Start Teaching Montessori Art In The Classroom

Have you ever considered how to introduce Montessori art lessons in your classroom? Perhaps you tried an art project before, only to face chaos and a mess. Maybe you felt overwhelmed by the amount of work you thought was required. Or it’s possible you avoided teaching art altogether due to uncertainty on where to begin.

Firstly, kudos if you tried to teach an art lesson. This step is significant, and with some good direction you can tackle an art lesson with better results. With three decades of experience in visual arts, I’ve crafted a unique approach to teaching children art lessons.

While I go much deeper into the development and functionality of my art teaching method, more blogs, books and my curriculum, today I want to just, highlight the key element you need to know—regardless of your prior knowledge. These are important ideas to being successful in teaching Montessori children in the classroom.

Naturally, adding some structure or purpose to art projects is important. Also it’s beneficial to find ways to link the Montessori art lessons to the Great Lessons.

I know getting your students to work independently and creativity is key, but most important is knowing where to start and whats truly important in a quality art literacy program.

Teaching Montessori Art In The Classroom

Art Education

When starting out teaching art in the Montessori Classroom, having a clear roadmap is essential. There are key areas to familiarize yourself with initially. Firstly, grasp the concepts taught in art literacy, such as the Elements of Art. Secondly, understanding the areas of visual arts to tach, like painting and drawing. Thirdly, learn about the art materials to and stage. Fourthly, creating an art-friendly environment is necessary. Lastly, identifying the primary Montessori art key lessons to introduce first is crucial.

Getting familiar with these foundations will get started on the right path for teaching art lessons. I’ve dedicated countless hours to developing art teaching resources for you through books, blogs, curricula, video tutorials, and even art certification programs if you’re interested in professional development.

Teaching Montessori Art In The Classroom, books, training and curriculum

Fostering Independence Through Art Creation

One common belief among Montessori educators is the value of fostering children’s independence. Therefore, it’s crucial to start off on the right foot when incorporating art lessons into your school. Once you grasp art literacy, you can move into other important concepts. Like learning how to set up for art demonstrations. Or how to stage art material presentations. And art teaching tactics that allow students the freedom to explore creativity. And lastly, you can get good at integrating all art lessons with The Great Lessons with ease.

Art Teaching First Steps

Get acquainted with art standards by exploring a user-friendly book that outlines visual arts for Montessori education. This resource will help you grasp the significance of teaching visual arts and what specific areas to concentrate on. Consider ordering these three Montessori books to access all the necessary knowledge to kickstart your journey into art education.

Defining Visual Arts

Montessori Art Guide – Early Childhood

Montessori art Guide – Elementary

Free Video Art Training

Montessori Art Certification

Montessori Art Resources

1. 5 Ways to Integrate Art Activities into Montessori Great Lessons

When you combine the concepts of art and the Great Lessons, you can seamlessly support your students learning without any disconnection!

2. Building a Montessori Art Lesson Calendar to Keep Students Busy Every Month

If you take some time to plan out your calendar, presenting art lessons will 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, this blog shares how.

3. 5 NEW Ways to Tackle Montessori Art Projects

This article is a little inspiration for tackling art lessons, activities, and projects. Because, sometimes, you need a different way of looking at things to come up with fun, creative art lessons for your students.

4. Montessori Art Lesson Planning How-To

Without the proper art training, it’s difficult to know what a great art lesson should actually cover and include. This post sets the foundation to help you choose lessons, set up for activities, and create a schedule for the year.

5. Montessori Art Activities | Big Bang Art Lessons

There are so many different art activities you can present to your students that incorporate the lessons about the Big Bang. Combining art activities with science is the perfect way for students to explore their imaginations and support traditional learning methods.

6. Montessori Art Lesson Planning: My Beautiful (Disastrous) Trip to Bali

Teaching art in Bali was, hands down, the most beautiful art trip I’ve taken this year, but that doesn’t mean everything went exactly as planned. Hopefully you will read about my experience and understand a few ways to work through difficult lessons—and maybe even learn from my mistakes!

7. Montessori Art Lesson Plan Cheat Sheet

One of the most important factors when it comes to lesson planning is staying organized. Download this FREE, handy, three-step cheat sheet and refer to it when you start planning your next art lesson.

April 11, 2019January 14, 2021

Ultimate Montessori Art Teaching Method Guide

I’ve worked with so many Montessori teachers who have never been taught art curriculum and have no idea how kids learn art. I’ve been in that boat before; it took me many years of working with children of all ages to really understand exactly how they learn art and what are skills they’re capable of at each age. I’m saving you from years of research and observation by creating and sharing the Ultimate Montessori Art Teaching Method Guide.

I designed this guide specifically for Montessori teachers. It covers the two Montessori planes, and each section in this guide is linked to a more detailed posts for each age.

