There are so many different art activities on Pinterest and elsewhere on the internet that it can be overwhelming to choose which of the many Montessori art activities for Big Bang lessons is best for your students. And a hard-working, multi-tasking, total boss teacher like you has better things to do that browsing through endless web pages, right?!
I’ve been in your shoes, browsing books and websites looking for ideas on what to teach. There are so many things to consider and questions to ask yourself:
Which activity will keep my students engaged?
Is this big bang art activity age appropriate?
Do I have all the materials or would I need to go out and buy some?
How do I stop scrolling through hundreds and hundreds of ideas on Pinterest!?
That’s what I’m here for!
I’m here to answer all those questions and give you some ideas on what kind of Montessori art big bang activities are going to support the Great Lessons you’re already teaching. I want to share with you ideas on how to support your important lessons, engage your students creative imagination, and get them working independently!
There are so many different art activities you can present to your students that incorporate the lessons about the Big Bang. I can think of a dozen different mediums that would help them visualize and understand such a big, seemingly-indefinite concept.
In fact, art lessons related to the Big Bang are some of my favorites to teach Montessori students! It allows them to explore their imaginations and get creative, but in a real, concrete sort of way. An explosion they’d only be able to imagine, they can now draw out on paper. They can paint the beautiful colors of a supernova. It’s amazing to see what they create!
Combining art activities with science can help kids express ideas in completely different ways than traditional learning, plus art stimulates creativity! Another bonus is art activities are sensory and tactile experiences, and offer students a new way to learn, rather than just through visual and auditory methods. Integrating art with the Big Bang lessons (and really, any other Great Lesson you’re teaching) gives your students the chance to think deeper fire up multiple senses at once.
Where to Start: Look for Visual Inspiration in the Great Lessons
When you’re teaching about the coming of the universe and the Big Bang, there really is no shortage of art inspiration. Just flip through some of your books! One of my go-to books for visual inspiration is “Born With a Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story” by Jennifer Morgan. What beautiful lines, swirls, textures, and pops of wonderful color! These images are sure to inspire your students to create.
One Step Further: Download My 5 Montessori Big Bang Art Activities Idea List
As I said, Big Bang art activities are some of my favorite to present to students! It took some time, but I whittled down all my favorite Big Bang art activities, to these five. They’re simple to present to your Montessori students and can be slightly adjusted to fit early childhood, lower elementary, or upper elementary classrooms (unless otherwise noted). Click here to download my top 5 Big Bang Art Activities and start teaching them in your classroom!
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.
The start of a new school year is the time to get organized for the next nine months (or so) ahead. Of course, you know the general subjects and lesson themes you’re going to teach, but doing yourMontessori curriculum planningfor the entire school year, or even the next month, can seem overwhelming.
In all honesty, coming up with art lessons for Montessori students just takes a bit of preparation and basic knowledge of what your students are capable of learning and understanding.
I’ve worked with Montessori teachers from all over the world. I know that far too often, art curriculum can take a back seat to other presentations like science, practical life, or language arts. However, it’s SO important for children to be introduced to visual art! You don’t have to deviate far from the Great Lessons to teach it either, in fact, I recommend using a Great Lesson theme as art idea inspiration when you’re creating your Montessori curriculum.
Let’s back up a second, though. I know it can be challenging—stressful even—to try and come up with Montessori art lessons when you have no art experience. Look, I’m a professional artist, I’ve done it! However, truth be told, I rarely get to show off the complete extent of my skills to elementary students, because they’re too young for this type of instruction and aren’t developmentally ready for these types of lessons.
It’s been the norm to think we need to be teaching children the classical Masters along with the elements and principles of design—but that’s not the case! Students struggle to learn those high-level, in-depth concepts because they need a foundation of simple art curriculum first. The truth is you CAN present great art lessons without being an artist!
Montessori Curriculum – Art Planning
Isn’t that great news!? You don’t have to be an artist to teach your Montessori children art literacy and concepts. (But I do have an online course, Art Teaching Blueprint, that does train you in how to teach art if you’re interested.) As an adult you have enough experience and knowledge to teach a basic one- to two-step Montessori art lesson sequence and activity.
But I know without the proper art training it’s hard to know what a quality art program should actually cover. Or how to go about choosing art lessons, setting up for activities, and creating a schedule for the year. I get it! Let me fast track you with some tips on creating Montessori art lessons.
Montessori Curriculum – Where to Start Art Lessons
What you decide to present for your art lessons is entirely up to you. I always suggest trying to integrate art lessons with other lessons you’re already presenting. You might also want to think about cultural special events or the Great Lessons as you map out your Montessori art curriculum lesson plans. For instance, U.S. Earth Day is in April, so your lessons that month can focus on nature and the earth.
