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.
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.
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.
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
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 foreignlanguage 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.
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.
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 foreignlanguage 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.
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.
Tactile Art-Making Is Beneficial for Stress Relief
Over my twenty years of naturalistic art observations, I’ve witnessed tactile art projects like clay modeling lead kids into relaxed states of mind time and time again. I’ve seen stressed children come into my classroom and quickly be able to transition into a calm and relaxed state. As a result, allowing them to focus on their handiwork. Most art activities are multi-sensory engaging and can help children relax and work calmly. Making art with your hands stimulates touch neural input, visual pathways communicate with both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Therefore, auditory and smell sensory systems collect information all at once, entering an active multi-sensory learning state. In addition, making art modeling clay is high in visual-auditory connectivity in the brain. Strong connectivity occurs, and the child becomes intensely focused on their handiwork.
Children using their hands can be so engaged that other stress-related thoughts clear their minds, and they enter a state of flow. As a result, students can forget the stress-related emotions they were experiencing before entering a creative state of flow. The electrical activity stimulated in the brain becomes a different type of action. Then, firing connections occur that allow children to focus only on their creative process. Soon, a calming effect takes place because tactile cognitive processing is occurring as children form or manipulate objects with their hands. It’s good for children to develop good habits and activities during their sensitive periods so they can regulate their own relaxation early in life through creative handiwork. Consequently, I’ve coined the phrase “active multi-sensory learning” to explain this cognitive state.
Clay Modeling Activity Can Reduce Stress
Clay modeling can be a great way children can have active multi-sensory learning happen and reduce stress! I’ve been teaching these types of lessons for two decades with clay modeling activities and using a variety of clay mediums for multi-sensory learning. Also, the other important aspect of these types of lessons is that children love them and take to them well. To illustrate, if you find a child fidgety, highly stressed, or exhibiting anxiety, I recommend you engage them in clay modeling activities. In addition, another tip I would recommend is dedicating a place to these art materials and making them easily available in your classroom, home, or school. Because of this, if you observe students with these persistent signals, follow your school protocols or seek professional therapists. Most importantly, do not try to treat children exhibiting trauma yourself unless you are a licensed therapist.
Basic Clay Modeling Steps:
Prepare a bowl with malleable clay in plastic baggies to keep moist.
Start with calming, kneading movements (a ceramic technique).
Encourage students to knead the clay for long period (5-10 minutes).
Allow students to transition into process-based exploration forms.
Do not give students complex instructions to follow.
Leave simple clay books or activity instructions nearby.
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
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.
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.
Crafts: paper folding, nature and paper collage, mosaic arrangements, sewing basics, wool felting, string weaving, nature crafting, 3D constructing, etc.
For so many people around the world—especially in the U.S.—schools have been looking a little different as of late. Kids are spending more time at home, and parents are scrambling for ways to bring a full classroom experience into their homes. And unfortunately, art is an often overlooked aspect of Montessori education today. If you don’t quite know how to teach art or haven’t had much experience in the subject, setting up a space or lessons for your kids can be overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be though! Here’s your guide to organizing and setting up a Montessori homeschool art room space for your kids this year.
The secret to a beautiful, functional art space is really about giving kids the space and permission to work and create uninterrupted. If you give your children a space to make art, they will do it!
Before we go into my art room organizing tips, here’s a little perspective: If you don’t have a shelf filled with books, you won’t raise readers; if you don’t have pens, papers, or a dictionary handy, you won’t raise a writer either. So, guess what? When you don’t have an art space filled with art supplies, you won’t raise an artist!
And creating art has a ton of benefits that goes beyond a beautiful finished project; art helps improve kids’ focus, problem-solving skills, stress-management skills, emotional literacy, and hand-eye coordination. That’s why it’s so important to give kids a space to create.
As an art studio designer, kids’ art teacher, and former homeschool mom (my kids are now grown), I’ve had the opportunity to design many stimulating creative spaces for kids of all ages. I will teach you what you need to know about creating a homeschool art room space for your Montessori students.
Montessori Homeschool Art Room Design
In reality, you can design your art space however you want, however, every Montessori homeschool art room needs to include these six components:
Table – all activities should take place on a flat surface
Chair – along with a sturdy table, children need a safe place to sit while working
Floorcovering – this saves your floors from spills!