This guide is the cumulation of more than three decades of experience working in the visual arts! I’m an artist turned mom, turned homeschool mom, turned art teacher and art manufacturer, and now I’m a Montessori art teacher trainer. My art teaching method has been taught to tens of thousands of children internationally, and now, I’m bringing the best of my knowledge and experience into the classroom of Montessori teachers.

My Art Teaching Method

I spent ten years observing children of all ages creating artworks so that I could understand recognizable cognitive patterns that revealed how children develop their skill sets. I’ve put this research on sensory art methods into studio-based practice and have seen success in many different environments.

This method is unlike any other way of teaching art. It’s designed to give children art skills that are aligned with their cognitive milestones—cognitive processing, visual perception, and fine-motor development. The goal is to wire implicit memory through all phases of development from early childhood through adolescence.

My art teaching method is extremely complementary to the Montessori way; it’s a natural progression for Montessori teachers and schools to enrich their programs and the enjoyment of the children they work with. This method connects visual art skill sets with creative thinking through sensorial experiences. Once you have an understanding of this Montessori art teaching method, you’ll be able to adapt your Montessori art curriculum to children’s three-part cognitive system (cognitive processing, visual perception, and fine-motor development), and help your students develop the necessary artistic high-order thinking needed to become artful.

How to Use This Guide

I invite you to read through this post to gain a high-level view of how this teaching method adapts to each Montessori plane. Then, click on each specific age range to find out how to effectively teach children based on their cognitive capabilities. As always, if you have questions, leave a comment, send me an email, or jump onto my exclusive Facebook page and let me know!

Early Childhood (Toddler)

Many people mistakenly think that toddlers cannot yet learn art, but that’s not the case. In early childhood, toddlers see art making as exploratory and a discovery-based experience. Young students in the Montessori art first plane do not yet understand the placement of visual arts, and are in a very curious state about mediums. At this age, children should explore art mediums without any expected outcome.

The best way to teach early childhood students is through process-based art. This means the focus on is on the experience and the process, not on the child’s final piece of artwork.

Teaching art to early childhood toddler students helps tremendously in improving their fine motor skills, which are essential to everyday tasks. To learn more about art teaching methods for this age group, read this blog.

Early Childhood (3-6 Years)

Students in early childhood should continue to learn primarily through process-based art. Children who are 3-6 years of age are quick learners and curious about art, so give them room to explore and experiment.

You want to allow students to make art in creative mode, using their own own imaginations, thoughts, and ideas for inspiration. At this age you can begin to introduce copy-mode, but limit your instruction to movement rather than copying an image.

For more information on exactly how to balance creative mode and copy mode for early childhood students, check out this post.

Lower Elementary

Children at the lower L age are able to come up with their own imaginative creations, plan with intention, and think their ideas through to completion, going through the four steps of the artistic process.

At this age, lower elementary students approach art making with lots of curiosity and enthusiasm for trying different techniques and mediums. You can start introducing line, shape, form, texture, color, and symmetrical balance ideas.

Art can be taught to students through process-based art, a continuation of creative mode, and very simplistic copy mode.

If you want a more detailed explanation of how to art teaching methods for lower L students, read this post.

Upper Elementary

Students in upper L can go through the artistic process, conjure up their own ideas, and see them through to completion. They’re able to do reflective work, bringing meaning to their creations and making connections to artworks in their community.

You can teach students Montessori art lessons through a combination of process-based art, creative mode, and copy mode.

By the time students are in upper elementary, they’re extremely competent when it comes to their fine-motor skills. Allow them to experiment with different mediums, techniques, and perspectives.

For more information on upper elementary art teaching methods, read this post.

Montessori Art Teaching Methods Resources

If you would like to understand more about which types of art projects children can work on, register for my free video course, Phases of Arts Development, which discusses teaching methods for Montessori students.

Montessori art book for teaching students

You can learn about Art Literacy Standards and the benefits of visual arts by reading Defining Visual Arts Paperback (paperback book).

Sign-up to receive video course & Montessori art teaching e-newsletter.

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.

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.

April 4, 2019July 26, 2021

Teaching Process-Based Art in the Montessori Classroom

When I first visit a Montessori school and meet with Montessori teachers—especially those in Plane 1 and early childhood—so many of them dismiss the idea of teaching young children art.

They’re right and wrong about this. That may sound confusing, but stay with me!

When it comes to teaching art to toddlers and students aged 3-6, you really don’t actually have to teach them anything. Why not? Kids need to experience the process art making before they can “learn about” art.

I’ve worked closely with young children for nearly 20 years, and I’ve observed how children exercise their creativity and build their imagination through art. Art is extremely valuable to the healthy development of a creative child, and it all starts with the concept of process art.

It can be confusing for teachers to understand and identify process-based art if they haven’t had their own experience with it. My goal for this blog post is to help you get some clarity on what process art means for early childhood students. Here’s what process focused art experiences should look like in the Montessori classroom.

What is Process-Based Art?