Download 3 Step Montessori Art Lesson Planning How-To Guide
One of the most important factors when it comes to Montessori curriculum planning is staying organized. When I’m training Montessori teachers how to bring art into their classroom and create an art lesson plan, I try to keep it simple by breaking it down into three easy steps.
Basically, you can make art lesson presentations much easier on yourself by:
Planning and scheduling ahead of time
Keeping organized
Ordering materials ahead of time
Integrating important Montessori subjects (to keep you from struggling on what to teach about)
Giving children their own unique way to learn topics
Because I’ve been in your shoes and know exactly what it’s like to spend all your time searching for Montessori art lesson plans and ideas, I’m helping you out with this handy guide. Download it, keep it in your desk or folder, and refer to it whenever you’re mapping out your curriculum or planning your next art activities. Click here to download the guide.
These curriculums meet and exceeds the national and international core arts standards for children. It teaches the Elements and Principles of Design and the artistic process through the Science Art Method™. These are sequential step-by-step, drawing lessons that are easy to follow in scope and sequence. So you can save time with prepared lessons that are ready to schedule weekly, biweekly, or monthly. This is the best Montessori art curriculum for early childhood/elementary grades. Children love these fun drawing lessons.
Yes this is a stand-alone curriculum.
Yes this shows you how to teach progressive art skill sets
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.
Art lessons can be planned with very little effort, a quick set-up, and even keeping messes to a low impact! Whether you’re at the beginning of the school year and are still getting situated or further along but just having a difficult week (it happens to all of us!) easy Montessori art activities can save the day as long as you have a little preparation in place. These art lessons can also support the development of independence for your students.
Starting a new school year can be challenging. You’re getting back into the swing of things (hopefully you enjoyed your summer!), and your students are still adjusting to being back at school every day and doing their classroom work.
Here’s the thing, I know this new school year can also lead to joyful moments between you and your students if you create some calming, expressive situations for your students can settle into. I want to fast track you with some helpful suggestions to aid in these early weeks with easy Montessori art activities and prompts that you can set up quickly.
There’s a chance you’re still setting up your classroom and fine-tuning your shelving. Art lessons during the back-to-school season shouldn’t be difficult—for you or for your students. Start the new year with simple, easy Montessori lessons for art. It’ll keep your students captivated while you focus on putting together other presentations or just getting acclimated.
Where to Start: Know Your Aim
Don’t stress yourself out! The first couple weeks of school should come with a grace period. Instead of coming up with complex art extensions, give yourself a breather and do something easy. Just because a prompt is easy on you, doesn’t mean it won’t be engaging and educational for your students.
Direct Aim
You can start with basic lesson procedures such as technical material set-up demonstrations or presentations on how to properly manipulate mediums. Here’s a couple of examples of what I mean:
You can demonstrate how the art shelf is staged.
You can give presentations on how to set-up for watercolor painting and why all the tools work together, where to dry artworks, and how-to put materials away for the next artist to use.
You can give presentation techniques on different ways to use mediums like color pencils; you can also remind children how not to misuse these materials.
You can demonstrate why the materials are staged and how they relate to your inspiration gallery.
You can explain where art making will take place inside or outside the classroom.
You can show how to clean up materials and tools properly.
You can demonstrate how to manipulate mediums in different ways.
You can prepare an inspiration gallery.
By taking time in the beginning of the year for these lessons you set-up students for independence.
Indirect Aim
Once you’ve given these basic demonstrations and presentations you can make the materials available for your students by giving them an indirect aim of investigating creativity and responding to the great lessons or practical life stories you’re sharing this fall. This frees you from needing to have art extensions ready to present every day—just allowing them artistic expression and room to practice using the art materials will take care of everything else.
A few easy art mediums to start with are:
Crayons
Watercolor
Paper
Scissors
Glue sticks
I’ve created a download for Montessori teachers headed back to school (or really, Montessori teachers who need a quick, go-to art lesson prompt any time of the year). Each one is really easy to set up and pull off; they don’t require very many materials or an elaborate presentation or demonstration. They’ll still keep your students busy, help them grow in their art literacy, and won’t lead to any major mess or confusion.
One Step Further (Download My Easy Montessori Art Activities Cheat Sheet)
Before I became a Montessori art teacher trainer, I was an artist and homeschool mom. I also taught other art students from around my community how to create art, and have led programs in museums and educational conferences from different pedagogies throughout the world. With all this experience (more than three decades!), I’ve been able to observe the activities that excite and engage students. I’ve also learned what prompts require very little effort to put together and result in no stress at all! And that’s why I’ve made this download for you!
