Why Every Montessori Classroom Needs an Inspiration Art Gallery

Why Every Montessori Classroom Needs an Inspiration Gallery

By Spramani Elaun

The best part about art in the Montessori classroom is that as soon as you give your students instruction, they can take off and be creative. Some students need a little extra push, especially during weeks you don’t give them a specific project to work on.

If you give your students enough inspiration, their creativity will explode.

And the easiest way to give your students the inspiration they need at any time throughout the year is with an inspiration gallery! It gives students a place to observe and talk about artwork, which can increase their art literacy, language, and self-esteem.

While you may think hanging up fine artwork is the way to go, it can actually be intimidating or overwhelming for many students—since doing this can place high standards on their work. In fact, using fine artwork as inspiration can actually stifle students’ creativity. So, what’s the best way to set up an inspiration gallery that actually works?

Setting Up a Montessori Inspiration Gallery

It’s perfectly acceptable to display some fine artwork as part of your inspiration gallery, you should include simpler examples too. Consider creating a space that features projects from students from all grade levels. Giving them art that is closer to their skill level will inspire them in new ways. For instance, they might notice a technique or theme they then decide to try.

There are different ways to set up an inspiration gallery in your classroom. One way that makes it simple to trade out paintings is to hang a sturdy string across the gallery area; then use clothespins to hang the artwork along. You can also attach a grid of clipboards to the wall space, to effortlessly trade out their artwork as necessary. Another idea is to mount a large sheet of metal, and use magnets to display and rearrange their drawings and paintings every week or so.

Clay or craft projects can be exhibited on the top shelf of your art shelf.

Why an Inspiration Gallery is Important

Of course, the obvious benefit of an inspiration gallery is that it helps to inspire students. It can do so much more though! When students realize their artwork might be hung up for the entire class to see, they’ll be more attentive in what they’re doing and put more effort into their creations.

Being able to see and reflect on their project after they’ve created it helps to develop their art literacy. Days, weeks, and even months after they’ve finished their masterpiece, they might realize the value of their efforts and be able to speak artfully about it. I’ve heard some of the most interesting comments come from students describing their own artwork! It’s an additional step in their comprehension and appreciation of their art. And as they see it in context of their peers’ and others’ work, they’re able to better understand the role art plays in a community, such as their classroom.

If you’ve been following this blog or have signed up for my free mini-course, Phases of Art Development Guides, then you know that art can integrate with other subjects. The inspiration gallery be a conduit for connecting the topics as well. For example, if your student created a watercolor painting inspired by a lesson on the cosmos (science), have them write a small explanation of their subject and technique (writing) on an index card to display next to their artwork.

A gallery allows all grade levels to get creatively stimulated in a safe environment that is open to uniqueness. It’s a fun and easy way to brighten up your classroom, and it serves as an integral tool in helping your students learn visual art.

If this is a topic that excites you, then make sure you sign up for my new online course—The Art Teaching Blueprint—which teaches you everything you need to know about teaching art in a Montessori classroom. I break down the learning process and give you a ton of project ideas and inspiration in bite-sized videos that allow you to go through the course at a pace that works for you. To get on the waitlist and be notified when registration opens, click here!

3 to 6 Art – Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Resources

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The Phases of Art Development is a quick digital course that explains how art making can help students develop their creativity, fine-motor skills, and focus. More importantly, I share what types of projects students at every age are capable of completing safely, and without making a mess.

Best of all—it’s free! To sign up for the course, click here.

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October 11, 2018November 4, 2024

4 Fall Leaf Ideas for Your Montessori Classroom

Idea #1: Leaf Crayon Rubbing

Check out the video above for full details, or follow the instructions below.

Simple Steps:

Place leaf facing down, vein side up.
Place white paper on top of leaf.
Hold paper and leaf firmly so they don’t move.
Take crayon and start rubbing over the leaf area.
The impression of your leaf should show up!

Idea #2: Leaf Pressing

Pressing leaves is a wonderful way to teach children how botanists preserve specimens. This activity can lead to many different types of art projects can down the road, such as leaf painting (see Idea #3, below). You can also let children come up with their own ideas of what to do with their pressed leaves once they’re done.