Process art is all about the process; the focus is on experiencing art—that’s it. With process art, you’re not worrying about what a finished artwork is going to look like. Young students are not yet ready to make realistic pictures or aesthetically pleasing finished artworks; they’ll be able to learn more advanced skills later in their adolescent years, at this age, they’re simply at a stage of exploration.

Discovery and experimentation are key to process art making for toddler and early childhood kids. Their learning and development of problem solving skills come from spending time making process art.

When you give young students the opportunity to discover, explore, and make mistakes, unique and creative artworks will start to flow out of them. When kids get to freely play and express themselves, they’re gaining the ability to think creatively. Process art also strengthens their fine motor skills, spatial intelligence, and cognitive thinking.

For early childhood students, it’s far more important to go through the artistic process through process-based art making projects—it’s how kids truly learn.

Teaching Process-Based Art

Process-based art is all about giving students room to explore their own art-making techniques. However, there should be a light, very simplistic introductory instructions on how mediums can work or be used. (This helps mitigate any messes and empowers children with the confidence to create.) I recommend showing early childhood students how mediums might turn out and the different techniques that can be achieved with each.

When teaching process art making, encourage students to experiment. Inspire them to be unique and original. Make sure they know that any type of exploration is great, and there is no wrong way to use mediums and attempt whatever they choose to create.

With process-based art, time is irrelevant, meaning they can go back and add to an older project during a different art-making session.

Most Common Process-Based Art Mistakes

As well-intentioned as teachers may be when it comes to art instruction, if teaching process-based art is new to them, they’re prone to making a few mistakes. Here are five some dos and don’ts for giving your students process art experiences.

Don’t introduce art lessons as step-by-step instructions (this is known as copy mode, and can be shared with students at an older age). Instead, do give children the freedom to create outside of specific instruction.
Don’t tell children that their project has a right way and wrong way to be created. Do encourage them to explore and assure them that anything they make is accepted.
Don’t expect a child’s finished art to look the same as a sample, or even be a recognizable image. Do remember that in early childhood, students are still grasping artistic mediums and techniques; what they create will be completely unique to their imagination.
Don’t discourage a student from exploring mediums in ways you haven’t introduced. Do give them space to experiment and be unique.
Don’t feel compelled to correct a child or guide them to fix their project to look more like the example. Do remember that process art is about the process, not the finished product.

Free Mini Digital Video Course!

I hope this help gives you a understanding of how process-based art can work in the Montessori classroom. If you would like to learn more how to nurture children in the visual arts, register for my FREE mini digital course, Phases of Art Development Video.

Sign-up to receive video course & Montessori art teaching e-newsletter.

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

Early Childhood Art Guide

Visual Arts Teaching Guide
for 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

Buy Guide Now!

March 14, 2019January 14, 2021

Upper Elementary Montessori Art Teach Method

I’ve spent years and years researching and observing how children learn art, and what I’ve found is that children are able to grasp different artistic skills at different planes. In this new blog series, I’ll be sharing my insight on the art teaching methods that work for each age group of Montessori students.

Children of all ages can be taught visual arts and be guided through the artistic process. Each developmental phase requires different teaching styles and approaches.

Below you’ll find a general arts literacy guide for Montessori Early Childhood ages following the International Standards for the Arts Education & Sensory Visual Arts method that aligns with a child’s growth.

Montessori Upper Elementary Art Teaching Methods Resources

You can learn about Art Literacy Standards and the benefits of visual arts by reading Defining Visual Arts (paperback book).

If you would like to understand more about the phases of art development, register for this free mini digital course

Upper Elementary, Ages 10-12, Montessori Visual Arts Teaching Curriculum

Students in upper L can go through the artistic process, conjure up their own ideas and see them through to completion. They’re able to do reflective work, bringing meaning to their creations and making connections to artworks in their community.

Children in this phase of art development should have different opportunities to explore different artist techniques. They can now work independently and follow guided instructions. Projects can be spread out over the course of a few days and should include a variety of concepts, such as line, shape, value, form, texture, color, symmetry, 3D and composition.

Continue to help students develop their art literacy by using art language in the classroom.

You can also continue to teach student Montessori art lessons through a combination of process-based art, creative mode, and simple copy mode.

Strengthen and Develop Upper Elementary Students’ Art Skills

By the time students are in upper elementary, they’re extremely competent when it comes to their fine-motor skills; in large part, this is due to the day-to-day activities they’re completing as part of their Montessori curriculum. Their muscles—both large and small—have been developed through school work and art creating, which gives them improved control over their movements. This means drawing and painting can be done in more detail.

At this age, students still need lots of exploratory sessions and opportunities to experiment with different mediums and techniques. Children are now drawing and painting with a 2D perspective, and can be introduced to simple 3D concepts—like value, shading, and basic three-point perspective ideas—as well. Again, keep lessons simple, easy to follow, and easy to understand.

Some upper elementary students might also be interested in learning realistic drawing and painting skills. However, not all children at this level will be developmentally ready for these types of advanced concepts.