I know that Montessori classrooms are unique and lesson prompts should support independent learning. I’m so excited for you to check out this art activity cheat sheet. They’re easy for you and fun for your students!
Some days you just need a short cut, and aside from hiring me to teach your Montessori students directly in person, this is the next best thing! Here’s an awesome art lesson I’ve created that you can buy and quickly present to your students. The Warm to Cool Butterfly Art Lessonintroduces students to color theory and will keep them occupied without much supervision on your end.
It comes with four student exercises, and five inspiration color cards to print out, and a butterfly template for students to color. All you need to have in your classroom already are crayons, colored pencils, or any type of paint medium.
To purchase and download Warm to Cool Butterfly Art Lesson (for only $12.99!) 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.
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.
There are so many new art mediums and tools on the market this year, and I’m excited to share some of the products I’m currently exploring in my art camps, workshops, and classroom presentations this year. These are all items I found for teaching basic art literacy principles to young students. And, so far, the kids are responding extremely positively and really seem to love these Montessori art materials!
Bringing a new product into your regular art lessons will excite your students and hold their attention. Think about how you cook in your kitchen; when you get a new gadget to do the same old task, it suddenly becomes so much fun again! Bringing one or two new products into your art lessons this year inspire your students and help them come up with beautiful new creations.
I make a list like this every year, reviewing some of the most popular products that kids, teachers, and parents loved at my events throughout the year. Sometimes these mediums are so good that they replace old ones and help me teach better. So, here are six hot, new items—that worked best for me—on my art shelf and in my online sales kits this year!
Learning to mix primary colors into an array of color combinations is the study of color theory. I like to think of it as an opportunity for scientific exploring for young students; it gives them a chance to see colors evolve and transform. And I usually start them with red, yellow, and blue pigments for mixing primary into secondary colors.
I know so many teachers who struggle with maintaining messes. Well, guess what? These water-soluble primary watercolor pencils are a great way to let students explore without needing to worry about paint creating a mess. These simple three colors can make a full color spectrum color wheel. Definitely a hot product for teachers!
Tip: Keep the pencils sharpened for precision drawings, and crisp, clean lines.
My new favorite product is also for color mixing! It’s this fabulous wooden Color Mixing Station by Petite Pintora™. This item was my most popular at the AMS education conference among teachers!
After understanding how specific pedagogy teachers need materials to function in the classroom and on their art shelves, and as an art teacher who knows what needs to be learned for advance painting skill sets, I decided to bring this product to market this year. I’ve found that it really helps children to securely carry their work station from the shelf to a table without knocking things over or creating a mess.
This beautiful wooden color mixing station is handcrafted in Turkey and designed for 3-12 year-old students. It comes with glass droppers, and non-toxic primary paints for mixing the perfect 12-step color spectrum wheel, which helps students properly learn about secondary color mixing. The set also comes with a wash jar, paintbrush, and laminated visual color wheel chart.
Watercolor crayons were so popular this year among my upper elementary students because they are simple to use, easily glide across paper, and are super rich in pigment. When you wash over them with a wet paintbrush it instantly turns into paint—making them two mediums in one! Even the teachers I demonstrated these mediums to during training fell in love with them.
Drawing lines then adding color is a dominant activity kids regularly do while creating art. I love these crayons because students can draw or doodle with them, then use a wet paintbrush to turn their drawings into paintings. It makes these crayons a mess-free alternative to keeping wet paints in palettes during art presentations.
If you’re struggling on what Montessori art materials to invest in for the 2021 school year, I recommend opting for these, since they do the job of two products in one (drawing and painting), and last a really long time.
My last visit to China gave me the opportunity to investigate the art of sumi-e ink painting and learn all about the materials and methods ink-painting artists use. This year, I took what I learned and now I’m so thrilled to be offering a new curriculum for teaching kids how to make proper brushstrokes, Level 1. Painting for Montessori Children, which will be available this fall!
I found that teaching kids these basic skills and brushstroke lessons with sumi-e ink is easier than traditional paints. Sumi-e ink is perfect for isolating brushstroke movements and last long on the paintbrush. I love this product and highly recommend using it when you’re starting your students with basic brushstroke lessons.
Tip: Sumi-e ink can create messes so be sure to check out the painting presentation method I introduce in my books and trainings for how to set children up for working with this product.
