Toddlers are curious explorers with short attention spans. It’s important to keep this in mind when setting up the art environment. Your child’s art environment can have a positive impact on how they appreciate art. A toddler’s art environment will function differently than a 3-6 years olds space. Art should be hands-on, which means it can get messy.

The goal is to set up an environment for exploring, as well as containing messes. Toddler paints spread on clothes and fabrics. So you want to set up this environment for splashing, smearing, and dripping. When you spend the time creating the perfect environment, you won’t have to worry about messes.

Toddlers Need Space for Fine-motor Movement

With setting up it’s important to remember that art making is perfect for fine-motor practice. (Learn more about how art can help fine motor skills and why it’s important, read this blog.)

Create enough space for movements. Like gliding hands in fingerpaint, making wide brushstrokes, and pounding clay.

Toddlers’ first interaction with art making is process-based, discovery-based, exploratory, and playful. It’s not until they get a little older that they will be able to sit and create with intention.  Create that space for fine-motor-movement exploring tasks. Toddlers can learn through tactile senses and their body movements. Seeing and feeling mediums with their fingers is good for them. So build those environments for lots of movement!

8 Toddler Art Environment Features

There are many features to consider when designing your Montessori toddler art space. Here are eight elements to include, and the practical reasons I recommend them as both a mom and art teacher.

1 Art Evironment Location

Montessori art making is messy. Set up in a space around your home where messes are OK, like the kitchen, outside patio, or dining table.

You can anytime “move” your child’s art space to areas that make the most sense for each project.  Your not so messy projects can be in your child’s play space. Messier art projects should be in an area that can clean up easily if spills happen like the kitchen or patio.

Over the years, the art environments I created for my two children moved all over our home! We liked making art in the kitchen; in fact, to this day, we still paint on the kitchen table!

2 Toddler Art Table

The table size will not affect your child’s ability to be creative, but the sturdiness of it will. I’ve seen children make beautiful artworks on a surface as large as their lap. So don’t feel like your child needs a glorious art table. You can start with something small first.

I don’t recommend art easels at this age, although kids do like to stand at one, but it’s not required, a flat table is fine.

3 Chair for Toddler

Along with a sturdy table, kids need a sturdy chair. Toddlers are movers; they will not always want to sit while making art. Sometimes I do activities without a chair for freedom of movement. I do this so children can move around and reach their materials. But have a chair handy when they start spending more time doing art.

4 Art Supply Storage

You know toddlers love to open drawers, cabinets, boxes, anything they can get their hands on. That’s why it’s important to store art supplies where children can’t get into. Store materials and anything small your child can choke on. This might mean a high shelf or in a container with a closing mechanism latch so your toddler can’t open.

5 Montessori Art Shelf

An art shelf isn’t necessary, I recommend it as an option for art making inspiration and activities. This serves as a place where your child can have easy access to the materials. Place these items in baskets, jars, or trays so your toddler can make projects as they choose. The shelf can also be a springboard for inspiration. The shelf can stage books, nature elements or art samples.

6 Floor Covering

Wherever you decide to place an art environment, you’ll need to consider the chance of regular spills. For this reason, make sure you set up your child’s art space off carpets; tile, wood, patio, or concrete are easier to clean. If you’re concerned about stains, you can use a floor covering (like a tarp or cheap rug) for your child to work on. 

7 Light Source

A good light source is important for children to create visual art. All art projects are colorful and need a light to identify the varying pigments and color hues. Natural sunlight is the best, but a bright desk lamp can work as well.

8 Art Smock (apron)

Not every art project will need an artist’s smock. Sometimes  drawing, building, and sewing are not messy projects.

Asking your child to wear a smock–can help them understand that some art projects can be messy. and help them build great artist habits.

POSTED ONAUGUST 24, 2022EDIT”MONTESSORI TODDLER ART ACTIVITIES | STAGING ENVIRONMENT”

Montessori Toddler Art Activities | Staging Environment

Montessori Toddler Art Activities

For the longest time, teachers of early childhood students have been told, “toddlers can’t learn art.” And based on that misinformation, as well as out-of-date art teaching practices, you might be thinking that’s true too. I’m here to tell you that’s not the case!  Toddlers CAN start to learn art!  It all comes down to how you teach them. After years of observing art, I’ve developed my very own teaching method that engages and excites young children; it introduces them to art in a way that makes sense to their little developing brains. I want to share some quick ideas on teaching art to toddlers.

Process-Based

Montessori toddler art activities should be process-based only. Discovery and experimentation are key to process art activities for toddlers. Their learning and development of problem solving skills come from spending time making process art. Want to learn more about what Montessori toddler process-based art means? Visit Teaching Process-Based Art in the Montessori Classroom

Montessori toddler art is tactile 

Art for toddlers is a very sensorial experience. Visual art learning can happen from direct sensory touching by hands. Tactile art making stimulates learning in different ways than visual or audio learning. For a developing child, tactile exploring can also lead to better fine-motor function and control. 

Art Develops Early Motor Movement

In recent years science researchers have established that early motor movement develops better cognitive academic performance in the later grades. Children that practice motor movement early even starting in infancy can directly effect cognitive development and their readiness for learning. 

Toddler Safe Art Mediums

Start with safe non-toxic paints, homemade play dough, and safe doodling supplies like crayons and tempera paint sticks. Use only safe non-toxic art supplies for toddlers.

Create spill proof environments children can play and spill if needed. I recommend outdoors or rooms with no carpets.

Start with 15 minute art activities toddlers can explore, move to 20 minute segments. Be sure tables are short and children can move around easily. Only introduce 1-to-2 movements, like making a brushstroke, or rolling out clay. 

Use colorful story books to make connections to art elements. Start with teaching very basic art elements like colors, shape and line.

Learn more by ordering:

ORDER NOW – Montessori Early Childhood Art Guide

Visual Arts Teaching Guide for 13 Months – 6 Years Old

• Proper and Complete List of Art Materials
•  Staging and Environment Set-up Guide
•  Tips and Art Lesson Ideas
•  Paperback & Digital