Montessori art curriculum, how to choose for students

Montessori art curriculum teaches children The Elements and Principles of Design. Across various art domains such as painting, drawing, and crafting. Montessori art curriculum introduces different elements like line, shape, form, and texture. As children grasp the rich artistic language of the elements and principles of design, they learn how to observe and communicate what they see in their artworks, as well as how to describe their process.

21st Century Skills

Another crucial skill children gain from Montessori art activities in their curriculum is the ability to use their imagination, plan, and problem solve. These activities nurture a child’s imagination and problem-solving abilities. Incorporating Montessori art activities cultivates independent, creative thinkers for the 21st century.

Curriculum Developer

Hi, I’m an artist, homeschool parent, Montessori art trainer and art curriculum developer for children. I’ve spent the last few decades teaching thousands of children through my art studio. Like you, when I first started out I didn’t know where to start teaching even though I went to fine art school!

I didn’t know what art lessons to start children with, what area to focus on, or how to teach the art standards. Plus I couldn’t find any Montessori stand alone sequential art curriculum that scaffold correctly.

In this post I want to help you understand how to decide on Montessori curriculum, and how to choose the right one for students. I will provide links to where to order Montessori curriculum and choose the right one for your classroom.

Montessori art curriculum how to choose the right one for students by spramani elaun

How the curriculum came together

When I first started out teaching Montessori Students I became stressed and overwhelmed, I usually had to backtrack art lessons. I would later find out my students needed to understand a step better before we moved to the next step.

I bought tons of art books, researched libraries and the web for hundreds of hours looking for Montessori art curriculum ideas. My deepest desire was that my students had joyful creative fun learning. In the beginning I taught too advance. I made things harder than they needed to be, and without realizing I took away creative choices.

montessori art training, art teacher spramani elaun — *Montessori art curriculum how to choose the right one for students*!

After a lot of observation and understanding the child’s sensory system things changed in my teaching. Over time my art curriculum came all together. With an invitation to teach at a Montessori school with a hundred students all in different grades, with limited time.

I made the decision to give the same art lesson to all the grades, using the exact lesson. This gave them the same exact demonstration and isolated movement. I followed up with letting my students create what ever they wanted afterwards.

Montessori student painting with curriculum developed by spramani Elaun

Curriculum that actually teaches!

I could not believe the results… every single student engaged from start to finish! I’ve explored this art curriculum with studio practice with huge success. Even my adult learners loved learning this way. I accomplished this by making my lessons more digestible to understand. And even created lessons to flow with common Montessori Great Lessons.

Montessori clay modeling art curriculum for early childhood and elementary. spramani elaun how to homeschool art

5 Important Curriculum Things Learned Over Time:

All children need to learn isolated movements first.
You need to focus on easy step instructions that match the plane they are in.
Montessori guides should plan demos around each new concept.
Each lessons should build onto the next skill set you are teaching.
All foundational key lessons can be taught to both planes of development.

I have tested these curriculums with small to large groups of children of all ages. I now offer proper scaffold sequential organized art lessons in all areas. My curriculums focus on isolated foundational skills sets. I now offer my art curriculum for sale for parent and school guides.

Montessori art activities, art curriculum and lesson plans for guides

If you are a Montessori guide or parent you don’t have to figure all this out on your own!

No need to jump online to get a bunch of lessons that don’t scaffold leading you to overwhelmed or stress! I created easy to follow curriculum you can purchase. Plus you don’t have to be an artist yourself to follow these lessons!

Order sequential art curriculum, any time printed or digital from a Montessori art expert!

Montessori professional development by spramani elaun, international art teacher trainer

Buy the right Montessori Art Curriculum For Children, Painting & Drawing:

Drawing Curriculum For Elementary Grades

Drawing Curriculum For 3-6 years (Early Childhood)

Clay Modeling Curriculum For Children

Painting Curriculum For Children

Color Mixing Curriculum For Children

DOWNLOAD FREE Color Mixing Art Lesson

https://www.ecokidsart.com/homeschooling-art-before-you-plan-art-activties-identify-your-desired-outcomes/

September 30, 2023June 15, 2024

Benefits of Clay Play | Montessori Arts and Crafts

Montessori | Benefits of Clay Play, early childhood 3-6 years. Montessori Art and craft | Benefits of Clay Play

Montessori Clay Play has been found to have positive effects on emotional well-being. Playing with clay can help children regulate stress levels. Playing with clay provides a highly tactile and sensory experience. As children squeeze, press, and manipulate the clay, they are actively engaging their senses. Sending valuable sensory information to their brain.