Provide connections to The Elements and Principles of Design, introduction to three dimension 1 point perspective ideas, value shading, and composition relationships.

Upper Elementary Montessori Art Activities & Mediums

Here are some great Montessori Upper Elementary art projects for your students who are 10 – 12 ages in the elementary grades. These types of art activities will help develop their fine motor control and small muscles in fingers and hands while teaching the Elements & Principles of Design. (You can find non-toxic, kid-friendly art supplies needed for these art activities at Nature of Art for Kids.)

Drawing: crayons, color pencils, graphite pencil, and oil pastels, soft pastels etc.
Painting: watercolor paints, acrylic paints, watercolor crayons, watercolor pencils etc.
Color Theory: primary to secondary color mixing, tints & Shades, dropper color mixing, etc.
Clay Modeling: earth clay, non-harden plasticine clay, air-dry modeling clay, polymer bake clay
Crafts: Paper folding, origami, nature and paper collage, mosaic arrangement, sewing, wool felting, string weaving, nature crafting, 3D constructing etc.

Learn more about how to teach a in a Montessori curriculum by registering for my FREE mini digital course, Phases of Art Development Video. I get more into detail on upper elementary Montessori art lessons and provide fun and exciting art project ideas.

Sign-up to receive video course & Montessori art teaching e-newsletter.

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

March 7, 2019January 14, 2021

Lower Elementary Montessori Art Teach Method

Children of all ages can be taught visual arts and be guided through the artistic process. Each developmental phase requires different teaching styles and approaches.

Below you’ll find a general arts literacy guide for Montessori Lower Elementary ages following the International Standards for the Arts Education & Sensory Visual Arts method that aligns with a child’s growth – Nature of Art®.

Montessori Lower Elementary Art Teaching Methods Resources

You can learn about Art Literacy Standards and the benefits of visual arts by reading Defining Visual Arts (paperback book).

Get more information on how to bring art lessons into the Montessori classroom by reading Introducing Visual Arts into the Montessori Classroom (paperback book).

If you would like to understand more about the phases of art development, register for this free mini digital course.

Lower Elementary, Ages 7-9, Montessori Visual Arts Teaching Curriculum

Children at the lower L, age can do a number of different types of art projects. They can conjure up their own ideas and imaginative creations. Montessori lower elementary students can now plan with intention and think their ideas through to completion, going through the four steps of the artistic process.

At this age, students love to explore and discover what results different art mediums can produce. They encounter visual arts and Montessori art projects with lots of curiosity and a willingness to try different techniques.

Stretching Students’ Art Skills

Children can follow simple guided-art instructions and remain focused on their work for up to 1.5 hours. However, it’s still important to keep projects simple, with just a few un-complicated steps. Montessori art projects should start to introduce line, shape, form, texture, color, and symmetrical balance ideas.

You can also start introducing your lower elementary Montessori students to art language and the Elements & Principles of Design. For more information, reference Defining Visual Arts to better understand art language for young children.

Students’ fine-motor skills are becoming more controlled due to all the activities in their day-to-day Montessori curriculum and academic studies. Drawing and painting can be done with higher levels of control. The most important thing to focus on is giving children tasks that will continue to develop their fine-motor skills.

Children in lower elementary also need lots of exploratory sessions that allow them to experiment with varied mediums and techniques. Children are now drawing and painting with a 2D perspective and can be introduced to texture.

Art-Teaching Methods for Lower Elementary

Based on my proprietary sensory art method, I recommend teaching Montessori art through a combination of three methods: process-based art, creative-mode, and simple copy-mode.

Process-based art is about exploring and using their own imagination; it’s not necessarily focused on the child’s final piece of artwork.
Creative mode gives children the opportunity to explore mediums and conjure up creative images based on their own imaginations, thoughts, and ideas.
Copy mode refers to a systematic, step-by-step art instruction. Copy-mode should not be copy what you see in the image type lessons.

Lower Elementary Montessori Art Activities & Mediums

Here are some great Montessori Lower Elementary art projects for your students who are 7-9 years old, in the elementary grades. These types of art activities will help develop their fine motor control and small muscles in fingers and hands while teaching the Elements & Principles of Design. (You can find non-toxic, kid-friendly art supplies needed for these art activities at Nature of Art for Kids.)

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.

Learn more about Montessori art teaching methods for lower elementary and get some Montessori art projects ideas by registering for my FREE mini digital course, Phases of Art Development Video.

Sign-up to receive video course & Montessori art teaching e-newsletter.

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

February 21, 2019January 14, 2021

Early Childhood Montessori Art Teaching Method (3-6 Years)

Sensory Cognitive Child Art Method, montessori

Children of all ages can be taught visual arts and be guided through the artistic process. Each developmental phase requires different teaching styles and approaches.

Below you’ll find a general arts literacy guide for Montessori Early Childhood ages 3-6, which follows the International Standards for the Arts Education & Sensory Visual Arts method that aligns with a child’s growth™.