Lightsource – for children to work with color they need a good source of light
Storage – art storage comes in many shapes and sizes, including baskets, jars, plastic bins, shelves, or an art closet
Sink – the sink doesn’t need to be in the immediate art space, but should be close and easily accessible, like a bathroom or kitchen; it’s needed to wash materials and hands
Montessori Homeschool Art Room Location
Because an art space doesn’t need to be elaborate, you can set it up basically anywhere in your home. It can be a dedicated room, corner of your child’s bedroom or family living room, part of your yard or basement, and even in your kitchen.
One of my homeschool-mom friends set up a simple desk for her kids in her kitchen; I loved seeing what her daughter would create when I’d visit for tea! My own kids’ art spaces have transitioned throughout the years to be located in different spots around our home. Now, my daughter, who is 19, likes to draw and paint in her bedroom!
Montessori Homeschool Art Room Supplies
You can keep your art supplies very basic, such as paper, colored pencils, paints, paintbrushes, and clay. But, it’s very important to make sure any art supplies you give your children are non-toxic and kid-safe. For a list of the basic art materials I recommend for every Montessori classroom, click here.
Where to Start: Keep Things Exciting—and Organized
The secret to keeping your art space and art supplies organized is only keeping out the materials your child is currently into. If you had every supply out all the time, things could get cluttered and untidy, and your child may actually get bored.
If you see that your child is drawn to painting, keep those supplies out. They may seem content with whatever activity you put in front of them, but make sure you’re switching things up. Put out papers, pencils, and stencils for a week so your child can explore drawing; the next week put out clay and modeling tools; then put out paintbrushes, different types of paint, and paper.
Hopefully, this guide I have provided has given you the tips and information you need to set up your child’s at-home art room space. I know that storage can get a little tricky though—especially if your whole family is sharing a live/workspace. I originally created this art storage video for Montessori teachers, but all the principles apply to at-home art spaces and storage too.
In it, I walk you through how I set up my own Montessori art storage area. You’ll see how I organize things overall, but I’ll also show you how I categorize my tubs and storage containers. And then, as a bonus, I walk you through how I use the art materials I have in storage to set up an art lesson without much thought. Trust me, it’ll save you tons of time if you get this down.
Click here to unlock and watch my video, How to Set Up Your Montessori Art Storage Stress and Mess Free.
A Short Cut Just for You: At-Home Art Lessons Bundle
Here’s some good news: YOU can teach your kids art at home—and you don’t need any experience to do so. I’ve created the Kids Art At Home Lessons Download so that you can start presenting easy and fun art lessons to your kids.
This limited-time bundle features art lessons from each of the domains of the visual arts (drawing, painting, clay modeling, crafting, and color theory), so you’re actually laying a solid foundation for your child’s art education. You’ll receive:
Drawing Lesson (1)
Color Mixing Lesson (1)
Painting Lesson (1)
Clay Modeling Lesson (1)
Craft Lesson (1)
PLUS, I will provide you with 50 art lesson ideas, a materials list, and video and blog resources so your kids can continue to do art every day while at home! All of this is delivered as a bundle; you’ll download each item separately, so you and your child can be introduced to and work through the activities one at a time so they don’t get overwhelmed.
You can purchase Kids Art At Home: A Bundle of Beginner Art Curriculum & Activities for Kids—which is available for just a limited time—by clicking here.
How to Set Up an Environment and Lessons That Inspire Montessori Students to Paint
Painting is one of the most creative, fun (and sometimes messy) forms of visual art. If you look at the most basic concept of painting, anyone can do it. From simple finger painting to multi-layered brushstrokes, painting can be experienced by little artists of any age or level. My objective with this ultimate guide is to give you all the tools and information you need to create Montessori painting lessons and activities for your students.
The resources included in this Ultimate Guide should be beneficial to Montessori teachers of early childhood (3-6), lower elementary, upper elementary students, and even Montessori-at-home parents.
Montessori Painting
One of the most common domains of art, especially visual art, is painting. Children love playing with paint; it’s a very tactile medium. However, it’s important to remember that children lack the ability to paint realistic images in the beginning years, but they can still enjoy the creative process and learn basic brushstrokes to build lines, shapes, and textures to eventually make great imagery. Students in early childhood and elementary grades should be exposed to painting lessons and activities on a regular basis to improve their artistic skills and strengthen their art literacy as they age.