However, the benefits of clay play extend far beyond the realm of sensory development. In fact, there are numerous cognitive advantages associated with this activity. Montessori education highlights the importance of hands-on learning. Clay play aligns perfectly with the Montessori philosophy. In my early childhood art guide, I discuss this topic and provide more insights into clay play for emotional health. You can learn more by reading about the benefits of clay play in my early childhood book.

Montessori arts and crafts| Benefits of Clay Play, student playing clay tools

The important thing to understand about clay play is that it should be a process-based activity, providing children with ample time to freely play and explore clay. There are various ways to engage children in exploring clay.

Including the use of simple tools such as natural elements, beads, seeds, rolling pins, and cookie cutters. Emphasizing the play aspect of clay play is crucial. Allowing children to take the lead in their learning and discoveries. By letting the child guide the fun, experiments, and creations, you can enhance their clay experience.

Montessori Art and Craft | Benefits of Clay Play, little girl making clay sculptures, clay play session at school — Montessori Art and Craft | Benefits of Clay Play

When to start clay lessons

Once children have had ample opportunities for clay play and have reached the age of 4 or 5. You can begin introducing clay modeling skill sets. This includes teaching them forms, attaching pieces, cutting, and carving. If you would like to learn more about my clay curriculum you can view the Clay Modeling Curriculum HERE. Order Clay Play Tools HERE

Clay Play Classes in San Diego with Spramani Elaun – Nature of Art® School

Where To Start Clay Play

Unsure of where to begin with clay play? Perhaps you’ve struggled with determining the desired outcome of art activity? Allow me to shed some light on the importance of early childhood clay play sessions.

In fact, I refer to this approach as “Clay Play.” Engaging in type of play offers numerous benefits for a child’s overall development. When it comes to clay play, this process-based exploratory approach should always come first! Clay play should happen before getting into foundational clay modeling lessons.

Montessori Art and Craft | Benefits of Clay Play book — Montessori Art and Craft | Benefits of Clay Play

I recommend incorporating clay play for young children in early childhood education. Montessori schools and daycare centers can introduce clay modeling stations into their classrooms to provide children with the opportunity to explore.

Plus support creative and cognitive skills. To learn more about setting up clay modeling environments, please refer to this comprehensive guide Monessori Early Childhood Art Guide.

Montessori Clay Play

Clay comes in various forms, ranging from very messy to less messy options. Additionally, clays can be homemade. Earth clay, in particular, is a wonderful material to introduce to children, similar to making mud pies.

If you’re interested in setting up earth pottery clay play stations, I recommend checking out this book. It contains numerous photos and examples illustrating how to arrange clay play. How to choose suitable clay play materials for children aged 3-6 years old.

Preschool Arts & Crafts Curriculum

Montessori clay modeling curriculum for school art lessons, Montessori Art and Craft | Benefits of Clay Play

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.

July 8, 2023November 11, 2024

Professional Development in Montessori Arts Education | Video Trainings

6 Video Montessori Art Training

Earn 7 hours of professional development in visual arts education. Gain proper art literacy training to set up your classroom. Watch all 6 videos this summer. No more guessing on what art lessons you should be teaching!

There’s a lot of art advice out there that is not tailored to teach YOU proper art literacy for children. I’ve spent years designing curriculum and training courses to assist Montessori guides in effectively teaching art lessons to children.
I have designed this summer art video bonus to help you get on the right track!

When you purchase this 6-video set, you will also receive an invitation to a special Q&A session with me. This session aims to address all your questions and demonstrate the correct art materials to incorporate into your classroom. The live session is scheduled for mid-August (date TBA), allowing you ample time to watch and absorb the videos beforehand.