Simple Steps:

Gently wipe off any dirt from the leaf.
Place the leaf between newspaper sheets or in pages of a book.
Place a note card with the date collected and any information gathered about the leaf, in a safe place so that you can retrieve it once the leaf is pressed.
Pile a small stack of heavy books on top of the pages and press for 1 to 24 hours.

Idea #3: Leaf Painting

Allow your students to use leaves as a canvas and get creative with paint.

Simple Steps:

Press leaves first—they are easier to paint when flattened.
Select bright paint colors—acrylic, tempera, gauche, or craft paint will work best.
Paint leaf with paintbrush as desired.
Set aside to dry, then decorate note cards or other art projects with them.

Idea #4: Clay Leaf Fossils

A great way to show children how fossils are created is by compressing leaves into wet clay!

Simple Steps:

Roll out a flat slab of clay with a rolling pin. Use air dry model clay (which dries overnight), or white polymer clay (bakes to harden).
Place leaf, with veins facing down, onto the clay and firmly but gently press the compression by hand or with a rolling pin.
Carefully remove the leaf by pulling it by the stem.
Bake or leave to air dry.

Optional: paint fossil

The key to coming up with more engaging and exciting projects is understanding how kids learn and what would interest them. I’m launching an online course—The Art Teaching Blueprint—that teaches you everything you need to know about teaching art in a Montessori classroom and break it down into bite-sized videos so you can go through them at a pace that works for you. To get on the wait list and be notified when registration opens, click here!

montessori fall crafts fall leaf download

One Step Further: Download My Fall Leaf Inspiration Print

I personally think the fall season can give us hundreds of art activity and project ideas, but just to make it even easier on you (which, really, is such a joy because I get to share my love of both fall and art with you!), I’m giving you a FREE Fall Leaf Inspiration Print.

You can print it out and use it on your art shelf or hang it in your inspiration gallery to during the season, or let students fill it in with beautiful colors. It seems like a simple tool, right? But trust me, it’ll lead to so many amazing, creative artworks! Download the Fall Leaf Inspiration Print by clicking here.

A Short Cut Just for You

Of course, fall is just one season of the school year. If you want the tools to be able to come up with art activities all year long, you need the foundation of understanding how children are able to learn art. In my online course, Art Teaching Blueprint, I give you everything you need to easily start teaching art to your your Montessori students.

And fall registration for Art Teaching Blueprint is about to open!

I’ve been helping Montessori teachers all over the world bring art into their classroom for more than 20 years. And I’ve honed and perfected my own art teaching method, and have developed it to complement and support Montessori philosophy, so that you can start teaching art in your classroom too. From setting up a proper art environment and art shelf, to giving your students age-appropriate mediums to explore with, I cover everything a Montessori teacher needs to know.

I’m so excited to be opening up the course one more time for this year! You can sign up for the course starting November 1. But if you want a reminder, and to save your seat now, click here to join the waitlist!

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Best of all—it’s free! To sign up for the course, click here.

Spramani’s Books

Teach children visual arts

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Curriculum For Children

Get step-by-step art curriculum to teach visual arts. Check out our 4 art curriculums:
Painting
Drawing
Color Theory
Clay Modeling

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October 4, 2018June 1, 2021

How to Plan a Montessori Art Field Trip

The Best Way to Plan a Visit to Local Museums with Your Montessori Students

By Spramani Elaun

Getting out of the classroom and visiting museums is essential for students to develop their art literacy. It also helps them grow in their understanding and appreciation of art. A Montessori art field trip can also be fun for both you and your students, if you know how to plan them correctly.

Art offers students a window for exploring the social, historical, and cultural context of works from their own county. I dive deeper in the importance of relating art to a greater context in my new book Defining Visual Arts, but museum visits are a key to implementing this concept.

Many Montessori teachers enjoy taking their students out to learn in new settings, many of them experience the issue of students not engaging with the art. They’re too busy on their phones, running around, or gabbing with friends. That’s because the way students learn doesn’t align with the way most art museums are set up.