Oh my, to say my early childhood kids loved these would be an understatement… they loved loved loved these! Tempera Paint Sticks are a great addition to your students’ process-based painting experiences. (But don’t replace traditional painting experiences; young students still need to be exposed to both types of tactile painting.) The paints glide smoothly across paper, offer bright pigmentation, and are safe and non-toxic without leaving behind any large messes.
The smooth paint sticks are actually in a solid form and no paintbrush is required. They’re super easy set-up and use—just open caps and doodle the paint on paper. I’ve observed hundreds of kids this use these and have noticed the instant gratification they get seeing bold colors appear even when they’re still developing their gross to fine-motor control and hand strength. These tempera paint sticks are great for making basic line shapes like zig zags, and straight and curved lines.
The best part (at least, for teachers) is that these tempera sticks are not messy; as soon as they’re applied to paper, the pigment won’t smudge as long as they’re used on smooth, uncoated paper. I don’t recommend using these on other surfaces like canvas or wood.
Tip: These paint sticks have caps that may be a choking hazard for children under 3 years of age. I usually remove all caps while arts in session, then replace them and store the paint sticks away from my young artists until next time.
6. Yarn Weaving Sheets
I’m always on the hunt for creative ideas that help young students build and refine their fine-motor mastery. I found these fun yarn weaving sheets for kids to learn the basics of weaving yarn with their hands. Hand-crafts are important for helping students develop their fine-motor skills, and these sheets are like blank canvas waiting for kids to come up with creative ways to weave colors or designs into them. They can be used with a cross-stitch needle or yarn needle. I found these to be a great calming tactile experience.
One Step Further: Learn How to Use These Montessori Art Materials 2019
The majority of these art mediums might be self-explanatory, but I think it’s important to see them in action. I spent some time earlier this week gathering up all the items in my round up so I could demo them for you.
Click here to watch my video demonstration and review. Once you have access to the video, you’ll be able to watch it as many times as you’d like. That way, you can choose the 2019 Montessori art materials you want to bring into your classroom, then rewatch my demo for it so you can easily present the medium to your students and get them started!
A Short Cut Just for You
These cool art materials are just the tip of the iceberg! While new mediums come out every year, having a foundation of art materials as well as an understanding of their general purpose, is crucial. I’ve developed an online teacher training, Art Teaching Blueprint, that gives you everything you need to bring art lessons into your Montessori classroom.
The course is an accumulation of everything I’ve learned and observed while teaching art for the last almost 30 years! In seven lectures, I show you how to use a wide variety of art materials, plus how to set up an art shelf and how to teach lessons that actually help Montessori students learn and appreciate art.
I’m currently doing a special summer enrollment for my online course, Art Teaching Blueprint, and offering it at a discounted price! But not for long! Click here to learn more and register.
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.
We’re soon approaching the new school year! Have you already started all your back-to-school shopping for your classroom materials? While you’re out picking out the last few items to make your classroom truly spectacular, make sure you’re adding Montessori art materials for lower elementary to your list! There are so many awesome art products and wonderful things to work with, I’d encourage you to explore any materials that inspire you.
Choosing the Most Appropriate Art Materials for Lower Elementary
When you’re out shopping for art materials, you’ll probably be greeted with hundreds of options, but not everything will be appropriate for a lower elementary classroom.
Students in lower elementary have great energy and curiosity; they’re wanting to understand how the world works and are learning to express their imaginative fantasy ideas through artwork. It’s also a time where they’re developing and practicing their fine motor movements, so practice and repetition is key at this age, and creating art with different mediums can help with that.
Lower L students are able to learn quickly with guided lessons and then work independently. They love exploring different mediums and what they can achieve with them. That’s why it’s important to have all the essential materials ready and on hand—your students will have more choices to explore with. It also helps you to be able to quickly and easily give presentations and demonstration set-ups.
I’ve worked with teachers all over the world, and almost all of them had questions about how to start teaching art in their classroom. Where do I start? What material do I need? These were some of the most common questions I’d be asked by lower elementary Montessori teachers!
It’s taken me years to get my own art supply collection to the point it is now, and I didn’t purchase everything all at once—and I don’t expect you to either! The trick with buying art materials for Lower L—especially if you haven’t done this before—is starting slowly. You can get by with just a few basic materials to start the school year.
I created a cheat sheet of the best Montessori art materials for lower elementary to make your back-to-school shopping easier on you. You don’t have to purchase everything all at once, but be strategic with what you do buy. Add to your materials as the year goes on, and you’ll constantly see your lower elementary students get excited with each new thing you bring out!
