Daycare Lesson Plans on Jean-Michel Basquiat
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Teaching Daycare Lesson Plans on Jean-Michel Basquiat helps children see that art can be messy, expressive, and personal. His bold style gives preschoolers permission to explore freely and make art their own. The perfect home daycare lesson plan subject!
Introducing children to famous artists is a wonderful way to inspire creativity, broaden cultural awareness, and encourage self-expression. Jean-Michel Basquiat, a groundbreaking artist from New York City, created paintings full of color, movement, and imagination. His artwork often included crowns, symbols, and words that told stories about his thoughts and feelings.
I always like to start each lesson plan with a book. The Life of Basquait was what I used to get started and developed the concepts for our study from there.
If you want a printable 2 week lesson plan with 8 days of Basquait activities, including a supply list, daily schedule, and Oklahoma ELGs for your QRIS quality rating, check out our Daycare Lesson Plans on Basquait on Etsy. Or get lesson plans on Basquiat on Teachers Pay Teachers here.
Literacy
Art is a form of communication, and Basquiat often used words and symbols in his paintings to tell stories. Connecting art with literacy helps children express themselves in multiple ways.
- Word Play: Show children simple Basquiat-inspired paintings with words included. Invite them to add their names, favorite words, or simple letters to their own artwork.
- Storytelling with Art: Display one of his pieces and ask children what they see. Encourage them to invent a story about the picture, writing down their words to share later.
- Crown Poems: Since Basquiat often used crowns, help children make a “crown word list.” Ask: If you had a crown, what words would describe you? Brave, strong, funny? Write these on a poster.
Math
Basquiat’s art is full of shapes, lines, and patterns, which makes it easy to connect to math concepts.
- Shape Hunt: Show examples of Basquiat’s artwork and point out the shapes hidden inside. Then go on a classroom shape hunt, finding circles, triangles, and squares.
- Counting Symbols: Create simple Basquiat-inspired posters with repeating images (like crowns or faces). Ask children to count the symbols.
- Measuring Crowns: Make paper crowns for children to decorate. Let them measure strips of paper to fit their heads before gluing or stapling.
- Line Patterns: Give children paper and markers to create repeating lines, zigzags, or dots like Basquiat often used.
Science
Science is about exploring the world, and Basquiat explored through textures, colors, and layers.
- Color Mixing: Provide paint in primary colors and let children experiment with mixing. Basquiat loved bold contrasts, so encourage unusual combinations.
- Texture Exploration: Offer materials like cardboard, sandpaper, bubble wrap, and fabric. Let kids paint or rub crayons across them to discover different textures.
- Observation Walk: Take children outside to look for symbols in nature—shapes in leaves, cracks in sidewalks, or marks on trees. Connect this to Basquiat’s use of everyday imagery.
- Cause and Effect: Layer paints and watch how colors overlap or bleed into each other. Talk about what happens when one color touches another.
Art
Art is the heart of a Basquiat unit. His playful, layered style is perfect for preschoolers to imitate in their own ways.
- Crown Collage: Provide yellow and gold paper, scissors, and glue for children to design their own crowns. Encourage them to decorate with drawings or stickers that represent themselves.
- Crown Decorating: Use jewels, stickers and paint to design crowns.
- Basquiat Portraits: Show examples of his portrait-style works. Invite children to create wild, expressive faces with crayons, markers, or oil pastels. Don’t worry about “realistic”—celebrate bold choices.
- Mixed Media Fun: Supply scraps of paper, cardboard, tissue, and magazines. Let kids layer drawings, paint, and glued pieces into a big collage.
- Large-Scale Group Mural: Tape butcher paper to a wall or floor. Let the group fill it with scribbles, words, crowns, and symbols inspired by Basquiat.
- Sidewalk Chalk Paint Graffiti: Get sidewalk chalk spray paint and let kids make grafitti on the porch or driveway.
Sensory Play
Basquiat’s messy, layered art lends itself well to sensory-rich activities.
- Paint and Scratch: Draw thick layers of crayon or oil pastel, then cover with black paint. When dry, children can scratch designs through the paint to reveal colors underneath.
- Textured Dough: Add sand or rice to homemade playdough. Let kids press objects into it to make imprints, just as Basquiat added layers to his work.