BUY 6 VIDEO BUNDLE NOW for instant access!
These summer 6-video trainings is on sale.

What Visual Arts Looks Like For Children

In this pre-recorded 20-minute training, Spramani explains the essential areas young children should learn in visual arts and discusses why it is important to teach these skills in the 21st century.

The Art Lessons You Should Teach First!

In this pre-recorded 1-hour training, Spramani delves into what Montessori art guides should prioritize teaching first. She outlines the key areas to focus on, provides examples of art lessons, and offers insights on what to present and demonstrate to children who are new to learning art. Gain access to a wealth of professional art teaching advice in this comprehensive session.

How to Theme Art & The Natural World

Embark on a journey of discovery with Spramani in this enlightening 3-part video series spanning 2 hours. Discover how to engage your child outdoors, fostering scientific and artistic observation skills. Uncover the power of using art in conjunction with Montessori subjects to ignite a curiosity for the natural world and enhance knowledge. Learn how art lessons can intricately represent diverse aspects of Montessori topics found in nature, including seasons, soil layers, energy, rocks and minerals, fossils, landforms, water, flora, fauna, and the atmosphere.

How to Stage A Montessori Art Shelf
In this 1-hour pre-recorded video, Spramani shares her: – Proprietary staging system for Montessori classrooms – How to stage to meet the arts standards – What types of materials to stage – How to support group and independent work, and much more!

Positive Artful Ways To Talk To Your Students

She shares examples of how these conversations should sound, drawing upon her 30 years of experience in positively and supportively engaging with students to encourage creative expression as an art facilitator.

Watercolor Joy

In this 1-hour video, Spramani shows you which watercolor paints to use for teaching children. She provides you with all the tips on what to buy, how to set up, and how to prepare for watercolor process-based activities. Great if you are curious.

Limited Time Art Sale!

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Start Your Art Learning Today!

Get instant access to all 6 videos. Enjoy a 3-year viewing window, giving you ample time to delve into the pre-recorded live sessions led by the esteemed art teacher, Spramani Elaun.

Whether you choose to watch on your phone, tablet, or desktop, these videos are available for your convenience anytime, anywhere. Get the necessary training to start art programming in your classroom.

BUY NOW, CLICK HERE

Spramani’s Books

Teach children visual arts

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Curriculum For Children

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

Buy Art Curriculum

April 27, 2023October 11, 2024

Creative Activities for 3-6 Montessori Students

Exploring the World Through Art: Creative Activities for 3-6 Year Old Montessori Students

Hello are you new to teaching your Montessori student about visual arts? In this blog I want to give you some general art information if this is totally new to you. I’m a Montessori Art Teacher and the author of several Montessori art guides. And I want to share creative activities 3-6 for your Montessori students. So lets get started… Montessori education is focused on hands-on, experiential learning, and this approach extends to art education as well!

3-6 Art

Art lessons for 3 to 6 Montessori students should be designed to engage all their senses, promote creativity, self-expression, fine-motor movement and independence. To give you an idea of what art lesson activities might look like here are four types of lessons that are well-suited for Montessori students in this age range:

Sensory Art

Sensory art lessons are a great way to engage young children in the creative process. This type of art involves using materials such as clay and paint to support tactile experience. Sensory art projects allow children to explore different textures, colors, and shapes. Sensory art activities support good cognitive function. There are plenty of creative activities that are sensory!

Nature Art

Montessori education emphasizes the importance of connecting with the natural world, so nature-based art projects are a great fit. Nature art can include activities such as making leaf rubbings, creating collages with natural materials like sticks and leaves. Or even painting on these types of natural materials.

Process Based Art

Process Art: Process art is all about the creative process, rather than the end product. This type of art encourages children to experiment with different materials and techniques, and to focus on the experience of creating rather than the final result. Process art projects can include activities such as painting, collages, 3D sculptures and doodling.

Exploring the World Through Art: Creative Activities for 3-6 Year Old Montessori Students art supplies

Storytelling Art

Montessori education emphasizes the importance of storytelling. Storytelling is a wonderful way to connect children to art language through beautiful books. Sharing stories and pointing out the art elements helps children build a rich art language. Art can be a catalyst to teaching primary vocabulary.