What is painting?
Painting is the action of making brush strokes marks with a paintbrush, hands, sponges, paint rollers, or stampers. Brushstrokes are made with a liquid pigment, called paint.
How Montessori Painting Lessons Benefit Children
Children can develop and strengthen their fine-motor control by learning to make brush strokes with their hands and by holding paintbrushes. By showing young students how to use a paintbrush, you’re helping them reach critical milestones that are directly related to other areas of childhood development.
Painting Builds Vocabulary (Art Language)
Montessori painting activities teach young students how to communicate what they see in their artworks and how to describe their personal artistic process. More than likely, their inquisitive little minds will start making connections (such as, “if I use this color paint and this paintbrush, I can make something that looks like this”). They’ll also start asking questions (such as, “what color is this?” or “why did this do this?”). Read more about art language here.
Where to Start: Montessori Painting Tips
Let Children Explore First
Don’t try introducing young children to painting through lessons; if they’ve never painted before, just let them explore and discover what paint is naturally. If you’re uncomfortable giving them a potentially messy medium without any guidance, then you can take the lead by dipping a paintbrush into paint and painting alongside them; kids love to mimic the actions of adults!
Keep Painting Lessons Simple
Give your students painting projects that are process-based and open-ended. This means your students do not have to follow directions to get an expected, specific result. Process-based activities give children freedom to explore the various paint mediums and design their own artworks in any way they desire.
Start with Few Options
Give your students just a few color options at first—maybe even limit it to one color. Too many options can be overstimulating, and cause them to lose focus (which could lead to messes).
Minimize Messes by Making Materials Mini
If you don’t want large messes, shrink down the paints and paintbrushes. Use the smallest available size of paintbrush and put paint into small containers (as opposed to giving students the entire bottle). This is one of the major tricks I share in my book Kids Painting.
Focus on Brushstrokes
Once your students have a grasp on how paints work and can control their movements a bit, move your focus to teaching brushstrokes. Read this article for tips on teaching kids how to create brushstrokes.
Use Painting to Teach Color Theory
One great way to teach color theory concepts is through painting! Start by giving your students a single color to paint with, but create different tones and hues for them to use. For example, start with a dark green, then add drops of white paint to it to make lighter and lighter shades.
Choose the Right (Safe) Paints
Only use paints that are safe, non-toxic, and intended for young children. If products carry a non-toxic seal or claims the product “conforms to ASTM D 4236,” that means all of the potentially hazardous components of the art product have been evaluated by a qualified toxicologist and clearly labeled on the product packaging. Most adult fine artist supplies don’t have this seal, so be very careful when purchasing.
The surface your students are using will determine the best paint for their project. For example, acrylic paint has the sticking power to help it adhere to canvas; watercolor paints need a thicker, more absorbent paper; finger paints and tempera paints will work on most regular paper.
Tip: Using watercolor paints, which can be diluted to near transparency, makes it easy to manage stains; start with these until you and your class get more familiar with painting and its clean-up.
Dress for a Mess
Young kids lack fine-motor skills to keep paint on in the palettes and on their paper, so be prepared for some mess. It takes many years for kids to stop making frequent spills. Anytime kids are painting make sure they’re wearing “paint clothes,” or old large t-shirts, a smock, or some other type of cover up. Even if the bottle says paint is washable, it can still soil clothing. Plus, there’s no real guarantee that the pigment is not going to stain…trust me!
Designate a Painting Area
Before painting starts, designate a painting area for the kids to work. Make sure they know that this is where paint will be set-up, activities will be completed, and the materials will stay. Never let kids get lazy about this rule! Remind them that this is the only place where painting is allowed. If necessary, put down tarps, rugs, or towels in this area to keep floors clean during any painting activities.
One Step Further: Download My Painting Materials Checklist and Check Out This Montessori Painting Lesson
Now you have a basic understanding of how to set up a painting area, what kind of painting activities your students can do, and an idea of what paints to use. Before you start teaching painting in your Montessori classroom, make sure you download this FREE Painting Materials Checklist; it has all the materials you need to be able to confidently and successfully teach your students! Click here to download the checklist.