While you can’t change a museum’s environment, you can change the way your students experience it. Here are 5 tips for planning a successful art trip with your Montessori students.

Tip #1: Introduce Museum Collections Before You Go

Explain what museum collections mean to our society, how we learn from them, and the significance they have to our broadening our perspectives and culture. Before you visit a museum, show them samples of different types of collections. For example, bones, insects, or gems from the Natural History Museum; plants from a Botanical Garden; or pottery and written relics from the Museum of Man. By sharing these examples before your class goes to a museum, your students will build up some excitement because they have an idea of how special this trip will be. You might even want to consider creating a lesson around a topic that’ll be featured at the museum. For instance, if you’re going to have older students view classical paintings, be sure they have experience and knowledge on the era. Or your lesson can be as simple as a 15-minute Q & A with your students the day before your trip.

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Tip #2: Review Museum Restrictions

Explain and review museum restrictions and rules and why they’re important to follow. Teach kids museum observation skills: collecting information with their eyes, listening with their ears, and observing studying artifacts with their hands safely behind their backs. You can even do a run-through in your classroom before your field trip. Put out a few objects as a pretend collection in your classroom, then have students walk around with their hands behind their backs. Remind them of how precious many of the collections and items at the museum are, and why it’s important to observe them in this way.

Tip #3: Choose the Right Museums

Choose a museum with collections and ideas that relate to subjects your students will be learning. For example, if you’re focusing on botany then check out your local Botanical Gardens, if want to highlight what they’re learning in history then visit a history museum, if you’re studying the cosmos then take a trip to a planetarium, observatory, or science museum. Most large cities have historical societies and special collections that will most likely support one of the subjects you’re teaching in the classroom. I’m lucky I live near San Diego and Balboa Park, which has so many wonderful museums, like a train museum, quilt museum, butterfly sanctuary, and even farms with petting zoos. Trust me, if you do your research, you’ll find something that’ll engage your students and bring their learning to life.

Tip #4: Look for Interactive Exhibits

Finding a museum that’ll relate to students’ studies will automatically spark their interest to some degree, but you can take it a step further by going to a museum with kid-friendly, interactive exhibits. You might also want to look for places that allow kids to touch the displays, where talking is acceptable, and that provide an area for restless movement. A designated lunch area and outdoor space will also make the trip more enjoyable for your students.

You can also provide ways to kind of force your students to engage, such as giving them a scavenger hunt to complete, or ways to collect data like sketch book, journal, or camera.

museum field trip with montessori students

Tip #5: Plan for their Attention Spans

Ultimately, you have to set realistic expectations of what to count on from your students. Understand what their attention spans typically are and plan for breaks and activities throughout the day. For example, I know I can’t expect my students to make it through lengthy docent tours, so I tend to skip those. Instead, I’ll choose museums with hands-on activities, or create my own interesting exercises for them to do. When I take my older students on field trips, I prepare them with sketch pencils and journals for follow-up work that they can later fill out after they collect information about the different subjects they observed during their visit. The goal is to make your museum trips exciting for younger students and interesting for older students.

If you want more information on the best ways to teach art and make it exciting for your Montessori students (and you!) make sure you register for my online course, Art Teaching Blueprint! I give you all the tools, resources, and information you need to build the foundation for a quality visual arts program.

September 30, 2018November 10, 2024

25 Art Supplies Every Montessori Classroom Needs

25 of the Most Basic Art Supplies Every Montessori Classroom Needs

By Spramani Elaun

I’m going to start off with a disclosure, by no means do you only need 25 items to fill your Montessori art shelf. However, because I break down visual arts into five domains—drawing, painting, crafting, clay modeling, and color theory—you just need to make sure you’re giving your students art supplies that fall into each category. There are so many more options and wonderful things to work with, I’d encourage you to explore and purchase anything that inspires you.