So this is just a few examples of what visual arts lools like for 3 to 6 year old Montessori students. Get on my newsletter to start gettting free advise and offerings how to teach art. Sign-up HERE

So overall, art lessons for 3 to 6 year old Montessori students can engage their senses, promote creativity and self-expression, and develop fine motor skills. Sensory art, nature art, process art, and storytelling art are all great options for Montessori students to start with.

If you would like to learn more and get all my resources for teaching for 3-6 Year Old Montessori Students check links below and on the top menu. I have a great FREE video you can take to understand what visual arts should look like for Montessori student.

By Spramani Elaun – Montessori Art Trainer

September 25, 2022November 6, 2024

How To Bring Art Into The Classroom – Elementary

By Spramani Elaun

Every Montessori school should have an art environment. Whether an art shelf inside the classroom, dedicated classroom, or specials visiting. Elementary students should be engaging in some type of art lessons regularly. Allowing children to express creativity plus building basic skill sets. One of the reasons art programs exist is to expose children to different kinds of mediums. In this blog I want to share some ideas on How To Bring Art Into The Classroom

When children are exposed to different art activities they are likely to find the right art domain they enjoy. As children find the right art experiences they enjoy, they become independent as they practice these skill-sets. When elementary students work independently they can also self regulate their own stress with hand work in the classroom. Independent working students can also reach creative flow states! So where should you start with to bring art into the classroom?

6 Art Areas To Focus On

Schedule Art
Choose Art Subjects
Teach Art Elements
Choose Art Mediums
Choose An Artist Technique
Teach Skill Building Foundations
Focus On Art Direct Aims

Schedule Art Lessons

Start with scheduling regular interactions with art making in the classroom. Schedule daily, weekly or even bi weekly art lessons. Even bi monthly if your teaching schedule is super busy. I did this as a visiting Montessori art specials and I heard from Montessori guides how the children learned so much from just 4 visits! Once you have chosen the day, move to creating time segments. Be sure your timeline is specific to lower or upper elementary attention spans.

Art Subjects To Teach

Then move into deciding which visual art subjects you want to explore. I recommend choosing from my five art domains. Subjects like painting or color theory. Learn more about the 5 domains by buying: Defining Visual Arts Book HERE. Once you decide the area you want to focus on then you can decide on the lesson plans.

How To Bring Art In To The Classroom – Elementary, students crafting

Art Elements To Teach

To meet the national art standards it’s important to teach children the Art Elements. The Art Elements cover things like line, color, shape – etc. Each one of your art lessons should always focus on a key art element. I can’t stress enough how important this is to a solid art program. I meet many Montessori guides not even aware of art literacy standards. Even how to teach the artistic process, how-to scaffold art lessons, or what art sequences should come next. Learn more about the Art Elements by buying: Defining Visual Arts Book HERE

Art Mediums & Technique

Then the fun stuff starts by deciding on which mediums to experiment with first. This also includes what presentations and demonstrations to schedule. For example you could teach the subject of painting and focus on the watercolor medium. Then show children a crayon technique – wax resist marks. Or let’s say you decide to integrate a sensory craft with zoology. Like cutting sea life shapes from paper with a collage – technique.

Montessori Elementary Art | How To Bring Art In To The Classroom

Building Art Skill-Sets

The best advice I have for you is to teach how to set-up, clean-up, and prepare the environment for their next classmate, learning to complete the cycle in the Montessori way first is important. This supports independent work through the school year. Then foucs on building skill-sets and don’t waste time on the wrong type of art lessons. Like focusing on the Masters, copying images, or too much process- based art. Try not to focus lessons on copying the Masters artworks. These lessons can be lacking in developing independent art skill-sets or their own creativity. Montessori elementary students need the right order of skill-set lesson first.

Focus on Art Direct Aims

The other important thing I want to share is even if you can’t draw or paint you can still teach proper art lessons. Your own refined skill-sets are not the focus. What’s important is knowing your direct aims. Direct aims like preparing the environment, and presenting the right order of demonstrations. Scheduling and choosing age appropriate art lessons. Indirect Aims will happen like – your students brainstorming or conjuring up original ideas. Even exploration that leads to the most optimal state of creative flow!