Montessori Early Childhood Art Teaching Methods Resources

Sign-up to receive video course & Montessori art teaching e-newsletter.

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

You can learn about Art Literacy Standards and the benefits of visual arts by reading Defining Visual Arts Paperback (paperback book).

Get more information on how to bring art lessons into the Montessori classroom by reading Introducing Visual Arts into the Montessori Classroom (paperback book).

If you would like to understand more about the phases of art development, register for this free mini digital course.

Early Childhood Art Teaching: 3 to 6 Years

For young children, art making is an exploratory- and discovery-based experience. Students in the Montessori first plane and who are aged 3 to 6 years are ready for simple art making tasks. They’re now able to make connections to their own imagination.

Learning Through Process-Based Art

The best instruction method to introducing art lessons is through process-based art, creative-mode, and copy-mode, with the goal of building implicit memory.

Process-based art is about the experience and the process; it’s not focused on the child’s final piece of artwork or whether it resembles art adults can recognize, but rather, it’s about exploring and using their own imagination.

When teaching by process art, you should give a brief introductory instruction on how mediums work and can be used. Children who are 3-6 years of age are very curious about art mediums and their results. They’re also quick learners. Montessori early childhood art lessons should allow students to explore art mediums without any expected outcome. Give students opportunities to focus on experimentation.

By providing specific activities in your Montessori art classroom, you can actually help young students develop and refine their small motor muscles. Creating art helps develop both large and small muscles, which improves young students’ controlled movements. I will usually start young students off with clay modeling, paint brush stroking, and activities using safety scissors—each of these help them strengthen their fine motor skills more quickly.

Continuing with Creative-Mode

Creative-mode is how children first learn to create art. It is the basis of process-based art learning. In creative mode, you should refrain from giving students a point of reference or image to copy. The child creates art by exploring the medium and conjuring up their own creative images from their own imaginations, thoughts, and ideas.

Introducing Copy-Mode

Copy-mode refers to a systematic, step-by-step art instruction. But in early childhood, you don’t want to yet introduce copy what you see in the image-type lessons. At this stage, children love to mimic easy task the see adults do, such as sweeping, cleaning, sewing, painting, cutting, and gardening. Bring this into your art lessons, and allow them to copy your movements.

Introduce copy-mode by having students copy a simple design (one that only involves one to two steps). Once they have the basic design complete, let them continue on in creative-mode and finish their projects however they want.

Early Childhood Art Activities & Mediums

Here are some great Montessori Early Childhood art projects for your students who are ages 3 to 6. These types of art activities will help develop their fine motor control and small muscles in fingers and hands; they also allow room to utilize creative-mode and copy-mode during activities. (You can find non-toxic, kid-friendly art supplies needed for these art projects at Nature of Art for Kids.)

Doodling: crayons, color pencils, tempera sticks, etc.
Painting: watercolor paints, tempera paints, finger paints, homemade veggie dyes, etc.
Color Theory Play: watercolor painting, dropper painting, squeeze bottle painting, etc.
Clay Modeling: earth clay, homemade play dough, pressing sculptures, beeswax forming, non-hardening plastine clay, etc.
Simple Crafts: cutting paper, weaving string, glueing, building with blocks, large popsicle-stick structures, etc.

A Short Cut Just for You

Having the right art material for your early childhood classroom is just the first step. If you want more information on how to use each material, how to set up an art shelf with the materials, and how to teach lessons that actually help early childhood students learn art (YES, they can learn art at that early of an age!) then I have some good news for you!

I’m currently selling my brand new, Early Childhood Art Guide. It includes everything you need to know to successfully bring art lessons into your early childhood classroom—without the stress. I go into more detail about art materials (such as how to use them and where to find them), give you step-by-step art presentations, and a ton of other valuable information that makes teaching art and setting up your shelf so much easier. And, right now, you can order yours today!, so don’t miss out!

Early Childhood Art Guide

Visual Arts Teaching Guide
for 13 Months – 6 Years Old

Buy Guide Now!

February 14, 2019January 14, 2021

Early Childhood (Toddler) Montessori Art Teaching Methods

Children of all ages can be taught visual arts and be guided through the artistic process. Each developmental phase requires different teaching styles and approaches.

Below you’ll find a general arts literacy guide for Montessori Early Childhood, following the International Standards for the Arts Education & Sensory Visual Arts method that aligns with a child’s growth™.

Montessori Early Childhood Art Teaching Methods Resources

You can learn about Art Literacy Standards and the benefits of visual arts by reading Defining Visual Arts Paperback (paperback book).

Get more information on how to bring art lessons into the Montessori classroom by reading Introducing Visual Arts into the Montessori Classroom (paperback book).

If you would like to understand more about the phases of art development, register for this free mini digital course.

