sense of personal rhythm—knowing when doodling helps them, and when it doesn’t. It’s simple, low-cost, and often surprisingly effective.

Create a Personal Flag

This activity gives students a chance to reflect on who they are using symbols, colors, and patterns instead of words. Each flag is unique and personal. Some students might focus on things they care about, like nature, books, or family. Others might choose colors that reflect their mood or traits they value in themselves.

There’s no fixed format. Some flags will be bold and graphic, others more detailed or abstract. You can introduce the idea at the start of the year, during transitions, or as part of identity-focused lessons. Flags can stay private, go on display, or be added to journals. What’s most valuable is the act of choosing and creating something that feels like a reflection of the self.

Story Stones

Story stones are simple objects, pebbles or wood pieces with small drawings, that students can use to tell stories or explore feelings. They might pick one that reflects their mood, or combine a few to build a short narrative. The drawings can be as basic as a sun, a house, or a question mark.

You can make a set yourself or involve the class in creating them. Once you have a small collection, keep them in a place where students can access them freely. They work well during quiet time, journaling, or small group discussions. There’s no need to over-explain, kids usually know what to do.

Zentangle Art

Zentangle drawing is a quiet, focused activity where students fill a section of paper with repeated patterns made from simple marks—lines, dots, curves, grids. There’s no subject to draw and no expected outcome, which makes it especially useful for students who need a calm, structured task without pressure.

It can be done in small squares or larger sheets, depending on the time available. You can prepare folded booklets, pattern cards, or keep loose tiles available for independent use. It works well during transitions, at the end of the day, or as a way to reset after more stimulating activities. Some students might take to it immediately, others may return to it once they’ve seen how it works.

Emotion Wheel

The emotion wheel helps students name and reflect on how they’re feeling using color and shape instead of conversation. Start with a circle divided into slices, and let each student decide which emotions to include and how to represent them. They might label each section with a feeling, or just use color to show intensity or change.

It can be a one-time activity or something they revisit over the course of a week. Some students might want to create their own version from scratch, while others might prefer a simple template. You can keep it private or use it as a quiet way to check in at the beginning or end of the day.

Draw in Sand

A tray of fine sand or salt can be part of a calm corner or mindfulness setup. Students can use a brush, stick, or their fingers to draw simple shapes, patterns, or lines. The marks can be smoothed out and redone, which makes the activity useful for students who need a short break without pressure to produce or finish something.

I’ve written before about ephemeral art in practices like Chinese calligraphy and floating ink. These activities, common in Chan Buddhism and meditation, focus on the process rather than the result. Drawing in sand works in the same way. It’s quiet, repetitive, and doesn’t require much instruction.

A small tray and a few tools are enough to keep it available for individual use when needed.

Save for Later: