Montessori Art The Essential Elementary Guide – Second Plane 6-12

by Spramani Elaun

Are you eager to teach your students Montessori art lessons, yet uncertain about where to begin or what constitutes quality art instruction?

Ready to dive into the world of elementary art?

Spramani Elaun, an author, International Montessori Art Trainer, and art curriculum developer, is here to guide you. With her sensory art method and expertise as the founder of Nature of Art® art school , she has empowered tens of thousands of students to explore painting and drawing.

With the world wide web and social media saturated with Montessori art projects, many guides find themselves at a loss.

Which Montessori art lessons should take precedence?

How do you select the right mediums?

Do you need to be an artist yourself to lead art lessons effectively?

A Primer for Montessori Guides

Montessori Art –The Essential Elementary Guide – Second Plane 6-12

About this book:

This comprehensive guide offers clear, concise, and practical insights on establishing an art program tailored for elementary-aged children in the Montessori environment. Designed as an essential reference for Montessorians, it provides guidance, instructions, tips, and best practices in a structured and accessible format.

Delving into key visual art concepts, the optimal sequence of essential steps, and valuable insights accumulated over Spramani’s three decades of experience, this book offers actionable advice aimed at supporting beginner teachers and parents alike.

By simplifying intricate ideas surrounding art lessons and subjects, addressing common questions, and tackling challenges head-on, this guide empowers Montessorians with the knowledge and resources necessary to excel as an art facilitator.

This Essential Second Plane 6-12 art guide will:

Cover the essential visual art standards
Identify foundational building blocks and key initial lessons
Show you how to select suitable art materials
How to set-up art environments
Set up a proper Montessori art shelf effectively
Learn what art elements should be taught in elementary grades
Master Effective Teacher Management
Implement optimal art routines
Create Engaging and Meaningful Art Projects
Understand the Benefits of Integrating Art into the Montessori Curriculum
Foster Positive Art Dialogue and Encouragement
Receive guidance on crafting comprehensive art lesson plans

This book caters to Montessori teachers, art instructors, and homeschooling parents, equipping them with the knowledge and tools needed to excel in teaching art. By the end of this read, you’ll feel more confident and prepared to create a meaningful art program for elementary students.

Spramani shares foundational principles and practical examples drawn from her extensive 30 years of hands-on teaching experience. Her systems and processes streamline the art instruction process, making teaching art to children a rewarding and structured endeavor.

Embrace the vivid color pictures, rich examples, and insightful stories woven throughout this book to gain the confidence and support you need on your artistic teaching journey.

About the Author

Spramani Elaun is an author and art curriculum developer from San Diego California. She is a homeschooling mom, art teacher with a science art methodology. Her success is led by observations and real-life practice of how children cognitively and sensorially process art over twenty years. She is the founder of Nature of Art® Art school & Art supply company, Art Teaching Blueprint Montessori Certification Training Program. Spramani holds degrees in Graphic Design, Digital Media Design, Visual Communications, Print Media, and Fine Arts.

Other Books by Spramani Elaun

Montessori Art: Early Childhood Art Guide – Visual Arts Guide For Teaching 13 month olds – 6 years

Montessori Art – Esseintal Art Guide for Secondary 6-12 years

Early Childhood Art: Visual Arts Teaching Guide For 13 Months – 6 Years Old

Defining Visual Arts: Children’s standards for arts education, using the language of artist

Kids Color Theory: Contemparay color mixing guide with pigmented colorants for children.

Kids Painting: Teach young kids how to paint, materials & set-up guide

Clay Play: The natural art method that aligns with a child’s growth.

Nurturing Children in the Visual Arts Naturally

Introducing Visual Arts to The Montessori Classrooms: The natural art method that aligns with a child’s growth

September 30, 2023October 17, 2023

Montessori | Benefits of Clay Play

By Spramani Elaun

Have you ever set up a clay activity and found yourself unsure of where to begin? Or perhaps you’ve struggled with determining the desired outcome of the project?

Allow me to share my experience and shed some light on the importance of early childhood clay play sessions.

In fact, I refer to this approach as “Clay Play.” Engaging in clay play offers numerous benefits for a child’s overall development.

When it comes to teaching children, this process-based exploratory approach should always come first! This type of play should happen before getting into foundational clay modeling skills.This this play should happen before getting into foundational clay modeling skills.

Montessori | Benefits of Clay Play, student playing clay tools

Playing with clay provides a highly tactile and sensory experience. As children squeeze, press, and manipulate the clay, they are actively engaging their senses. Sending valuable sensory information to their brain.

However, the benefits of clay play extend far beyond the realm of sensory development. In fact, there are numerous cognitive advantages associated with this activity. Montessori education highlights the importance of hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. Clay play aligns perfectly with Montessori philosophy.

Clay Play has been found to have positive effects on emotional well-being. Many studies and my first hand experiences have shown that playing with clay can help children regulate stress levels. In my early childhood art guide, I discuss this topic and provide more insights into Clay Play for emotional health.

I recommend incorporating clay play for young children in early childhood education. Montessori schools and daycare centers can introduce clay modeling stations into their classrooms to provide children with the opportunity to explore. Plus support creative and cognitive skills. To learn more about setting up clay modeling environments, please refer to this comprehensive guide Monessori Early Childhood Art Guide.

Clay comes in various forms, ranging from very messy to less messy Clay comes in various forms, ranging from very messy to less messy options. Additionally, clays can be homemade, which can be particularly useful for sensitive children. Earth clay, in particular, is a wonderful material to introduce to children, similst to making mud pies. If you’re interested in setting up earth pottery clay play stations, I recommend checking out this book, which contains numerous photos and examples illustrating how to arrange and select the most suitable clay play materials for exploring clay with toddlers and children aged 3-6 years old.

little girl making clay sculptures, clay play session at school

The important thing to understand about clay play is that it should be a process-based activity, providing children with ample time to freely play and explore clay. There are various ways to engage children in exploring clay, including the use of simple tools such as natural elements, beads, seeds, rolling pins, and cookie cutters. Emphasizing the play aspect of clay play is crucial, as it allows the child to take the lead in their learning and discoveries. By letting the child guide the fun, experiments, and creations, you can enhance their experience.

When are children ready for guided clay modeling lessons? Once children have had ample opportunities for clay play and have reached the age of 4 or 5, you can begin introducing clay modeling skill sets. This includes teaching them how to create forms, attach pieces, cut, and carve. If you would like to learn more about my clay curriculum designed for ages 3-6 and elementary grades, you can explore the Clay Modeling Curriculum HERE. Order Clay Play Tools HERE

Montessori clay modeling curriculum for school art lessons

Clay Play Classes in San Diego with Spramani Elaun – Nature of Art® School

No part of this blog may be used or be reproduced in any manner whatsoever including reproducing, publishing, performing, and making any adaptions of the work – including translation into another foreign language without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Nature of Art® Publishing P.O. Box 443 Solana Beach, California 92075.

September 28, 2023September 30, 2023

Montessori – Using Visual Arts to Support Language Development

By Spramani Elaun

In today’s Montessori classrooms, students often miss out on opportunities to express their thoughts and emotions about artworks. However, your classroom can be an exceptional environment for empowering students to develop critical thinking skills and proficiency in the language of art. By encouraging students to engage in open discussions and reflective exercises, you can enhance their communication skills and foster a deeper understanding of art while also meeting art standards. Emphasizing the importance of self-expression and thoughtful analysis creates a nurturing space to support language development.

When we look at art, we usually focus on what we see. But it’s also important to talk about art with friends, family, and teachers. As art teachers, we can help students understand how different elements of art fit together. This means they can learn words to describe their own artwork, like colors and textures. For example, they might say, “I used light blue in the background of my picture and made wavy lines to show clouds.” By using these special art words, students can explain their choices and practice language development.

Montessori - Using Visual Arts to Support Language Development, Art Lessons For Teachers

Art language includes specialized vocabulary for discussing art, such as elements like colors, shapes, lines, and the emotions evoked by artworks. Teaching art language in the classroom provides students with a valuable tool for expressing their thoughts and ideas more effectively. Engaging students in discussions about art not only enhances their ability to communicate but also fosters their overall language development. Through the exploration and use of art terminology, students can expand their expressive capabilities, broaden their understanding of artistic concepts, and develop a deeper appreciation for the power of language in the realm of art.

Using the language of Visual Arts can also have a profound impact on brain development! When children create art, their brains are buzzing with neural activity. Not only have neuroscientists, science researchers, and art therapists recognized the correlation between early childhood art and brainpower, but my own two decades of studio-based observations have reaffirmed these findings. Through art, children have the opportunity to enhance their cognitive abilities and bolster their brain function. By encouraging and supporting their artistic endeavors, we can simultaneously nurture their intellectual growth and language development. Art truly has the power to shape young minds in remarkable ways!

How to Get Started Teaching Visual Art Language:

If you’re looking to enhance your art education skills, my book “Defining Visual Arts” is a must-have resource. This book is specifically designed to provide a solid foundation in art literacy. Inside its pages, you’ll discover valuable insights, including:

The true meaning of art literacy
How to align with art standards
The connection between artist language and teaching children
Suitable art projects for different age groups
Recommended art mediums for children
The intricacies of teaching artist techniques
The importance of spatial understanding in the visual arts
A comprehensive understanding of the artistic process

[Order the book online HERE]

September 26, 2023September 27, 2023

The Power of Anticipatory Sets: Energize Your Classroom with Exciting Art Lesson Starters

I’m excited to share a little secret with you about having an engaging art lesson opener. However, at times, we tend to overlook its significance, and that’s something we need to change.

As educators, it’s imperative that our lesson openers not only pique interest but also align with our students’ existing knowledge. If the opener fails to captivate or doesn’t resonate with the students, its impact dwindles. My art method is firmly grounded in this principle; I love connecting art lessons with what my students are already familiar with or studying in the classroom! In some educational approaches, anticipatory sets are used in a similar manner.

So, what exactly are Anticipatory Sets?

In simple terms, anticipatory sets function like a warm-up or introduction to prepare you for something exciting. Just like stretching before exercising or watching a movie trailer before the main film, anticipatory sets serve to prime your mind, ignite curiosity, and generate excitement about what’s in store for your learning journey. In the realm of education, anticipatory sets are activities or prompts that teachers employ at the start of a lesson to activate your prior knowledge, stimulate curiosity, and get you enthusiastic about what you’re going to learn. It’s like setting the stage for a fantastic learning experience!

Sadly, in some lessons, anticipatory sets are absence, which can lead to boredom or disengagement among students. Anticipatory sets effectively convey what students will be learning that day, which can fuel their engagement. We need to infuse creativity and engagement into our openers. For instance, we can kick things off with a short video highlighting a artist, delve into an intriguing news article, or foster interactive discussions. Technology, such as an appealing slideshow, can peek interest!

Now, let’s delve into the process of creating engaging art starters (Anticipatory Sets). Before crafting one, it’s a fantastic idea to gauge your students’ existing knowledge. You can accomplish this by asking them questions or conducting surveys. Simply inquire about their familiarity and interests related to the topic.

Furthermore, strive to establish a connection between the opener and your students’ lives. What’s currently capturing their interest or fascination? You can unearth ideas by exploring online resources or staying updated with the latest news.

Here’s where the fun begins – let your creativity soar! Think outside the box and devise unique ways to present your opener. When developing it, consider drawing comparisons between the new material you’re introducing and concepts your students are already acquainted with. This helps them forge connections and deepen their comprehension.

Here are some fun easy to use an anticipatory set to introduce an art project:

Artifacts and Props: Begin by gathering intriguing artifacts or props relevant to the upcoming art project. For instance, if your project involves clay sculpting, display small clay sculptures or pottery pieces in the classroom.

Mystery Box: Introduce a mystery box adorned with colorful wrapping paper, placing it at the center of the classroom. Share with the students that it holds a special surprise connected to their art project.

Sensory Exploration: Launch the anticipatory set by allowing students to explore the displayed artifacts and props. Encourage them to touch, smell, observe, and interact with these objects. Pose open-ended questions like, “What do you notice about these sculptures? How do they feel? What do they remind you of?”

Predictions and Discussion: Following the sensory exploration, facilitate a class discussion where students can share their observations and make predictions regarding the art project based on the artifacts and props. Encourage them to employ their imaginations and make educated guesses about the upcoming activity.

Unveiling the Surprise: This is my favorite!, unveil the mystery box to reveal the materials or tools required for the art project. Explain the connection between the artifacts and props and the project, detailing how students will have the opportunity to create their own artworks inspired by these items.

By using an anticipatory set, you’ve sparked curiosity, engaged their senses, and generated excitement for the forthcoming art project. In my art teaching method, I use inspiration to set up an art shelf, creating the same type of student curiosity. If you want to learn more about this topic, order my books and curriculum HERE.

I hope these suggestions and tips will inspire you to approach openers with creativity!

And remember, integrating art lessons with other academic subjects can create a comprehensive learning experience.

Warm regards,

Spramani

HOW TO STAGE A MONTESSORI ART SHELF TRAINING

February 25, 2023February 26, 2023

Montessori Art Routines & Art Language Part 2.

Art Routines

Last week I started a series on the topic of art routines Part 1. By having routines in place you can stop chaos during art sessions. Having these routines in place has helped me in classroom management.

Art Smocks
Art Material Set-up
Art Language

Continuing on this topic I’m sharing my insights on art talk & the artist language we teach. If you are not familiar with what art language means, it’s how we describe artworks and our process. It’s art’s own language. You can learn more by reading these books Defining Visual Arts, or Early Childhood Art Guide.

Montessori Art Routines & Art Language Part 2.

Art literacy is not only about making art, but also teaching students how to communicate. Keep in mind I’ve been teaching children for over 30 years. These routines and expectations came together over a long period of time. So it will take time for you to practice.

Over the years I’ve had my share of students disrupting my art classes. At some point I reflected on the times I spent in fine art studios working with other artists. I wanted my teaching sessions with kids to have that same feeling of expressive openness. So I came to the conclusion that my role was not just to show them how to make art, but also how to behave and talk like an artist. I created fine art studio behavior models (art expectations).

Only communicate in art language
No negative peer critiquing
Observe like an Artist
Reading Instead of Disturbing

As a now roaming art specials visiting classrooms across the county, I use these with all ages from 3 – 12 years.

Only communicate in art language

This means you are talking about your art, your art process, or helping someone with their art. Not what you are eating for lunch, or what happened at recess. This is also how I can hear when my students are getting off track.

No negative peer critiquing

Unnecessary comments could affect a students confidence to express openly in the classroom. I make time to explain how acceptable critiquing is using art language. I explain that I will make time for open refection time. And any student can volunteer to share with the classroom their art. I describe what positive critiquing sounds like.

Example

Negative – “Why does that nose look like that, it looks weird!”

Vs.

Artful talk – “I noticed he used thick wavy green lines to create the nose. That’s not something I expected to see in his drawing.”

or ,

“I wonder why he put purple leaf shapes in his nature drawing, rather than making green shapes”.

You can model this type of art language with practice. If you would like to learn how to talk to children artfully, check out this mini art training course.

Observe like an artist

I explain that if they want to look at someone’s art, to walk quietly around them, and observe with eyes only. So not to interrupt a working artist. In fact I show my young students how to observe by putting their hand behind their back. The action is like they are viewing art in a museum, to not disturb the art. I explain it’s OK to be curious and look at everyone’s work, but observe like an artist.

Reading Instead of Disturbing

When a student is disturbing the classroom, I give them a choice. Join us in art, or dismiss yourself into reading quietly until we are done with art. This usually works because the student feels left out when everyone is enjoying art. Generally students usually ask to return back to art. I will ask if they agree to participate artfully, leaving it up to them.

Love to hear your feedback!

Warmly,

Spramani Elaun – Art Instructor

February 25, 2023February 26, 2023

Montessori Art Routines & Expectations– Part 1

I have been getting some good questions from parents and teachers about art routines. So I will be doing a 3 part series explaining my most successful Montessori art routines and expectations.

Art Routines

Art routines can help you not worry about prepping daily, plus stop classroom chaos! When students understand routines they know how to encounter the art space. When you design art routines there’s less guess work for the student. Plus children actually thrive and succeed with routines in place. Outlining routines lays the foundation for actions and expectations from your students.

Montessori art routines can be simple and last only minutes. While others may be complex with students working up to an hour. Children already have routines that start the minute they get out of bed each morning. Like brushing their teeth, dressing, eating, and getting to school. In most cases you usually have your students in routines at the start of the day. So why not set them up for art.

Today I will share what some of these routines look like. I’ll share two key important routines to start with, and the others in part 2 and 3 in this series:

Art Smocks
Art Material Set-up
Art Language
Process-Based
Creative Flow

Art Smock Routine

These routines have worked with tens of thousands of children I’ve worked with. The first expectation is that art is messy and I have a system in place to ensure messes don’t spread around the room. This system keeps wet mediums from spreading around the room or on clothes. I have this conversation before children touch any mediums. Here’s how that might sound.

“Today I thought I would introduce you to the art space I’ve designed to work in, and how to manage the artist materials. The art space is available to those who agree to follow my simple rules.”

With that agreement, then you can move into the smock demonstration.