As a bonus, you can also check out this FREE Northern Lightspainting lesson demonstration. This art project uses two paint techniques: wax resist and wet-on-wet. This project is best for elementary students, but can be adapted to be suitable for younger ages as well. Watch the video by clicking here!
A Short Cut Just for You
I’ve actually created an online training that delves deeper into teaching young students how to paint. Painting Key Lessons101 gives you the foundation for demonstrating and presenting painting lessons in your Montessori classroom, even if you don’t feel like you have the skills or experience. In the 1.5-hour video training, I also cover the types of paints that are best for children, and how to set up lessons so they’re integrated with other subjects and allow kids work independently. It truly is a shortcut to becoming an expert in teaching your students how to paint; AND, even better, you can earn 1.5 CPD hours once you complete the training and complete a quick survey! To enroll and get started, click here.
If you want more information, instruction, and tips for teaching kids how to paint, check out my book, Kids Painting. It includes everything you need to know about how young children learn how to paint, and gives you lists of kid-friendly paint supplies, art project/lesson ideas, and ways to set up your classroom to provide inspiration and avoid messes. To purchase Kids Painting, click here.
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 foreignlanguage 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.
As a Montessori teacher, you are well aware of the significance of staging shelves for your students’ independence and learning. To assist you in this endeavor, I have created the “Ultimate Guide for Staging a Montessori Art Shelf.” This comprehensive guide provides valuable tips, advice, and resources to help you set up a properly staged art shelf that promotes art literacy in your classroom. It includes links to relevant articles and blogs, making it your go-to resource for all things related to staging an art shelf.
The resources included in this Ultimate Guide offer insights for Montessori teachers of early childhood (ages three to six), lower elementary, and upper elementary students. Montessori-at-home parents will also find it helpful. My goal with this guide is to help you understand why every classroom needs an art shelf, as well as give you staging ideas to create a shelf that excites and engages students.
A proper art shelf should provide Montessori students with the art materials and mediums to work independently and inspire creative thinking. A Montessori art shelf is more about giving students the opportunity for exploration and discovery, without you needing to lead or teach lessons.
I understand that setting up the “perfect” art shelf can be overwhelming; but here’s the good news—a Montessori art shelf doesn’t need to be perfect! And in fact, staging an art shelf is no different than any of the other shelves in your classroom. If done correctly, it’ll save you the time and stress of worrying about creating art lessons that might not support independent art making and art literacy—the art shelf will do all the work for you.
Where to Start: Read Through These Montessori Art Shelf Resources
There are a ton of Montessori resources all over the internet, but these are the cumulation of my years of experience as an art teacher and Montessori art teaching trainer. I recommend you read through these five articles in the order they’re numbered. Once you have your art shelf set up, I’d highly encourage you to continue your Montessori art journey by learning more about my own proprietary art teaching method, preparing art lessons, effective ways to introduce art lessons. If you want to read futher in my books about this topic, check out my art teaching books here.
Ultimate Resource Links for Staging A Montessori Art Shelf
A Montessori art shelf doesn’t need to be complicated. If I’m being honest, an art shelf really only needs 10 items to be effective. With a few basic art supplies you can encourage your students to be creative in a way that reinforces Montessori philosophy and principles. You can take these 10 items, and turn them into unlimited inspiration by restocking and refreshing them throughout the year.
This article tackles the key features needed to set up a functional art space in your Montessori classroom. Kids need a space to doodle, draw, write, paint, craft, sew, knit, cut, glue, build, construct, and play with clay. In order for kids to make these types of art projects successfully (and without a mess), they need the proper art space.
An inspiration gallery goes hand-in-hand with a Montessori art shelf. They inspire students by providing them with ideas but giving them the freedom to create as they please (as opposed to needing to follow step-by-step instructions). You’ll find that some students may need a little extra push to create art, especially during the weeks you don’t give them a specific project to work on, and a fun inspiration gallery—plus a well-stocked art shelf—will help them find their creative spark.
If you want to keep your students excited about art making all year long, you’ll need to rotate and refresh the art materials on your shelf. Being able to store your art supplies when you’re not using them is important if you want to remain stress-free. This article provides tips and tricks for organizing your art material storage, so that you can easily access the supplies you need and pull them out for your art shelf or for art presentations.