Teaching art can be intimidating without any basic knowledge or experience. But I’m here to tell you I’ve taught thousands of parents and teachers. I have lots of preparatory teaching methods easy for you to follow. But here’s a secret… you will learn right beside your students, I promise!

Art Professional Development

I invite you…

No matter what capacity of training you desire, I’ve built art teaching resources you can have access to!

Choose:

Art Lesson plans

Sequential Art Curriculum

Professional Development

Montessori In-service Training (email info@Spramani.com)

Art Certification

Custom Art Programing (email info@Spramani.com)

Spramani’s Books

Teach children visual arts

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Curriculum For Children

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

Buy Art Curriculum

August 11, 2022July 1, 2024

How To Stage Nature Based Art Activities – Montessori Children

There are so many good reasons to include natural art elements around your home or classroom. These beautiful natural elements can inspire children to create beautiful artworks. Nature has lines, patterns, and textures that can really make fun marks. Natural elements are easy to find around your environments like backyards, school yards, and parks. The other reason to use natural elements is to connect children to the outside world. By going outside to forage for these natural elements you have the opportunity to teach the importance of living biospheres. Here are some nature elements you can forage for:

Elements Nature elements like;

Leaves
Bark
Seeds
Sticks
Stones
Feathers
Seashells
bones
Flowers

Another amazing reason to use nature is it demonstrates resourcefulness! You can teach children to go outside to find objects to create artworks from, rather than going and buying stuff from the store. By using natural items found outdoors in your students’ environment can spark some good conversations! I’ve had some amazing learning opportunities pop up when my students are curious about the outdoors, insects, or animals living in these spaces.

Staging Nature Based Art Activities – Montessori Art, By Spramani Elaun

You can also take your students outdoors through the seasons. They can learn about the seasons and what types of natural elements are there. I find interesting seed pods only a few times a year. I also can only get the right colored leaves in certain seasons. There is so much rich education right outside by using nature based elements.

I have written many Nature Based Art Activity Blogs:

Crafting With Natural Found Objects | Montessori

How to Make Paint, Inks & Dyes from Nature | Montessori Activities

Outdoor Nature Journaling | Montessori Kids

I also have an amazing training called:

Theme Art & The Natural World

About this training

Grow your child’s knowledge about the natural world by taking them outside and challenging them to create focused art based on the nature around them.

Buy this Video Training HERE

June 9, 2022November 6, 2024

How-to teach children age appropriate art activities

I get questions every day on how to teach age appropriate art activities.

I’m going to share some tips to get you on the right track.

I’ll also be sharing lots of resources.

There’s only four important things you should consider when teaching age appropriate art activities:

Use only safe non-toxic children’s art supplies
Focus on discovery exploratory type of activities
Keep steps very minimal
Focus on introducing the basic 7 elements

Early Childhood Art Activities

Very young children from toddler to six years can not plan art ideas out yet. So their art activities should be very exploration and discovery in style. They should only do process based style art activities. These lessons should generally introduce art mediums and art tools. You should only be introducing the very basic elements of art like line and colors etc. If you want to understand what art programs should consist of you can order:

Defining Visual Arts. This book explains what art literacy is for children and what you should be focusing on teaching. If you want to learn all about early childhood art programming you can order: Early Childhood Art Guide, this book shows you how to design an age appropriate art program.

Elementary Art Activities

Elementary age students can plan and create with intention. They are able to imagine an idea and plan it out. They can also follow one to six step instructions. These ages should also work in an exploratory discovery fashion. Allow children full freedom to express their own ideas. This means you should allow them to change the final outcome of their creation and not insist they follow an exact example.

Safe Non-Toxic Art Supplies

I recommend children under the age of 12 years old not use adult grade fine art supplies. Many artist grade supplies may contain hazards pigments like cadmium, lead, formaldehyde, solvents. Some paints may add additives, mildew resistance or other chemicals. Or also have special instructions for handling. These chemicals could be harmful to children not aware of special handling instructions. Pick non-toxic kids products that bare the ASTM D 4236 on them. This is a U.S. labeling law to protect children from dangerous chemicals.