I explain how messes accrue from spills, hands and splatters. I further explain how the space is designed to manage that type of mess. The first thing I do is introduce the artist’s smock (apron). I explain how artists wear a smock when working on art projects. I explain the function of a smock is to keep their clothes and hands clean. I explain when their hands become spoiled, they will use their smock to wipe them, kind of like a big napkin. I explain that artists do not go back and forth cleaning their hands while working. This helps to keep mediums from spreading around. They stay in their work space and use their smock to manage that type of mess.

I don’t have rags or napkins nearby to wipe with. This eliminates paint, glue or pigmented mediums from smearing around the space. Cleaning hands happens after everything is put away, and they are ready to transition out of art. Then I show them what this action looks like by wiping my hands on my smock. I also show them where to find their smock, how to put it on, and where to return it.

I recommend you have your students always wear a smock or art tee-shirt when working in these spaces. If they are working like an artist, they should dress like an artist. It may take time to implement. But if you keep reminding them, everyone in the class starts to behave artfully.

Material Set-up Routines

Set-up presentations are key and can support your students in many ways. By introducing these routines children will be able to set-up independently. This helps with getting into creative flow states. They will be able to construct and use the materials in artful ways. They will be able to clean-up the materials on their own. They will also take on the responsibility of leaving the materials ready for the next student to use.

So what type of material set-up routines should you introduce to your students:

How to gather art materials
The expectations of how they will work in the art space
How to use tools & mediums properly
Where to store artworks
How to clean up the materials
How to return them for the next student
How to transition out of the art space

Most art activities require students to get everything they need to construct. So beforehand you will need to decide which materials to stage for easy access. Group work is where you set-up stations for students to pick up their materials, or you pass them out. Independent work is when you stage the materials for students to collect on their own. Either way you will have to be sure everything is ready to access. For both you still want to explain the expectations and procedures and order of work flow.

Example: You will gather around the circle so I can discuss the art mediums, how they work, and show art technique. And even share some artist samples. Then direct when it’s their turn to get their materials. How long they work, and where to store completed artworks. How-to return the materials back to their station, how-to be dismissed to put their smock away and wash up.

After you have presented a few times, your students will understand these routines.

Diverse Learners

Chaos happens when students don’t understand their individual role. You might have diverse learners in your classroom. Some might be good at art, but not good at following the linear work flow. In this case you may need to group your diverse learners into a smaller group. To process the instructions slower giving them more time to go through the flow of the activity.

Some might get distracted or confused in larger group commotion. In this case I would recommend you set aside time to work with them in a slower smaller paced group.

You or an assistant can work throughout the work cycle showing them the steps. You may have to slow down every step. Showing them how each step looks like. Picking up the materials, working along side them, and how to store finished artworks. Even how-to gather and clean and return materials. Make time to answer their individual questions. You will eliminate the chaos and your studwents will fall into routines.

If you would like to know more about my art method, check out my books, curriculum and teacher professional development [PD] HERE.

Warmly,

Spramani Elaun – Art Instructor

August 10, 2022October 1, 2022

How-to Talk to Toddlers About Montessori Art – By Spramani Elaun

It can feel a little overwhelming—maybe even silly—to try and introduce your toddler to montessori art concepts.

Some toddlers might still be learning how to talk and hold a spoon, so how are you supposed to have a full on art conversation?

Here’s the good news: How-to talk to toddlers about art making is not something you need to worry about.

You don’t have to use “art language,” proper terminology, or fancy words in order for your toddler to start appreciating and experiencing art making.

Art does have its own type of language, it’s called the ‘Elements and Principles of Design” but that’s way too advanced for toddlers to understand!

If you start using this strange art terminology, you’re going to lose your child’s attention, and likely get frustrated yourself.

When you talk to your toddler about montessori art—”Art Talk”—it’s really just describing what you see in artworks, like color, shape, and form, etc.

Before I get into how-to talk to Toddlers about montessori Art let me break that down an easy way your toddler will understand, I want you to have some basic knowledge.

How-to Talk to Toddlers About Montessori Art – By Spramani Elaun

The Basics: How-to Talk To Toddlers About Montessori Art

For a young child, exploring through art play is something natural.

Children gain a sense of their physical world by using each and all of their senses—seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, and hearing. This is how knowlege is first learned.

The enthusiasm a child feels while dipping a paintbrush into a paint palette, or creating brushstrokes across a blank paper is exciting!

It’s a curious mix of senses.

Learning montessori art is about discovery and exploration.