Where to Start: Which Montessori Art Materials for Lower Elementary to Purchase First
It’s taken me more than three decades as a professional artist and art instructor to understand what materials are appropriate for lower elementary Montessori grades. It all starts with the 5 Domains (which is how I categorize the different areas of visual art).
All my experience and observations have led me to develop a list of the specific mediums, tools, and art materials that can be used to successfully teach lower L students and help develop their art literacy and fine motor skills.
I’ve created this art materials list, to take the guesswork and trial and error out of what to purchase for your classroom. I know classroom budgets can be difficult to work with, so I recommend starting by purchasing items from one domain, then adding to your art materials from there. You can make dozens of different art lessons and presentations based on just a few art materials. (If you’re looking for other money-saving tips, read this blog.)
One Step Further (Download My Montessori Art Materials for Lower Elementary List!)
I made this art material list based on my years of experience teaching art to lower elementary students, ages 6 to 9. Every item listed here is suitable for their age group and will make introducing art concepts and lessons to them stress-free, and mess-free. Trust me, having the right art materials makes all the difference in making teaching art fun and easy (for you and your students)!
You can download 30 Montessori Art Materials to Have in Your Lower Elementary Classroom by clicking here.
A Short Cut Just for You
Having the right art material for your lower elementary 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 lower elementary students learn and appreciate art, then I have some good news for you!
I’m currently doing a special summer enrollment for my online course, Art Teaching Blueprint. It includes everything you need to know to successfully bring art lessons into your lower elementary 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 register at a discounted price, so don’t miss out!
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.
We’re soon approaching the new school year! Have you already started all your back-to-school shopping for your classroom materials? While you’re out picking out the last few items to make your classroom truly spectacular, make sure you’re adding Montessori art materials for upper elementary to your list! There are so many awesome art products and wonderful things to work with, I’d encourage you to explore any materials that inspire you.
Choosing the Most Appropriate Art Materials for Upper Elementary
It can be overwhelming to start building up your cache of art materials for your classroom. There are so many options, and a lot of them will seem perfect for upper elementary students. It’s important to be savvy with what you buy though, not everything will actually be suitable for your students, and if you’re not buying strategically, you may run out of supplies or be limited with what you’re able to teach.
It’s taken me over three decades as a professional artist and art teacher to understand what tools are appropriate for upper elementary grades to use to develop foundational artist skill sets. I have categorized visual art into five areas, which I call The 5 Domains. There are specific mediums, tools, and materials elementary students must use in order to learn each domain, and I’ve created an art material list for you so you don’t have to guess or use trial and error to figure out what items work best. (You can download that list below.)
Upper elementary students are now working independently and can usually read and follow guided instructions. Students at this age are interested in working on imaginative fantasy ideas, and also learning lessons on how to make their drawings and paintings more realistic. They love the freedom of having access to a tool box of mediums to express and can now distinguish the difference in results in their work. They’re also proud when their teachers display their work in a positive light in their classroom community. (You can do this with an inspiration gallery! Learn more about that in this article.)
These students can quickly get ideas from the curriculum they’re learning and want to jump right into planning and getting their creative ideas onto paper. Therefore it’s important to have all the essential materials ready for and accessible to your students during these independent years of creating and thinking. By having the right art materials available, upper elementary students will be able to work artistically and grow in their art literacy.
Building Your Montessori Art Materials for Upper L Box
I’ve worked with teachers all over the world, and almost all of them were challenged with where to start. Many of them tell me they wanted to begin teaching art in their upper elementary classroom ASAP, but they had no idea what art materials they needed to do so. They all want to know the basic supplies they need to be able to introduce art concepts to their students right now.
I’m going to tell you now, I made a downloadable list of Montessori art materials for Upper L, and it would be so amazing if you could bring everything on the list into your classroom. Realistically though, it’s going to take some time to accumulate every item I recommend (unless you’re working with an unlimited budget!). It’s taken me years to accumulate my own art material collection to the point it is now, so I don’t expect you to be able to have absolutely everything you need after one shopping trip.
Where to Start: Which Art Materials to Purchase First
I usually teach visual art using five domains. I know budgets can be tight, so if you’re strapped and can’t spend too much on art materials, start by buying items in one domain, then go from there. It’s possible to create dozens of art projects using just a few essential materials from the crafting domain, you just have to be a little creative in the lessons you present. Add to your materials as you begin to introduce new topics; every time you bring out something new, your upper elementary students will be so excited, engaged, and enthusiastic to learn how to use them! (If you’re looking for other money-saving tips, read this blog.)
One Step Further (Download My Montessori Art Materials for Upper Elementary List!)
