Toilet Paper Roll Sun Painting Activity for Preschool ☀️

Summertime is all about sunshine! My kids and I love soaking in the sun’s rays, playing with our shadows from the sun, and using water to cool off from the sun’s heat. When it’s time to come in and take a break from the sun, arts and crafts are at the top of our to do list. This Toilet Paper Roll Sun Painting Activity for Preschool is perfect for combining our love for the sun and arts and crafts!

two photos of a sunshine craft made with a toilet paper roll and paint.

supplies for a toilet paper roll sunshine craft.

one end of a toilet paper roll has been cut into strips to look like fringe.

overhead photo showing a toilet paper tube that has been cut to look like a sun.

someone is pressing the fringed end of a toilet paper tube into yellow paint.

someone is using a toilet paper tube with orange paint to make a sun shape on a piece of paper.

a finished sunshine made from a toilet paper roll, orange paint, yellow paint, googly eyes, and a marker.

Recommended Grade Level:

Preschool

Kindergarten

Supply List
Coordinating Activities

Toilet Paper Roll Sun Painting Supplies:

2 toilet paper rolls
Scissors
Paper plate
Yellow craft paint
Orange craft paint
Paint brush
Two googly eyes
Black marker
White cardstock paper

Toilet Paper Roll Sun Painting Art Activity

Arts and crafts projects are a great way to keep little hands busy during the summer! I love to keep a bin of arts and crafts supplies handy for whenever my kids are looking for something to do. Do you need more ideas for arts and crafts activities for your kids? Check out all of our arts and crafts activities at Life Over Cs!

My kids love painting, but sometimes, they get a little bored of painting with a regular paint brush. That is when I love to pull out some recyclable materials and use those to create our painting projects! With three children, we never have a shortage of toilet paper rolls in my house, and this project is a great way to repurpose them! And speaking of painting with non conventional tools – you have to try this lemon painting activity if your child is bored of paint brushes!

Materials You Will Need For Toilet Paper Sun Painting:

2 toilet paper rolls
Scissors
Paper plate
Yellow craft paint
Orange craft paint
Paint brush
Two googly eyes
Black marker
White cardstock paper

Step-by-Step Instructions For How To Make Toilet Paper Roll Sun Paintings:

Step One:

Gather all of your materials and have them ready to go! Then it is time to prepare your toilet paper rolls.

Step Two:

To prepare your toilet paper rolls, take one toilet paper roll and make cuts from the bottom about half way up the roll. After you have made the cuts the whole way around, gently press the cuts until they lay flat around the roll. Repeat this same process with your other toilet paper roll.

Step Three:

Pour the yellow paint onto a paper plate and use a paint brush to spread it evenly around the plate. Dip one of the toilet paper rolls into the paint and use the opposite end of the paint brush to gently push down the strips until they are covered in paint.

Tip: If you do not want to use the end of the paint brush, use a q-tip or craft stick for pushing the strips down in this step!

Step Four:

Gently press the painted toilet paper roll down onto the white cardstock. To make sure the roll prints well onto the page, use the end of the paintbrush (or a q-tip or craft stick) to press each strip down onto the paper. Lift the toilet paper roll off of the paper once you are sure the strips have all been pressed down.

Step Five:

Repeat the steps above for the orange paint color and the other toilet paper roll. Press the toilet paper roll down onto the paper on top of the yellow stamped sun, make sure all of the strips have been pressed down evenly, and then lift up gently.

Step Six:

Draw a mouth in the middle of the sun and glue two googly eyes for the face. Set it aside to dry and then your beautiful sun will be ready to display!

Yay! You Made Toilet Paper Sun Paintings! What Now?

There are so many fun ways to use your toilet paper sun paintings once they are created! Here are a few ideas of what to do with them:

Make a sunshine display as an end of the year bulletin board display in your classroom.
Add a magnet on the back of projects to display them on the fridge.
Fold the paper in half and use the artwork as the front of a card to brighten someone’s day!
Paste a picture of your child in the middle to make them a little sunshine.

Ways To Modify And Extend This Activity:

Allow your child to be creative with the way they stamp the rays of the sun. Allow them to twist and turn the toilet paper roll or press more lightly or harder for a different look.
Change the paint colors and create fireworks!
Make the rays longer or shorter and talk about measurement.
Talk about the science of the sun and rain and how rainbows are created! Then try this super fun rainbow experiment!
Make different faces for your suns and talk about emotions. This board game would go along perfectly!

Need More Process Art Activities? Check Out Some Of Our Favorites:

What Is Process Art?

Process art is artwork that places more emphasis on the creation of art than the final product. In process art, children are encouraged to use their creativity and imagination to make artwork! If you are new to process art and looking for more information, check out this article from the National Association for the Education of Young Children!

How Do I Get My Child Started On Process Art?

In my teaching and parenting experience, I have found there are two types of children when it comes to process art! My two youngest fall into the category of the children who will jump right in and love the freedom they are given to create without much guidance. For these children, you simply need to provide the materials, some small parameters (use the materials appropriately, don’t paint on the furniture, don’t lick the glue…) and let them get to work!

For other children, like my oldest son, process art may be an adjustment. Some kids love the structure of an art project and knowing exactly what their project should look like at the end. If you have a child like this, you can provide them with a little more instruction or guidance in the beginning and then encourage them to let their creativity flow as they get used to the project!

I have also found that when kids don’t have access to process art materials on a regular basis, they may be hesitant to let their creativity flow even if they might be a creative personality. Regular exposure to art materials, and regular encouragement to create will often coax a child out of their shell into the enjoyment of art.

As Early Childhood guidelines are used in many daycares, preschools and public school guidelines, it is important to note that ECERS-3 recommends having full access to art supplies everyday in your centers. It also gives guidance that 70% or more of the items displayed on the walls should be child-created process art (not project art which results in most projects looking similar.) I think that these are great goals for any early childhood program!

The best thing about process art is there is no right or wrong way to do it. Go with whatever your child feels most comfortable with and let them take the lead!

More Ways To Explore A Summer Theme:

Frequently Asked Questions

These are frequently asked questions about toilet paper sun painting and process art:

What if I don’t have a toilet paper roll?

If you do not have a toilet paper roll, you can use an empty paper towel roll. I have found that keeping a box for recyclable materials to use for crafts tucked away in a spare room of my house has been helpful in keeping stocked up on toilet paper rolls and other materials for crafts when I need them!

What questions should I ask during process art projects?

You can just let your child work on their project without asking any questions, but if you would like to talk to them about their work you can always start a discussion by saying things like: “Tell me about what you did there…” or “What made you think to do it that way?” or “What was your favorite part of this project?”

What are the benefits of process art?

Process art is wonderful for promoting creativity and encouraging children to use their imaginations. Since there are no specific guidelines for how a project has to turn out, it is great for boosting little artists’ self confidence too!

What is the difference between process art and product art?

Process art is more about the process of creating artwork and exploring the materials, while product art focuses more on an end product. Process art allows more freedom for creativity, while product art tends to be more structured.

Share Your Toilet Paper Sun Creations!

I hope you love your new sun process art creations! I also hope your summer is filled with plenty of sunshine and lots of fun arts and crafts projects. Be sure to check out all of our summer activities at Life Over Cs to keep your kids busy!

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