While a Montessori art shelf really only needs 10 items to inspire your students, this article is a detailed list of everything you could add to your art shelf (and classroom). Once your art shelf is set up and your students begin to create, you can expand the materials they get to interact with.
How to Stage A Montessori Art Shelf In this 1-hour pre-recorded video, Spramani shares her: – Proprietary staging system for Montessori classrooms – How to stage to meet the arts standards – What types of materials to stage – How to support group and independent work, and much more!
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 foreignlanguage 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.
One of the biggest challenges I hear from Montessori teachers is keeping their classrooms organized—especially when it comes to art. Many of them think that it can be messy, and, because there are so many cool art materials you’ll want to have in your classroom, it can become disorganized and chaotic fairly quickly. But that’s not the case at all! Once you know how to set up your Montessori art storage, you’ll be able to do shelf staging, presentations, and demonstrations without breaking a sweat! You’ll be able to teach your students fun art projects without needing to be an artist yourself, you just need to be able to master your art materials storage and set-up!
I’m all about organization! When I’m not training other Montessori teachers with how to bring art into their classroom, I’m setting up pop-up art lessons at museums, studios, workshops, and different classrooms all over the world. You can sometimes find me at local Montessori schools here in San Diego, and I’ve also taught art at the Children’s Museum in Seattle, in lower elementary Montessori classrooms in China, and at Montessori teachers conferences in Bali! I’m literally all over the world!
My key to success in being able to set up shop with everything I need is organized storage! Because I know exactly where all my art materials are within their storage containers, I can quickly grab what I need and set up an art presentation without any stress. And I’m sharing my storage secrets with you! (Click here to watch my video, How to Set Up Your Montessori Art Storage Stress and Mess Free.)
There are a lot of reasons to spend a little extra time unpacking your classroom and making your art storage a priority.
It keeps your classroom and art shelf neat and tidy throughout the year.
It allows you to quickly set up your art environment for lessons.
Being able to see all your art materials while they’re in storage will make it easier to know what supplies you have on hand so you can quickly plan a lesson or project.
You’ll be able to rotate art material out of storage and onto your art shelf, so students stay inspired all year.
It models a good example for your students.
It helps you know your art material inventory so you know what items should be added to your shopping list for future activities.
Gives you assistant the ability to set up your art activities since everything is kept all in one place.
Where to Start: Understanding Art Shelf vs. Art Storage
It’s usually easier said than done, I know. At the beginning of the year you can start with a clean slate, but at the same time, you have all these cool new art materials you want to showcase and share with your students! Reel it in!
Not everything needs to be on your art shelf. In fact, if you put every art material out on your art shelf, it’ll probably backfire! Your students will lose interest in all the amazing mediums and art-making tools you’ve provided them. Plus, more things out on the shelf might very well lead to more mess!
I know that you’re going to have your own preferences in how you like to set up your classroom and how you like to organize your storage. In my experience, every art storage area should:
Include one container per art area, or domain
Have clear containers
Have containers with easy-to-open lids to access materials
Be in an area near your staging containers
Be in a place that’s away from your students’ reach
Have everything you need to teach stored together (e.g., a container for watercolor painting should have paints, palettes, napkins, wash jars, paintbrushes, watercolor paper, inspiration, etc.)
Generally speaking, you want everything that’s in storage to be visible and accessible.
I’m a visual person, so I made this video for you to check out. I’m going to walk you through how I set up my own Montessori art storage place. You’ll see how I organize things overall, but I’ll also show you how I categorize my tubs and storage containers. And then, as a bonus, I’ll show you why it’s so important to have a functioning art storage system…I’ll walk you through how I use the art materials I have in storage to set up an art lesson without much thought. Trust me, it’ll save you tons of time if you get this down.
Click here to unlock and watch my video on How to Set Up Your Montessori Art Storage Stress and Mess Free.
A Short Cut Just for You
Staying organized is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to having art in your classroom. Yes, Montessori art storage is important, but you need all the other puzzle pieces—knowing how kids learn art, understanding the components of an art lesson, being able to set up an art shelf, etc.—to be able to effectively teach your students art.
I’ve been helping Montessori teachers all over the world bring art into their classroom; I’ve honed and perfected the training so that you can do it too. In my online course, Art Teaching Blueprint, I give you everything you need to start teaching your Montessori students art.
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 foreignlanguage 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.