By allowing toddlers to explore art (without any expectations), is a natural way for you to introduce toddlers to art concepts.

Playing and experimenting can help them build confidence to start expressing art terms.

This type of art exploration can come in many art activities like: doodling, painting, color mixing, and clay modeling.

(For more detailed information on how to teach toddlers art, read this post.)

How-to Start talking To Toddlers About Montessori Art Images

OK, lets get started on how easy it is to talk to toddlers about art!

When you’re first introducing art talk to your toddler, keep things basic and simple. Start by describing what you see or what’s going on as you make art.

As your toddler starts exploring, art talk will become easier and easier.

More than likely, their inquisitive little brains will start making cognitive connections (like, “if I use this purple paint, with this paintbrush, it’ll come out like this”), and they’ll probably start asking questions (such as, “what color is this?” or “why did this do this?”).

You don’t necessarily need to use these exact terms, but let me share how simple this talk can be with toddlers.

Describe basic aspects of art:

Color
Shape
Texture
Line

Keep these concepts in mind as you talk to your toddler about art:

Examples of how-to talk sounds:

Here are some examples of how to start talking and describing what you see in montessori art activties: While reading story books you can point out colors like this:

“The bear is all brown, do you want to color something brown today?”

“Let’s cut out some shapes, like circles and squares, with scissors.”

“Hey, what about making some fun textures in our clay, watch me!”

“Let’s make squiggly and straight lines with crayons.”

“How many different colored lines can we draw together?”

“Let’s mix yellow and blue, what color did you make?”

Why Is It Important Toddlers Do Art Activities?

Toddler Art talk supports confience
Toddler art talk supports experimental curiosity
Toddler art talk can boost brainpower

Art talk—especially when it’s positive and encouraging—can be the foundation for building up your toddler’s creative confidence.

Remember that most artworks made by toddlers are just simply led by their own curiosity and art play.

For them, the point of art is just to have fun, and their finished pieces of art won’t look like anything realsitic.

If you encourage them and answer their questions, they’ll grow bolder in their exploration and will ultimately have the self-confidence to continue learning— even beyond art.

Art talk will stimulate your child’s imagination.

Art talk can boosts brainpower!

There’s a lot of neural wiring happening in the brain when children make art. Other branches of scientists like neuroscientists, science researchers, and art therapists, have also made connections to how early childhood art contributes to brainpower. Over my twenty years in process, studio-based observations, I have observed these same connections to how children get to improve their brains by creating artwork!

(For more detailed information on how art boost brain power, read this post.)

If you have any questions or get stumped on answering one of their art questions, please don’t hesitate to email me at info@Spramani.com

And for more ideas and tips for bringing art into your toddler’s life, sign up for my Montessori Art newsletter.

With practice you will get good at taling to toddlers about Montessori art.

A Short Cut Just for You …

Order paperback or digital book Early Childhood Art Guide

Visual Arts Teaching Guidefor 13 Months – 6 Years Old

This book includes:

My proprietary art teaching method

The proper and complete list of art materials

A guide for staging and setting up a successful art environment

Tips and art lesson ideas for early childhood

A convenient three-ring binder presentation

Order book online HERE

June 9, 2022June 9, 2022

How-to teach children age appropriate art activities

I get questions every day on how to teach age appropriate art activities.

I’m going to share some tips to get you on the right track.

I’ll also be sharing lots of resources.

There’s only four important things you should consider when teaching age appropriate art activities:

Use only safe non-toxic children’s art supplies
Focus on discovery exploratory type of activities
Keep steps very minimal
Focus on introducing the basic 7 elements

Early Childhood Art Activities

Very young children from toddler to six years can not plan art ideas out yet. So their art activities should be very exploration and discovery in style. They should only do process based style art activities. These lessons should generally introduce art mediums and art tools. You should only be introducing the very basic elements of art like line and colors etc. If you want to understand what art programs should consist of you can order:

Defining Visual Arts. This book explains what art literacy is for children and what you should be focusing on teaching. If you want to learn all about early childhood art programming you can order: Early Childhood Art Guide, this book shows you how to design an age appropriate art program.

Elementary Art Activities

Elementary age students can plan and create with intention. They are able to imagine an idea and plan it out. They can also follow one to six step instructions. These ages should also work in an exploratory discovery fashion. Allow children full freedom to express their own ideas. This means you should allow them to change the final outcome of their creation and not insist they follow an exact example.