I made this art material list based on my years of experience teaching art to upper elementary students, ages 9 to 12. Every item listed here is suitable for their age group and will make introducing art concepts and lessons to them stress-free, and mess-free. Trust me, having the right art materials makes all the difference in making teaching art fun and easy (for you and your students)!
You can download 35 Montessori Art Materials to Have in Your Upper Elementary Classroom by clicking here.
A Short Cut Just for You
Having the right art material for your upper elementary 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 upper elementary students learn and appreciate art, then I have some good news for you!
I’m currently doing a special summer enrollment for my online course, Art Teaching Blueprint. It includes everything you need to know to successfully bring art lessons into your upper elementary 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 register at a discounted price, so don’t miss out!
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.
It’s back-to-school season, and I’m sure you all are in the middle of shopping for new materials for your classroom. While you’re out finishing up your shopping, make sure you’re picking up the right and best Montessori art materials for early childhood. There are a ton of products and wonderful things to work with, I’d encourage you to explore and purchase anything that inspires you.
Choosing the Most Appropriate Art Materials for Early Childhood
There are so many awesome tools and supplies, but not all of them will be appropriate for an early childhood classroom.
The reason why some art supplies and materials are not suitable for this age group is because early childhood students are in what I identify as the Young Exploratory Phase™. This means they make and create by exploratory and discovery play. Children in these beginning years do not understand the placement of visual arts, and are very curious about different mediums; they’re still working through gross-to-fine motor abilities and are often still putting objects in their mouths. So it’s important to choose the right safe mediums and materials as an introduction to visual arts as they experiment and learn from the results they create.
I’ve met thousands of teachers all over the world who want to start teaching art in their classroom, but they don’t know where to start or what materials they need. It’s taken me years to amass my own art material collection, so I can understand why trying to purchase the right art material for a classroom all at once can be overwhelming—especially if you have no idea where to start.
When you’re teaching art to early childhood Montessori students, you can get by with just a few basic materials. It’s just important to be smart and strategic in purchasing those materials. I’d encourage you to start buying a few items from the list below to get you started, then adding to it as the year goes on and you start to see your students grow in excitement and interest!
Where to Start: Which Montessori Art Materials for Early Childhood to Purchase First
I typically teach visual art within five domains. If you’re really on a budget when you’re shopping for back-to-school art materials, start with purchasing materials for just one domain, then build from there. For instance, you can create dozens of art lessons using just a few essential materials from the painting domain. (If you’re looking for other money-saving tips, read this blog.)
Here’s the thing with early childhood art: it needs to be taught specifically for early childhood students using art materials that are designed or appropriate for them. Here’s a list I’ve curated based on my years of experience teaching art to early childhood, 3 to 6 year-old, students. Every art material listed here is suitable for their age group and will make introducing art concepts and lessons to them much easier, account for control of error, and result in less (to zero) mess in your classroom!
You can download 25 Montessori Art Materials to Have in Your Early Childhood Classroom by clicking here.
A Short Cut Just for You – Buy Guide Book
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!
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
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.
There are still a few more weeks until you have to go back to school, and if you’re not sunning on a far-off island like me (just kidding!) then I recommend using your time off to visit a museum. They’re not just for Montessori field trips!
You can probably guess that art museums are my favorite to spend a day in, but there is inspiration to be found no matter where you go! Here are 10 reasons I think everyone—not just students or Montessori teachers—should visit a museum this summer.
1. They’re fun!
Believe it or not, museums can be fun! I personally think they’re a really enjoyable way to spend a day. Don’t be fooled into thinking a history, science, or even art museum will be boring; even a museum that focuses on a “boring” subject can have fascinating exhibits you’ll want to spend hours in. Plus, think of all the unique and unusual museums around the country; there’s the Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia in California, UFO Museum & Research Center in New Mexico, Museum of Bad Art in Massachusetts—there’s even a Museum of Weird in Austin! If you explore your options, I guarantee you’ll have a fun time exploring and learning!
2. It’s a chance to support the arts.
One of the best ways to ensure museums stay in business is by keeping them in business! The more we patronize museums, the more we show the next generation how important they are. I probably don’t need to tell you that art programs are being eliminated in schools all around the country, and kids need a way to be exposed to the arts. (By the way, another great way to introduce kids to art is by bringing art lessons into your classroom! Click here to learn how.)
3. Hello, staycation!
When you travel, you probably visit a few museums, right? How often do you seek out the ones in your neighborhood though? Checking out a museum where you live can make you feel like you’re on a mini vacation.
4. Find some peace and quiet—while enjoying some AC.
Usually, quietness is encouraged at museums. They offer a relaxing (and cool) atmosphere to decompress when life gets stressful. You can practice mindfulness while staring at paintings and contemplating their meanings.