- Messy Finger Painting: Provide trays of bright paint and let kids use their hands, sponges, or brushes. Encourage overlapping, mixing, and experimenting.
- Word Stamps: Provide alphabet stamps with ink or clay to press words into surfaces, mimicking Basquiat’s use of text.
Dramatic Play
Pretend play helps children understand the life of an artist and build empathy.
- Art Studio Setup: Turn a corner of the classroom into “Basquiat’s Studio.” Add easels, paper, paint, cardboard, and a beret or smock for dress-up.
- Pretend Gallery: Hang children’s finished work on the wall and invite them to “tour” the art museum. Provide clipboards so they can “sketch” what they see.
- Role Play: Encourage children to act out being artists, reporters, or gallery visitors, asking questions about each other’s art.
Music and Movement
Basquiat was inspired by jazz and hip-hop, which were full of rhythm and energy.
- Jazz Listening: Play jazz or hip-hop music during art time. Encourage children to let the rhythm influence how they move their brushes or crayons.
- Dance Like a Crown: Put on lively music and let children “dance like royalty” with crowns they’ve made.
- Rhythm Sticks: Use simple instruments like rhythm sticks or shakers to tap out beats, just like Basquiat layered beats of color and words.
- Movement Painting: Set up large paper on the floor and let children paint using long strokes while dancing to music.
Social Studies and Culture
Basquiat’s life offers an age-appropriate window into culture and identity.
- Learning About Basquiat: Share simple facts—he was from New York, his parents were from Puerto Rico and Haiti, and he loved drawing as a child.
- Crowns as Symbols: Talk about what a crown means (special, important, unique). Ask children what makes them special and write down their answers.
- Diversity in Art: Show children that artists can come from many different backgrounds and still share their voices. Compare Basquiat’s work with other artists they’ve studied, like Monet or Pollock.
- Neighborhood Walk: If possible, take a walk to look at murals, graffiti, or public art. Discuss how art can be found outside of museums, just as Basquiat’s early art was on city streets.
Cooking Activities
Cooking adds a hands-on way to tie in the theme.
- Crown Cookies: Bake sugar cookies shaped like crowns. Children can decorate with icing and sprinkles, just like Basquiat decorated his paintings with bold shapes.
- Colorful Smoothies: Blend brightly colored fruits (strawberries, bananas, blueberries) to create vibrant drinks. Talk about how the colors mix together, like paint.
- Snack Patterns: Use crackers, cheese, and fruit to create crown shapes or repeating patterns for snack.
Outdoor Play
Bring the Basquiat theme outside for gross motor fun.
- Crown Hunt: Hide laminated crowns around the yard for children to find.
- Big Art Outside: Use sidewalk chalk for kids to make large, bold murals on the ground.
- Movement Lines: Draw long lines and shapes with chalk, then invite kids to hop, jump, or walk along them.
- Spray Bottle Painting: Fill spray bottles with watered-down paint and let kids spray large paper taped to a fence.
Family Engagement
Families can support the theme at home and connect with their child’s learning.
- Take-Home Crowns: Send home crown templates for families to decorate together.
- Family Art Gallery: Host a mini art show where families can walk through the classroom and view the children’s Basquiat-inspired artwork.
- Conversation Starter: Share a newsletter about Basquiat’s life with simple questions parents can ask: “What makes you special?” “What colors do you love?”
Tips for Success
- Focus on freedom. Basquiat’s art wasn’t about neatness—it was about expression. Encourage children to create without worrying about “mistakes.”
- Celebrate individuality. Each child’s crown or portrait should look different. Highlight the uniqueness of every creation.
- Use music. Play jazz, hip-hop, or even drum beats while children work. It captures Basquiat’s energy.
- Display proudly. Create a gallery space where children can see their work celebrated, just like Basquiat’s.
Jean-Michel Basquiat’s art is vibrant, playful, and full of meaning—making it a fantastic theme for early childhood learning. Through stories, crowns, portraits, textures, and music, children can explore what it means to be an artist and discover their own creative voices. A Basquiat unit helps children build confidence, celebrate diversity, and experience the joy of art as expression.
By blending literacy, math, science, art, and play, you can create a well-rounded, engaging curriculum that leaves children inspired—just like Basquiat left the world inspired with his radiant, bold work.
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