Safe Non-Toxic Art Supplies

I recommend children under the age of 12 years old not use adult grade fine art supplies. Many artist grade supplies may contain hazards pigments like cadmium, lead, formaldehyde, solvents. Some paints may add additives, mildew resistance or other chemicals. Or also have special instructions for handling. These chemicals could be harmful to children not aware of special handling instructions. Pick non-toxic kids products that bare the ASTM D 4236 on them. This is a U.S. labeling law to protect children from dangerous chemicals.

If you start with these four suggestions you will be starting out on the right foot. If you need more guidance I have many training videos, books and professional development.

Warmly,

SpramaniE laun

READ BLOG:

Montessori Early Childhood Materials List

Montessori Upper Elementary Materials List

Order Art Teaching Books HERE

Get professional development by taking the ART TEACHING BLUEPRINT

Need to train your teachers?

Book a free zoom consult call, email Spramani @ info@Spramani.com

December 2, 2021December 2, 2021

5 Reasons Making Art Boosts Children’s Brainpower

Did you know that making art boosts children’s brainpower? You can help boost brainpower by supporting art activities at home or in the classroom. It’s true, and it’s supported by new science! There’s a lot of neural wiring happening in the brain when children make art. Other branches of scientists, like neuroscientists, science researchers, and art therapists, have also made connections to how early childhood art contributes to brainpower. Over my twenty years in the process, studio-based observations, I have observed these same connections to how children get to improve their brains by creating artwork!

5 brainpower areas:

Problem-solving
Fine motor development
Memory development
Spatial awareness
Stress regulation

fine motor development, art boosts children's brainpower

Let’s review these 5 areas of how early childhood art helps:

Problem-Solving

Art making is a great place for children to go through lots of problem-solving situations. They usually start with designing problems, deciding what materials and tools they need, how to construct their artworks, and what size to create their artworks. They then analyze their artworks to decide if they need to find a different way to get the results they desire. The artistic process is a great way for children to become problem-solvers. Creative activities are directly linked to problem-solving.

Fine Motor Development

Fine motor development is a physical attribute that advances a child’s growth. In addition, fine motor skills help with creating children’s art projects and in using art materials. By developing these muscles, children develop better dexterity with paintbrushes and crayons as well as constructing movements and putting together their crafts. (Science Art Method © 2021 Spramani Elaun)

Memory Development

When kids learn repeated movements, they’re reinforcing implicit memory; the actions are wired and become linked in their brain. Fortunately, that means they don’t have to consciously think about every minute action. They will see a paintbrush and instinctively know to pick it up, dip it into the palette or water, and start painting. The next time they engage in an art activity, their memory kicks in and their hand movements will come naturally. (Science Art Method © 2021 Spramani Elaun)

Regulate Stress

Most art activities offer multi-sensory engagement and can help kids relax and work calmly. Tactile art-making stimulates touch neural input, visual pathways communicate with both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. And, auditory and smell sensory systems also collect information all while entering an active multi-sensory learning state. (Science Art Method © 2021 Spramani Elaun).

Spatial Awareness

Visual arts are a significant way to improve spatial intelligence. Visual art creation relies on spatial understanding. Art-making teaches kids visualization. When children make art, they become aware of the spatial relationships among objects in the realm of their own experiences. As children learn through two-dimensional and three-dimensional art-making, their long-term memories create sight patterns stored in the mind known as “spatial memories.” (Science Art Method © 2021 Spramani Elaun).

Art Activities and Mediums to Start With

Now that you have a good idea of how art-making can boost brain power, here are the best types of art projects to start teaching. These types of art activities will help develop children’s fine motor control and the small muscles in their fingers and hands.

Drawing: crayons, color pencils, graphite pencil, oil pastels, etc.
Painting: watercolor paints, tempera paints, acrylic paints, watercolor crayons, watercolor pencils, etc.
Color Theory: primary color mixing, dropper color mixing, etc.
Clay Modeling: earth clay, non-harden plasticine clay, air-dry modeling clay, beeswax forming, etc.
Crafts: paper folding, nature and paper collage, mosaic arrangements, sewing basics, wool felting, string weaving, nature crafting, 3D constructing, etc.

All art supplies are available online in my Nature of Art for Kids online store.