This is just going to be a sort of cheat sheet for what you need in your classroom. If you really want a detailed list of everything to include in your art shelf, make sure you register for my online course, Art Teaching Blueprint. I have specific lessons for each domain where I list out all the exact materials I use to teach each domain, where to find those supplies, and how to use them. It’s a ton of valuable information that makes teaching art and setting up your shelf so much easier.

For now though, I want to give you a brief understanding of the different learning areas of visual arts and help you figure out the basic item(s) you need to be able to teach each domain. Grab your shopping list, let’s get into it!

Drawing

The drawing domain includes doodling, drawing, sketching, and tracing. Many of these materials (like pencils and erasers) can be found elsewhere in the classroom, so I recommend making the items on your art shelf unique. Either buy completely different styles so they stand out or color code them so they stay specifically within your art shelf.

Basic:

Not so basic:

Oil/soft pastels
Watercolor pencils
Rulers
Compass
Magnifying glass
Stencils

Painting

There are several types of paints that kids can use, and each one has a different purpose and experience. Whichever you choose, just make sure it’s non-toxic and safe for kids.

Basic:

Not so basic:

Color Theory

Color theory is all about learning how colors behave. It can take years to develop a strong understanding of color theory, so it’s important to start teaching the subject when students are young. With color theory, I recommend you begin with primary colors (red, yellow, blue), then teach kids to mix those colors to create secondary colors, and so on. When you’re teaching color theory, the materials are the same as you’d use for the painting domain.

Basic:

Not so basic:

25 Art Supplies Every Montessori Classroom Needs

Clay Modeling & Sculpture

Clay can be a great way to relate art projects to other lessons you’re teaching. For instance, students can use stamps or natural objects (like leaves) to create imprints; they can also use the clay to create figures and animals to go along with what they’re learning.

Basic:

Not so basic:

Crafting & Constructing

There are so many possibilities when it comes to crafting and constructing. I tend to divide this domain into four categories: sewing, paper crafts, nature crafting, and wood/building.

Basic:

Sewing:
- String (yarn, threads)
- Fabric
- Sewing needle
- Scissors
Paper crafts
- Colored paper
- Scissors
- Glue
Nature crafting
- Glue
- Hot glue gun
- Natural found objects (rocks, sticks, leaves, etc.)
Wood and building
- Glue
- Wooden pieces

Not so basic:

Sewing
- Cross stitching fabric
- Recycled materials (sweaters, t-shirts)
- Buttons
- Wool
Paper crafts
- Origami paper
- Magazines (for collaging)
Nature crafting
- Purchased natural objects (feathers, pinecones, seeds, etc.)
Wood and building
- Nails
- Popsicle sticks
- Toothpicks
- Wine corks

I know this is a lot to digest and a lot more than just 25 items, but these are the tools that will help your students explore, experiment, and really experience art.

If you want more information, specifically on how each one of these supplies work and some ideas on how to use them, make sure you register for my course! I break it all down for you so this list makes sense in the framework of your classroom. And if you have any questions—about these supplies or my course—please feel free to contact me directly by emailing me at Info@Spramani. om.

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Spramani’s Books

Teach children visual arts

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Curriculum For Children

Get step-by-step art curriculum to teach visual arts. Check out our 4 art curriculums:
Painting
Drawing
Color Theory
Clay Modeling

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September 20, 2018November 10, 2024

Building a Montessori Art Calendar to Keep Students Busy Every Month

Building Out an Art Calendar to Keep Your Students Busy with Something New Every Month

By Spramani Elaun

“Teaching” art can seem overwhelming, and creating an art calendar to keep your students busy with art all year long can seem impossible. The beginning of a new school year is both exciting but stressful for that very reason. While you’re mapping out all your projects and lessons for the year, art can sometimes take a backseat.

But I don’t want that to be the case for you or for your students! All it takes is some simple planning to get you going. I promise you, if you take some time to plan out your calendar, art lessons will flow better and be so much easier for you during the school year.

The best part of all this? There’s a simple, stress-free way to break it down.

In my course, Art Teaching Blueprint, I go over in detail how to create an art schedule (and the specific resources and materials you may need!) but here’s the basic idea to it.