Early Childhood (Toddler) Montessori Art Teaching Methods

Early Childhood, Toddler Art Teaching: 15 months to 3 years

For young children, art making is an exploratory- and discovery-based experience. Students in the Montessori art first plane do not yet understand the placement of visual arts, and are in a very curious state about mediums. At this age, children should explore art mediums without any expected outcome.

Learning Through Process-Based Art

The best instruction method to introducing art lessons is through process-based art. Process-based art is about the experience and the process; it’s not focused on the child’s final piece of artwork or whether it resembles art adults can recognize, but rather, it’s about exploring and using their own imagination.

When teaching by process art, you should give a brief introductory instruction on how mediums work and can be used. Give a few examples so kids can see different techniques for using the mediums.

That’s it though!

From there, allow Early Childhood students to explore their own techniques and ideas. Assure them that there is no right or wrong way to use the medium to create their artwork. Let them go back and add to previous projects and (reasonably) experiment with unique ways to finish their project using the medium you’ve introduced. Remember, process-based art is all about experimenting and discovering!

Developing Fine-Motor Skills

An important thing you want to focus on is giving children tasks that encourage fine-motor skill development. Creating art helps develop both large and small muscles, which improves young students’ controlled movements. Be sure to provide plenty of opportunities to practice these skills.

Typically, children who are in preschool to kindergarten have little to no finger or hand strength capabilities. It’s important to understand how fine-motor development plays a huge role in a child’s daily life—dressing themselves, tying their own shoes, eating without assistance, writing, even playing outdoors. They also help with healthy cognitive processing at early ages.

By providing specific activities in your Montessori art classroom, you can actually help young students develop and refine their small motor muscles. I will usually start young students off with clay modeling, paint brush stroking, and activities using safety scissors—each of these help them strengthen their fine motor skills more quickly.

Early Childhood Art Activities & Mediums

Here are some great Montessori early childhood art projects for your students who are at a toddler age up through primary grades. These types of art activities will help develop their fine motor control and small muscles in fingers and hands. (You can find non-toxic, kid-friendly art supplies needed for these art activities at Nature of Art for Kids.)

Doodling: crayons, color pencils, tempera sticks, etc.
Painting: watercolor paints, tempera paints, finger paints, homemade veggie dyes, etc.
Color Theory Play: watercolor painting, dropper painting, squeeze bottle painting, etc.
Clay Modeling: earth clay, homemade play dough, pressing sculptures, beeswax forming, etc.
Simple Crafts: cutting paper, weaving string, glueing, building with giant/jumbo Legos, large popsicle-stick structures, etc. (I recommend holding off on any crafts involving small parts until after your students are older than 3.)

A Short Cut Just for You: Buy Early Childhood Guide

Early Childhood Art Guide

Visual Arts Teaching Guide
for 13 Months – 6 Years Old

Buy Guide Now!

January 27, 2019February 1, 2020

Montessori Art Early Childhood Guides

Children of all ages can be taught visual arts and guided through the artistic process.

Each developmental phase requires different teaching styles and approaches.

Resources

If you would like to understand more about which types of art projects children can work on, register for this free video course Phases of Arts Development discussing Early Childhood, 3 – 6, and 6 – 13 years age.

You can learn about Art Literacy Standards and the benefits of visual arts read Defining Visual Arts Paperback (paperback book).Get information on how to bring art lessons into the Montessori classroom by reading Introducing Visual Arts into the Montessori Classroom (paperback book).

Get information on how to bring art lessons into the Montessori classrom by reading Introducing Visual Arts into the Montessori Classroom (paperback book).

Early Childhood, Toddler Art Teaching : 18 months to 3 years

For young children art making will be an exploratory and discovery based experience. Early childhood children do not understand the placement of visual arts, and are in a very curious state about mediums. Children should explore art mediums without any expected outcome.

So the best instruction method to introducing art lessons will be process based art, Process based art is about the experience and the process, and not focused on the child’s final piece of artwork, or whether it resembles art adults recognize.

And finally the important thing you want to focus on is giving children task for fine-motor skill development. Art creating helps develop muscles both small and large, which improves controlled movements. Be sure to provide plenty of opportunities to practice these skills.

Art Activities & Mediums For Early Childhood

Doodling – crayons, color pencils, tempera sticks

Painting – watercolor paints, tempera paints, finger paints, homemade veggie paints

Color Theory Play – water color paints

Clay Modeling – earth clay, homemade play dough

Simple Crafts – cutting paper and weaving string. I recommend waiting to do crafts with small parts till after age of 3 years.

Learn more by registering for this free mini digital course, Phases of Art Development Video.

December 13, 2018February 1, 2020

5 Ways to Become an Art-Trained Montessori Teacher Over Winter Break

Usually when I tell Montessori teachers they can start teaching art in their classroom, they look at me like I’m crazy! So many of them tell me they have no training, they’re not creative, or they struggle with just drawing stick figures! Trust me though, you CAN become an art-trained Montessori teacher!

