Give each child a paper plate with holes pre-cut for eyes. Encourage him to plan his mask before beginning. Ask him to describe what he intends to create—it can be an imaginary creature or a character from a storybook. Have the child paint the back side of the paper plate with tempera paint and allow it to dry. Once it's dry, he can glue feathers, sequins, pom-poms, fake fur and paper pieces to the back side of the mask. Glue a tongue depressor to the bottom for a handle. Let kids use their art masks when they play dress-up, and give them a mirror or take their pictures so they can see what they look like.
Show children examples of flags from around the world and pirate flags. Talk about symbols, and have them name the colors they see on the flag images. Give each child a rectangular piece of white canvas or cotton duck fabric. Cut two or three slits along one edge where a stick—a paint stirrer works well—will be threaded as a handle for waving the flag. Have three- and four-year-olds decorate the flags with markers or acrylic paint, and let them wave them in a parade when they are complete.
Clip large sheets of paper to an easel that is adjusted for a four-year-old's height. Give him a cup full of tempera paint, and encourage him to use large arm movements to draw pictures, write numbers, shapes and letters. Give him sponge brushes, cotton swabs, natural sponges and kitchen utensils to experiment with different brush strokes and stamping.