Building Your Calendar

You’re going to start by counting up the number of teachable weeks in the school year. That may mean excluding the first two weeks of the year (when you’re still getting your class situated), weeks where you’re off for the holidays, and the last couple weeks of school (when you’re likely busy with testing). This number can vary depending on your schedule.

Now, you’re going to follow this formula:

# of teachable weeks / 5 domains = # of lessons per domain

You might be asking, what’s a domain? The way I’ve developed my art training is by breaking down visual art into five different categories, or domains. Here is an example of two:

- Drawing

- Painting

Let’s say you’ve counted 30 teachable weeks for the year, that would mean:

30 / 5 = 6 lessons for each domain

Knowing you only have to teach six lessons on drawing, six on painting, and so on already makes your calendar seem a bit more manageable, right?

Don’t worry, I won’t leave you here. This formula is just the basis for your calendar, you now need to fill it out with more specific lessons, or themes.

Inspiration for Your Calendar

What you decide to teach for your lessons is completely up to you, but here are some tips and monthly theme inspiration to help you finish filling in your calendar.

I’d suggest trying to integrate art projects with the lessons you’re already planning on teaching, like the Great Lessons, astronomy, physical science, etc. With this information, decide which domain makes sense for each topic. For example, if you’re learning about dinosaurs, put clay on your art shelf for students to create their own tyrannosaurus; or let them experiment with watercolors as they learn about the cosmos.

You might also want to think about holidays or special events as you map out your lessons. For instance, Earth Day is in April, so your lessons that month can focus on nature and the earth.

Here are a few other themes for each month to get you started.

Monthly Theme Ideas:

September

The Big Bang
Cosmic Education
If you haven’t already, make sure you sign up for my FREE mini-course—I share a lesson on cosmic rock painting

October

World Peace
Fall Leaves

November

Outdoor Nature Crafts (leaves, rocks, sticks, natural paints)

December

Cultural Geography
Think about crafts from different cultures around the world, like Japanese origami, skull paintings from Mexico, etc.

January

Winter Snowflakes
Students can cut out snowflakes from pieces of paper, or paint a sheet full of them—each with its unique shape and design.

February

Zoology (like dinosaurs, birds, insects, etc.)

March

Geography
Students can create maps of places they’re learning about in other lessons this week.)

April

Botany (seeds, plants, trees, etc.)

May

Astronomy

Summer

Beach or Ocean

Hopefully this is enough to get you started!

There are SO many ways to organize your lessons, and that’s the fun part of all this!

You can teach each lesson in succession (six straight weeks of drawing, followed by six straight weeks of painting, etc.) or rotate each lesson throughout the year.

I cover a few specific ways in Art Teaching Blueprint, and even give you a few sample calendars to follow.

So if this still feels overwhelming, make sure you check out my art certification, to enroll or email me directly at info@Spramani.com with any questions.

I’ll also be sharing a specific art project each month on the blog, so make sure you’re signed up for my newsletter for even more ideas throughout the year.

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Best of all—it’s free! To sign up for the course, click here.

Spramani’s Books

Teach children visual arts

Art Book Shop

Curriculum For Children

Get step-by-step art curriculum to teach visual arts. Check out our 4 art curriculums:
Painting
Drawing
Color Theory
Clay Modeling

Buy Art Curriculum

September 18, 2018April 7, 2021

5 NEW Ways to Tackle Montessori Art Projects

5 NEW Ways to Tackle Montessori Art Projects This School Year

By Spramani Elaun

The funny thing about art is that it should be creative—spontaneous even—but as Montessori teachers we can sometimes get stuck in a rut and begin to teach the same art lessons over and over again. I don’t want that to happen to you! Not this school year at least!

It’s back-to-school season, and I know you are gearing up for another awesome year, so I wanted to give you a little push and a little inspiration on tackling art this year. There are so many ways to teach art to your students, and I’d love to help find your creativity in any way I can (so feel free to reach out if every you feel like you’re in a slump!).

I know how busy you are with planning your school year and putting the finishing touches on your classroom, so for now, here are five ideas for new ways to bring art into your classroom.