In fact, winter break is one of the best times to get started. Think about how excited your students will be to come back to school and find out you’ll be introducing art lessons to them. They’ll love it! Not only will it help develop their creativity and art literacy, but it helps them make connections between all the other subjects they’re learning—such as the Great Lessons.

So, now I’m sure you’re thinking, “Look, Spramani, I definitely want to become a better Montessori teacher, and it would be really cool to start providing visual arts in my classroom, but how can I become art trained in a matter of weeks? Winter break is only so long.”

I’ve done the hard work for you. After 20 years of observing the way kids learn art, I’ve created a simple way to teach art that works perfectly in the Montessori classroom. It really doesn’t require much leg work from you, and students get to explore the entire artistic process. Of course, you’ll have to sign up for my Art Teaching Blueprint and get all the info you need (I’ll touch on what the course is and why it’s so awesome further below), but here are five things to do to get you started to becoming art trained over winter break.

1. Buy Some Supplies

The first step to becoming art trained is setting yourself—as well as your classroom and students—up with the right tools and supplies. (I’ve broken down the essential art supplies every Montessori classroom needs in this blog post.) Starting with a stocked classroom gives you the foundation to explore the visual arts.

2. Set Up an Art Shelf

As you know, subject-based shelves are the basis of a successful Montessori classroom, so it only makes sense that you should set up an art shelf. You can read how to set up an art shelf in your classroom here. A proper art shelf supports art literacy and helps keep all your supplies organized in one easy-to-reach place for your students to access.

3. Build an Inspiration Gallery

Another way to get your classroom set up for teaching art is to create an inspiration gallery. It can give students a place to observe and talk about artwork, which can increase their art literacy, language, and self-esteem. While an inspiration gallery is a simple concept, there are some tricks to it. For instance, you don’t want to solely include fine art examples; it’s important to incorporate students’ own work too. (If you want to learn more about how inspiration galleries work, read this blog post.)

4. Pick Up a Book

Once you’re all set with supplies, an art shelf, and an inspiration gallery, it’s time to start your training. You can give yourself a great base by doing some quick reading. I’ve written two visual art books that create a framework for learning the subject. Defining Visual Arts focuses on the latest standards and the most important projects, mediums, and techniques to teach. Introducing Visual Arts to The Montessori Classrooms gets a little more specific in providing solid guidance for teaching art in a Montessori environment. Either one—but of course, both—of these books are helpful in giving you the context for how children learn art and are a great option in kicking off your art training.

5. Register for my FREE teacher course: Phases of Art Development Guides & Art Project Ideas!

I created a free video course to teach Montessori teachers like you the phases of art development—or what art skills your students are capable of learning in each age range. The course also includes three bonus videos of art lessons, projects, and techniques to use in your classroom, no matter what grade you’re teaching. Best of all, you can go through this mini training in the comfort of your own home (while on winter break!).

You can do it, YOU can become an art-trained Montessori teacher. I believe in you and your students will thank you for taking the time to learn how to teach art in your classroom. If you have any questions or want to connect with other Montessori teachers who are going through my course, make sure you go like my Facebook page.

November 29, 2018February 1, 2020

Teaching Montessori Art, Creative Making vs. Copy Making

By Spramani Elaun

In my twenty years of observing and teaching children of all ages to draw and paint, I’ve discovered the best ways for teaching art without stifling their creative spirit. My unique teaching method breaks down instruction into two balanced approaches: creative-mode and copy-mode.

When art instruction is balanced using these two methods, a child can develop skilled fine art motor movements, plus conceptualize original imaginative ideas. Understanding how to teach creative making and copy making is simple. I cover it in more detail in my book, Introducing Visual Arts to Montessori Classrooms, but here’s a quick guide to give you a foundation.

Creative Making

Creative mode is how children first learn to create art. In creative mode, you can introduce projects and demonstrate a medium, but refrain from giving students a point of reference or image to copy. The child creates art by exploring the medium and conjuring up their own creative images from their own imaginations, thoughts, and ideas.

Introducing Creative Making to Students

Creative making is all about giving students the freedom to explore. You can show kids examples of projects using similar mediums and technique but give them space to come up with their own ideas of images, colors, and even different techniques to finishing their artworks.

Young children should start their art experience in creative mode, then move on to copy mode learning and observations in the upper grades.

Copy Making

Copy mode refers to a systematic, step-by-step art instruction. When students are older they are able to learn to make art by mimicking or copying a visual image by following a series of steps, resulting in a similar finished project. In fine art adult classes, students learn to draw or paint by copying what they see an in image and studying its perspective renderings of line, form, light, value and composition.

Introducing Copy Making to Students

Start out by having kids copy a design step-by-step. For example, you can teach kids how to draw a butterfly in just three to four simple, systematic steps and most students will create similar butterfly shapes. You can then transition children into creative-mode thinking, by allowing them to color or paint their designs however they choose—tapping into their own individual creativity they harnessed at a younger age. The goal is to give kids the foundation to draw an outline of a basic butterfly shape (in copy mode) and the freedom to think creatively (in creative mode).