5. Get inspired!
The word “muse” is a part of “museum” for a reason—they’re places of inspiration! Visiting a museum can get your creative juices flowing. Viewing the work of artists and innovators can stimulate new ideas and stir your imagination.
6. Gain new perspectives and open your mind.
Museums are created to be learning environments. They provide in-depth information on their subject and give you the tools to form your own experiences based on what you learn. In walking through the different exhibits, you might be prompted to change your perspective. Maybe you’ll learn something new about a historical event or gain insight to put yourself in an artist’s shoes, and see things in a new light.
7. Network with like-minded people.
Many museums host lectures and networking events for guests to meet and mingle. Going to one of these can give you the opportunity to meet like-minded people while learning about something you love and having a fun night out.
8. It’s a new experience you’ll feel better about.
Did you know that experiences—not material things—make you happier? There have been loads of scientific studies that support this; apparently, this happens because experiences provide positive personal reinterpretations over time, so you relive the positive experience (forgetting any negative parts) over and over again. So, why not make yourself feel happy with a museum experience? It’ll make you happier in the long run. 🙂
9. They can help you become a better teacher.
If you find an awesome museum on your own, think of how excited your students will be to visit once school starts! What’s more, it can give you inspiration for your lessons. A science museum may provide you with new information you can add to the Great Lessons, a history museum can give you new insight on past events, and an art museum might spark some new ideas for art projects in your classroom!
10. Museums support cultural appreciation.
One of the most important things about supporting art literacy is its connection to social, historical, and cultural contexts. Museums give you tools like artifacts, exhibits, and stories to learn from. Imagine the new exciting ways you can relate cultural stories to your students and make learning across different subjects fun and engaging. You might even get some ideas for your classroom inspiration gallery. Just recently, I found a Native American Museum here in San Diego, and I’m so excited to visit and come up with new art lessons for this coming fall. I’m planning my visit next week!
How to Find a Museum in Your Area & Make a Day of It
You might know of the larger museums in your area—for example, San Diego has Balboa Park, which is home to 17 different museums—but there are always a few unexpected ones that might spark your interest. Museums USA helps you find museums in your area (if you live in the United States); it even shares upcoming events. As you look for museums, research free entry days! Most metropolitan cities offer free museum days throughout the year.
Some cities have historical preservation societies which support all the museums around them. Your local library will have a list of museums in your area, so you can look them up based on your interest: science, national/historical, animal, botanical, nature, insect, or specialty collections.
(If you can’t make it out to a local museum, then grab some iced coffee and visit one online from your own home; some museums offer virtual tours!)
I wrote a blog post last year about how to take your students to a museum (without them getting bored or you getting stressed). But this museum trip is all about you. So, how do you plan a trip for yourself?
I recommend setting aside at least two hours. Depending on your mood, you might want to head out alone or invite a friend to join you. Once you find the museum that tickles your fancy, get your ticket (you’ll sometimes find deals online if you purchase your ticket in advance). When you get there, check out a museum map, and look for exhibits that you find intriguing, and don’t feel guilty for skipping exhibits you have no interest in. Make a day out of it and stop by the museum’s cafe (some might even have a bar), and reflect on all the cool, interesting, exciting things you’ve seen.
Most large museums have teacher education programs that are worth attending. You can also take a docent tour; they’ll walk you through the exhibits and share their knowledge. If you like hearing behind-the-scenes type stories, or if you’re a more auditory learner, this might make your museum trip engaging.
I do frequent museums throughout the year, but it’s not only because I’m artful, I also learn so much! I enjoy the education department programming offered to teachers. Sometimes teachers ask me what I should be look at in museums or learn. Well the education programs are wonderful in teaching you as a teacher how to view art, and how to use art language with your students, and what signifaces of each collection and why it’s important for humanity to understand. There filled with tons of literature you can use as a tool.
Hooked on Art, Yet? Bring It Into Your Classroom with This Special Summer Discount!
As a teacher, your education never stops, and I celebrate all that you do to teach and inspire young minds. That’s why I’m offering a special summer discount on my new online course Art Teaching Blueprint. It’s composed of seven lectures designed to teach you how kids learn art and help you start your own art program in your classroom. Want the discount plus a few very special bonuses? Email me at SpramaniElaun@gmail.com with the subject line: Montessori teacher summer enrollment special!
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.