1. New medium

Is there a medium that you didn’t get the chance to use last year, but you’ve really been wanting to give it a go? Now’s your chance! Cross off a bucket-list lesson and spring for a new medium. Or pop into your local art store and browse the aisles until something strikes your fancy. The possibilities are endless! Think about the brilliant colors of oil pastels, modeling clay, seeds, beans, paint swatches (from the local hardware store), and even “found” items like recycled cardboard, magazines, or plastics.

2. New Art Projects

More than likely, you’re going to start the year by teaching the Great Lessons. And, chances are, you’re going to have a stack of story books that you’ll use and share with your students. So why not look to those books for inspiration? You can highlight the artist’s illustrations or just pull ideas or scenes from the book and make that into an art project. Try extending this idea and move past the story books and into different subjects. For example, if you’re studying the cosmos, create an art project based on that topic.

Over the summer I shared the the book “Hole in the Bottom of the Sea” with kids in my art camp. It shows sealife like jellyfish, crabs, sharks, and seaweed, in a really fun, colorful way. Once we were done reading the book, we made fun painted crafts and created sharks out of up-cycled paper rolls. We also did fish sponge stamps, paper plate jellyfish, crab stamps, and fish-shaped water paintings complete with googly eyes. This one book provided so much inspiration, and it was easy for the kids to make connections to what they had learned about the ocean.

If you’re ever stuck for ideas, Pinterest can be a huge life saver. Just log on, type in the theme or topic you have in mind, add “art project” or “craft” to your search, and you’ll instantly have hundreds of options to choose from! Likewise, your peers and fellow teachers can be a great resource in helping you come up with new art projects this school year. (Follow my Pinterest Boards here)

3. Ask Parents to Help Out

There are two ways parents can really help with art in your classroom, the first is by providing a few of the supplies. At the beginning of the school year, send out a supply list request and ask parents to contribute or donate what they can. You can create a specific wish list or let parents give the supplies they find the most interesting. Most parents understand that art supplies can be expensive and will be willing to help out.

The other way parents can inspire your art lessons is by through volunteering and teaching an art project themselves. So many teachers have shared with me that they’ve invited parents to teach an art project based on their heritage or culture, and it’s always a big hit with students. For instance, I saw one parent come into a classroom and show the kids how to create tinfoil art; the parent presented the entire lesson and the teacher and aides helped the students put it into action.

4. Start Off with an Inspiration Gallery

I’d encourage you to find a spot in your classroom to specifically highlight visual art. You can post students’ artwork or pull together items and pieces that inspire you. A focal point like this not only supports art literacy, but having a place where students can see other artwork will actually inspire them to come up with some really amazing ideas of their own. It might even lead to some inspiration for a few projects for you!

5. Let the Art Shelf Do Its Job

If you haven’t already set up an art shelf in your classroom, this year is the year to do it! I just posted a blog on art shelf essentials. When your art shelf is stocked and all the art supplies are visible and within reach, students can have at it whenever inspiration strikes.

There you have it! I just wanted to give you a few quick tips to help you approach art with a fresh perspective this year. If you’re still stumped for ideas, check out my book “Introducing Visual Arts to the Montessori Classroom;” in it, I list out tons of ideas (organized by theme and subject), so that can serve as inspiration when you need it as well. And if you haven’t already, sign up for my newsletter—every month I’ll be sharing an awesome, really-detailed art lesson specific to the Montessori classroom.

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September 9, 2018November 10, 2024

10 Common Shelf Art Supplies

Best Supplies To Start With

There’s something about fall and the back-to-school season that makes you reevaluate and take inventory of your work, study areas and processes. Don’t you just love it? So let me share my favorite materials so you can start off fresh. I think your classroom or teaching space should get the same treatment—starting with an Art Shelf! In this blog, I’m going to share 10 common shelf art supplies to stage that I think every classroom should have around.

If you’ve never had an art shelf in your classroom, I’d like to encourage you to designate a space specifically for art supplies and projects. This can go a long way in supporting art literacy and creating a good foundation of basic art skills. The basic idea is to keep everything your students need to get creative in one easy-to-reach place.