The Benefits of Creative Making & Copy Making

Copy-mode drawing can help develop muscles in students’ eyes, hands, and memories. Copying geometric or organic shapes can help students achieve similar shapes they might desire in their own creative drawings or designs. Limited copy-mode and step-by-step drawing lessons should be introduced to children in elementary grades.

Creative-mode supports children in developing ideas from their own imaginations. It gives kids free range to conjure up their own ideas; this also supports the artistic process. When children learn to create from their own ideas, they conceptualize original artworks through imagination, planning, and finally, constructing. These are the qualities of a creative innovator. Because young children have great imaginations, it’s ideal for children to being making art this way.

Teach by Balancing Both Methods of Instruction

For students to benefit the most, you should be balancing fun projects that utilize creative-making opportunities with occasional skill-building, copy-making techniques. Using both methods of instruction will support art literacy by guiding students through the artistic process. Children have the opportunity to create and imagine their own ideas and design, then explore and construct their art projects, and finally express what they create with words or written descriptions about their process.

If you require kids to follow too many step-by-step instructions and do not allow for any creative freedom, it can stifle their creativity or love for making art. Additionally, a child’s visual perception and fine-motor development develops slowly over childhood. Some children may not be developmentally or cognitively ready to copy at an early age and this can negatively affect their self-esteem and ability to think creatively on their own. Some copy-mode instruction can be introduced in early elementary, but should be directed more towards upper elementary grades.

All kids need artistic inspiration to serve as a springboard for drawing and painting ideas to get them started. You should always give kids some point of reference to copy initially, then allow their own ideas or designs to flourish. It’s really difficult for many kids to sit down and think of something to create off the top of their head without any guidance at all, especially if they do not have much practice in visual arts just yet. This is why it’s so essential for copy and creative making to work hand in hand! Simple copy-mode lessons can be used as inspiration. Just remember, copy making and step-by-step instructions should be options, not requirements.

If you would like to learn more about teaching art in your Montessori classroom, register for my next Art Teaching Blueprint training. I break down these concepts in simple, easily digestible lessons (that you can go through at your own pace) and help you start using these methods in your classroom. Trust me, so many Montessori teachers like you have been able to implement visual arts in their lessons and always come back to tell me how much their students love it and are benefiting from it. I want this for you and your students too! So, click here to register today.

Art Education

Fostering Independence Through Art Creation

Art Teaching First Steps

Montessori Art Resources

My Art Teaching Method

How to Use This Guide

Early Childhood (Toddler)

Early Childhood (3-6 Years)

Lower Elementary

Upper Elementary

Montessori Art Teaching Methods Resources

What is Process-Based Art?

Teaching Process-Based Art

Most Common Process-Based Art Mistakes

Free Mini Digital Video Course!

Visual Arts Teaching Guidefor 13 Months – 6 Years Old

Montessori Upper Elementary Art Teaching Methods Resources﻿

Upper Elementary, Ages 10-12, Montessori Visual Arts Teaching Curriculum

Strengthen and Develop Upper Elementary Students’ Art Skills

Upper Elementary Montessori Art Activities & Mediums

Montessori Lower Elementary Art Teaching Methods Resources﻿

Lower Elementary, Ages 7-9, Montessori Visual Arts Teaching Curriculum

Stretching Students’ Art Skills﻿

Art-Teaching Methods for Lower Elementary﻿

Lower Elementary Montessori Art Activities & Mediums

Montessori Early Childhood Art Teaching Methods Resources﻿

Early Childhood Art Teaching: 3 to 6 Years

Learning Through Process-Based Art

Continuing with Creative-Mode

Introducing Copy-Mode

Early Childhood Art Activities & Mediums

A Short Cut Just for You

Visual Arts Teaching Guidefor 13 Months – 6 Years Old

Montessori Early Childhood Art Teaching Methods Resources

Early Childhood, Toddler Art Teaching: 15 months to 3 years

Learning Through Process-Based Art

Developing Fine-Motor Skills

Early Childhood Art Activities & Mediums

A Short Cut Just for You: Buy Early Childhood Guide

Visual Arts Teaching Guidefor 13 Months – 6 Years Old

Resources

Early Childhood, Toddler Art Teaching : 18 months to 3 years

Art Activities & Mediums For Early Childhood

Visual Arts Teaching Guide
for 13 Months – 6 Years Old

Montessori Upper Elementary Art Teaching Methods Resources

Montessori Lower Elementary Art Teaching Methods Resources

Stretching Students’ Art Skills

Art-Teaching Methods for Lower Elementary

Montessori Early Childhood Art Teaching Methods Resources

Visual Arts Teaching Guide
for 13 Months – 6 Years Old

Visual Arts Teaching Guide
for 13 Months – 6 Years Old