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 know how difficult it can be to fund a classroom, as a homeschool mommy, buying supplies and materials for my children could get expensive. Thankfully, now, with my years of experience in teaching art to students (and buying and supplying all kinds of materials), I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks for saving money on back-to-school art supplies. Creating a distinctive art-making environment for your students that supports exploration and choice IS possible on a small budget!
In this blog, I’m sharing five creative ways to save money, without compromising quality, while you buy your art supplies for teaching and engaging art lessons this coming school year. As an art teacher and Montessori art trainer, I really think these tips will get you started on the right tack for this new year!
Buying quality materials is important because you want kids to be successful and enjoy the creation process. Poor quality items can stifle a child’s creativity and can even discourage their artistic passion, making them want to give up on art altogether!
Poor quality Montessori art materials can be bad paint brushes that fall apart, paints that don’t mix properly into secondary colors, or cheap paper that isn’t designed to absorb watercolor paints and rips easily. Buying cheap may seem like a smart money-saving move, but high-quality art products will always be the better option because they will last longer, sometimes even beyond a single school year—and you can buy them without spending tons of money!
You don’t have to purchase everything all at once; start off slowly. Invest in just one or two mediums to use in your classroom for the first few months of school, then add more later. For example, purchase quality watercolor paints, watercolor paper, and paintbrushes for the first month of school. Your students can explore and create lots of paintings with this one medium. The next month, buy premium color pencils and drawing paper, then, the following month, add another medium such as clay or crafting material. You can literally teach hundreds of lessons with a single mediums, simply by changing the subject (and inspiration gallery) each week.
2. Cut Art Supplies in Halves & Quarters
Cutting art supplies down to smaller portions works well when you’re teaching a large group. I usually do this with paper and mediums like crayons and oil pastels. It’s a way to multiply your supplies without needing to buy more sets. This is one of the ways to make high-quality art material seem cheaper, since you’re getting more bang for your buck!
Here’s an example of what I mean: you can buy one dry watercolor painting set that one student can work on, or you can cut up the paper into halves or quarters and up to four kids can enjoy the art project at the same time.
I go a little more in depth with this tip in my book Introducing Visual Arts to The Montessori Classroom, under the art supply chapter. I also share my art-teacher insight as to why this is very important (even beyond helping you save money).
3. Know Which Art Supplies to Splurge and Save On
There are a couple of mediums I recommend you save money; with these, you can buy a cheaper grade and it will not affect your students’ art making results. I recommend spluring on art material like quality watercolor paper, paintbrushes, smooth drawing paper, primary paint colors, dry watercolor paint sets, and watercolor crayons—these will go a long way and last a long time. However, go ahead and save your money on these items (which you can likely find in a hobby or craft store):
Oil pastels
Soft pastels
Colored pencils
Clay
Crayons
Glue
Markers
4. Take Advantage of Back-to-School Discounts for Teachers
Teacher discounts are everywhere, even online, so don’t forget to use them! Almost every major craft and art store offers teacher discounts. (This article lists more than 80 stores that offer teacher discounts!) Stores know teachers have to buy in bulk, so they’ll sometimes offer special wholesale pricing on large purchases.
If you don’t see anything posted in an ad or in-store, ask about a discount anyway. I remember one time I asked a craft store, they had a teacher discount, plus a special program for something I buy in bulk regularly! 🙂 Don’t be afraid to ask!
My kids-friendly, eco-friendly online art supply store www.store.EcoKidsArt.com has a 20% teacher discount through the end of August, plus free shipping within the U.S. Use this Coupon Code: 786Orange when you check out online.
5. Ask Parents for Help With an Art Supply Wishlist
Here’s a tip I really want you to do every year at the beginning of school: send out an art supply wishlist to your students’ parents. It will help you decide what art mediums you really want to introduce to your students, without the constraints of your school’s budget. It’s also a way to inform and engage your students’ parents with what their children will be learning in art during the coming school year.
Send this wishlist letter out the first week of school. You will find that there will be a handful of parents who would love to donate or be of some help to get the school year off to a good start. Give them a wish list of premium stuff like watercolor paper pads, paintbrushes, and palettes. I talk to thousands of parents every year, and so many of them tell me they wish their school would support more art making in the classroom. I promise there’s going to be a few parents that will be excited to support you. You can never have enough quality art supplies!
Bonus: Save By Creating with Recycled, Used, or Found Natural Items
I’ve come up with time-tested, low-cost ways to teach painting skills. Plenty of painting practice and color mixing experiences can be achieved by altering paint surfaces like using recycled or found items in nature. Get scrappy by using these types of materials to paint on rather than buying new items for each paint project. This list of cheap, found materials (plus other money-saving tips) can be found in my book, Kids Painting:
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.
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.