Easy Set Up Ideas

Setting up an art shelf really isn’t all that difficult. Fill it up with a few basic art supplies and keep it stocked and refreshed throughout the year. Here are the 10 items I’d recommend for you to include as you set it up for the new school year. If you want to learn more about organizing and understanding how art can be engaging, head over to my How To Stage An Art Shelf training.

In this blog, I want to focus on 10 Common Shelf Art Supplies you should have around that support independence and art literacy. If you want to learn more about the area of art I recommend, be sure to get my early childhood or elementary Art Guides. Check out these guides to learn the best ways to stage an art shelf with art supplies.

Just by staging these art supplies on a shelf, you can jump-start your students exploring and give them autonomy in creating. Plus you can also find all these art mediums at my online store.

1. Baskets of Paper On the Shelf

10 Common Shelf Art Supplies, Montessori

This will be the foundation for the majority of your students’ artwork. Stock up on plenty of uncoated paper. Include white, uncoated, smooth drawing paper, and thick, absorbent watercolor paper for painting. Also, include colored craft paper for cutting, folding, and collaging. A large roll of butcher paper for younger students is great. For special painting activities, have some type of canvas fabric. Cardboard types of paper are also great for crafting and gluing. Have plenty of scrap paper for inventive ideas. Children love coming up with paper art ideas. Watch my tip video on the sizes I recommend for children here.

2. Painting – Paints + Brushes

Art programming should include some painting activities. You can teach both early childhood and elementary students basic painting skills. Stage different types of paints: watercolor, tempera paint, or student-grade acrylic. You should include a variety of different-sized paintbrushes. Plus, include painting tools to experiment with, such as sponges, paint droppers, and items to make textures (download my painting checklist HERE). If you want to learn more about different children’s paints, check out my book called Kids Painting HERE, Kids Painting Curriculum, or Painting Work Art Album.

10 Common Shelf Art Supplies for painting in the Montessori classroom

3. Drawing & Doodling Supplies

Crayons
Colored pencils
Oil pastels
Soft pastels
Tempera sticks
Sketching pencils

And all these tools are not as messy as paint!

Best Children’s Drawing Supplies to Buy

Children’s Drawing Tools For Elementary Grades

4. Common Crafting Supplies

Crafting offers many areas for children to explore. There are numerous art supplies that can be used in this area. I would try different projects from time to time. Whether a student wants to use buttons for eyes on their clay figurine, or glue a bunch of seeds to accent their collage, small accessories can give them freedom to add some oomph to their projects. I recommend children explore. Bring these things in once and awhile. Here are some of the basics:

Glue, glue dots, low-temp glue gun
Tape, masking tape, or washi tape
Scissors
String, yarn, thread
Sewing needles
Small embellishments like buttons, googly eyes, beads, gems
Small fabric, felt, recycled fabric scraps
Small wood scraps
Popsicle sticks
Styrofoam pieces
Pipe cleaners
Pom poms
Seeds, beans
Twigs, seashells, seed pods

5. Modeling Clay

Clay is very common for teaching many essential fine-motor movements. I recommend that all art programming for children include some type of clay modeling. Clays come in many forms, from quick-drying to non-hardening. While students will enjoy molding the clay with their hands, providing items like shape cutters (or cookie cutters!), rolling pins, textured plates, and modeling wood tools will allow them to create even more. Clay can be easily placed on an art shelf in containers, or on trays. If you would like to learn more about why clay is important, read Clay Play Theory or check out my Clay Modeling Curriculum HERE.

Clay tools
Cookie cutters
Earth clay
Air-dry clay
Sculpey clay
Plastilina clay – non-hardening
Beeswax

clay modeling in the Montessori classroom,
Spramani Elaun

6. Stamps + Stencils

Stencils are so much fun to use and great to include in your art shelf. Children love tracing them and coloring inside them. Stencils come in many shapes and sizes. Great for tracing and building hand dexterity. Stamps also are fun to press in clay and use on ink pads. Surprise your students and put some on the shelf!