To learn more about how art boosts children’s brainpower you can order my art teaching books here: BUY BOOKS

Get my free Materials Lists for Children’s Art Projects Below:

free download children's material lists for children's art activities

Early Childhood Materials List – PDF

Lower Elementary Materials List – PDF

Upper Elementary Materials List – PDF

Spramani ELaun, Owner, Artist, Montessori-art & Nature of Art For Kids

November 18, 2021November 18, 2021

Teaching Art Activities by Using Children’s Storybooks

Video Narrated by Art Teacher Spramani Elaun

As an art teacher, I love using children’s storybooks to teach art lessons to engage my students; however, there are many other great reasons you should integrate books into art-making lessons. Using children’s storybooks can not only inspire creative ideas, but it can also bring characters and plots to life by following up with art activities.

Storybooks can bridge connections to the elements and principles of design within illustrations, pictures, or descriptive words. Storybooks can help you communicate, especially in art language. In addition, book illustrations give visual clues to what color or shape looks like in the context of artworks. Storybooks don’t just have to be related to art topics or artists; you can use basic, classic children’s literature, such as The Giving Tree, The Ugly Duckling, Green Eggs and Ham, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Though, remember that almost all children’s storybooks are illustrated by an artist.

Combining Children’s Storybooks and Art

Combining children’s storybooks and art supports:

Developing early literacy
Bringing characters and plots to life
Engaging in open-ended questions
Fostering multi-sensory learning
Enriching reading and writing techniques

Developing Early Literacy

Children can learn art language by reading stories and following up with art activities. This can be a great way for you to enrich your teaching techniques by getting children to read more. Educational research confirms that when children read regularly, they expand their vocabularies, which leads to more reading and doing better academically in the upper grades.

I regularly use this method when introducing new techniques to my students. I love theming art activities with stories!

Bringing Characters and Plots to Life

Books bring characters and plots to life, but following up by creating your own character from a book is an immersive experience! You can appeal to young readers’ imagination by transforming a flat 2D character into physical pieces of art. Also, you can read a wonderful story like The Velveteen Rabbit and have them create their own rabbit character they can play with. And in addition, you can ask children to create art with an unexpected twist to the story or their own version of how the story ends. Allow them to paint a different image and draw their own scenes. Children love imagining themselves within stories.

Engaging in Open-Ended Questions

I usually read-aloud stories and point out art elements like colors and shapes. It’s a natural way I teach art language. I can prompt students with questions like “What colors do you see in this picture?” “Can you see lines used in the artwork?” “Can you describe what you see on this page?” “Look how interesting these shapes are.” “What shapes do you see?” “What are your favorite colors used in this art?” “Do you see the small dots?” “Would you like to go to the art shelf and experiment making some of these wavy lines with crayons?”

Fostering Multi-Sensory Learning

Reading to children is positive, but making the experience tactile is even better for cognitive processing. You can give children a different dimension to learning than just audio or visual senses by adding tactile sensory learning to deepen their understanding. Making art is a tactile, multi-sensory experience. For example, let’s say you read to a child a story about a duck; you can give the child an opportunity to create a three-dimensional duck out of clay by sparking lots of questions about the duck’s features, such as its size, color, and shape, further deepening their understanding about the characters or topics in the story. Another example could be looking at rainbows in illustrations. The conversations can go deeper by painting and mixing colors leading to scientific inquiries. Connecting storybooks and art activities is a multi-sensory experience for better comprehension.

Enriches Reading and Writing Techniques

Integrating art with reading and writing work can be exciting for students. Over the past ten years, I have visited many elementary grades as a special guest art teacher. As a result, I’ve had amazing opportunities to team up with other teachers to teach the Great Lessons.

Most of the lessons usually started with me coming into the classroom to teach an art technique, followed by the classroom’s teacher reading about the topic, and finally ending with the students following up with writing exercises related to the artwork they created in my session.

These teachers all reported back to me how their students were super engaged with reading and writing follow-up work because of their art lesson connection to the stories. They also reported to me that writing improved with some of their struggling students. In addition, they felt that the children were more invested in the outcome of how their artwork was reflected and open to writing critiques.

My favorite Children’s Art Storybooks

Below are three videos where I read stories that can inspire and engage young children in both literacy and their interest in creating art through the Montessori art methods.

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds, illustrator of the Judy Moody, Narrated by Art Teacher Spramani Elaun

Henri’s Scissors, by Jeanette Winter, Narrated by Art Teacher Spramani Elaun

Lines that Wiggle by Candace Whitman (Author), Steve Wilson (Illustrator), Narrated by Art Teacher Spramani Elaun