10 Common Shelf Art Supplies, drawing lessons, Montessori, Spramani Elaun

7. Seasonal Inspiration

While you want most of these supplies to remain on your art shelf year-round, you’ll find that students will respond creatively to new tools or inspiration. Rotate out your stencils or offer a still life props (like bright flowers in the spring, or gourds in the fall) to reflect the season. Professional Development – How To Stage An Art Shelf Training

8. Art & Clip Boards

Drawing boards can help stabilize paper in place while moving around the classroom. They’re also good for laying down on the carpet. If you can’t get custom drawing boards, you can use a clipboard. A drawing board can even be used outside when there is no table to sit and draw on.

9. Art Story Books

Having fun storybooks that inspire art-making can be something you change from week to week. You can put them on the top of a shelf or in a basket. Some of my favorite books are The Dot, Lines That Wiggle, and Mouse Paint. Learn more about how I love to use storybooks to support art lessons by reading this blog or watching this free training.

10 . Recycled Scraps

I always include a box or basket of scraps of collaging or building. This is a great way to get children excited about the possibilities of thinking outside of the box. I’m always amazed by the ideas children come up with.

I hope these 10 Common Shelf Art Supplies give you some ideas for staging an art shelf! What do you have on your art shelf? Share your go-to supplies in the comments below and send me photos of your new art shelf by tagging me on Instagram (@nature.of.art.for.kids)!

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August 8, 2018September 5, 2024

10 Back To School Art Tips

Start With 10 Art Tips

I’m excited to share my 10 back to school art tips for the Montessori classroom in this blog! Getting ideas for back to school art lessons might seem challenging if you have no art background. You might wonder which art tip should come first and where to draw inspiration from.

Let me show you how you don’t have to go far to find ideas for your back to school planning and scheduling. Art lesson ideas can come directly from the concepts you’re already teaching in the classroom, from the great lessons to other Montessori books you already own. By simply opening your favorite storybook, you and your students can discover wonderful ideas to create.

Be sure to watch the video ( 10 Back To School Art Tips – For The Montessori Classroom) to understand how you can follow up with art activities after reading your favorite Montessori books.

10 Montessori Back-to-school Art Environment Readiness Tips

If you want to learn more about art literacy, be sure to check out my books. You can further gain knowledge on the basic elements to focus on in each art lesson. Visit my book page for my Early Childhood Montessori Art Guide or Elementary Art Guide, which is filled with plenty of art lesson tips and ideas.

10 tips video highlights

Art Shelf: Plan to stage an art shelf in your classroom this year.
New Medium: Try out a new medium you didn’t have a chance to explore last year (e.g., oil pastels).
Great Lessons: Leverage key lessons as sources of inspiration.
Use Story Books: Go through the books you read annually to extract art-making inspiration.
Supply List Request: Send out an art supply wish list to parents!
Art Planning: Plan ahead with all your other subjects before school starts.
Art Helper & Artist Guest: Ask parents if they can volunteer to share a fun cultural art-making idea.
Where to Find New Projects: Ask other Montessori teachers for ideas, or check out online resources.
Art Album: Plan this year to make an art album where you can quickly add pictures of projects and your observation notes.
Inspiration Gallery: Create a space where your students can reflect on their projects and their classmates’ projects.

Implementing the 10 major tips

Make your back to school art experience fun this year! First, set up a special art shelf in your classroom. Try using new art tools and mediums like oil pastels and watercolor. Get some cool ideas from your favorite stories and lessons you are already teaching. Ask parents for art supplies by sending them a wish list, or create an Amazon list. It’s smart to plan your art projects along with the Great Lessons before the year starts. Invite parents to share their interesting cultural art projects too! You can also find new art ideas by talking to your colleagues or looking online on Pinterest. Make an art album to save pictures of your projects, and finally, create a space where you and your students can show off their work. These tips will make art time super fun and creative for you with less stress.

Happy new school year!

Warmly,
Spramani

First year starting an art program For Montessori Children?

Montessori Books – For Elementary Guides, Teaching Art To 6 -12 Children