If you start with these four suggestions you will be starting out on the right foot. If you need more guidance I have many training videos, books and professional development.

Warmly,

SpramaniE laun

READ BLOG:

Montessori Early Childhood Materials List

Montessori Upper Elementary Materials List

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Spramani’s Books

Teach children visual arts

Art Book Shop

Curriculum For Children

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

Buy Art Curriculum

January 4, 2022November 5, 2024

How Clay Modeling Can Reduce Stress

Tactile Art-Making Is Beneficial for Stress Relief

Over my twenty years of naturalistic art observations, I’ve witnessed tactile art projects like clay modeling lead kids into relaxed states of mind time and time again. I’ve seen stressed children come into my classroom and quickly be able to transition into a calm and relaxed state. As a result, allowing them to focus on their handiwork. Most art activities are multi-sensory engaging and can help children relax and work calmly.
Making art with your hands stimulates touch neural input, visual pathways communicate with both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Therefore, auditory and smell sensory systems collect information all at once, entering an active multi-sensory learning state. In addition, making art modeling clay is high in visual-auditory connectivity in the brain. Strong connectivity occurs, and the child becomes intensely focused on their handiwork.

Children using their hands can be so engaged that other stress-related thoughts clear their minds, and they enter a state of flow. As a result, students can forget the stress-related emotions they were experiencing before entering a creative state of flow.
The electrical activity stimulated in the brain becomes a different type of action. Then, firing connections occur that allow children to focus only on their creative process.
Soon, a calming effect takes place because tactile cognitive processing is occurring as children form or manipulate objects with their hands. It’s good for children to develop good habits and activities during their sensitive periods so they can regulate their own relaxation early in life through creative handiwork. Consequently, I’ve coined the phrase “active multi-sensory learning” to explain this cognitive state.

Clay Modeling Activity Can Reduce Stress

Clay modeling can be a great way children can have active multi-sensory learning happen and reduce stress! I’ve been teaching these types of lessons for two decades with clay modeling activities and using a variety of clay mediums for multi-sensory learning. Also, the other important aspect of these types of lessons is that children love them and take to them well.
To illustrate, if you find a child fidgety, highly stressed, or exhibiting anxiety, I recommend you engage them in clay modeling activities. In addition, another tip I would recommend is dedicating a place to these art materials and making them easily available in your classroom, home, or school. Because of this, if you observe students with these persistent signals, follow your school protocols or seek professional therapists. Most importantly, do not try to treat children exhibiting trauma yourself unless you are a licensed therapist.

Basic Clay Modeling Steps:

Prepare a bowl with malleable clay in plastic baggies to keep moist.
Start with calming, kneading movements (a ceramic technique).
Encourage students to knead the clay for long period (5-10 minutes).
Allow students to transition into process-based exploration forms.
Do not give students complex instructions to follow.
Leave simple clay books or activity instructions nearby.

Recommended Clays to Buy:

Plasticine, non-hardening clay (Click to Buy)
Air-dry clay
Pottery earth clay
Pure beeswax modeling clay

Recommended Curriculum to Follow:

Clay Modeling – Practice & Process Curriculum, 27 Sequential Lessons (Click to Buy)

Contact me if you’d like to learn more about teaching children art using Montessori methods.

Spramani’s Books

Teach children visual arts

Art Book Shop

Curriculum For Children

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

Buy Art Curriculum

June 30, 2021November 5, 2024

Montessori Painting with Children | Tips

How to Support Montessori Painting with Young Children

I’ve been painting with many children in staged Montessori art spaces over the years, and I’ve also observed how they best learn to paint. So, I wanted to share some tips on how to support concentration and independence while kids paint. These tips can be helpful if you’re trying to create more Montessori painting activities within your classroom or home.

Here are some tips on how you can support creative painting sessions:

Flow & Concentration
Independence
Exploration & Discovery
Creative Experimentation
Freedom Within Limits

Support Flow & Concentration

Allow uninterrupted periods of creative time while your students are working. When you don’t interrupt children’s painting, they can enter more creative states of flow with heightened concentration. Children can concentrate and go deeper into learning new ideas when not interrupted. To help with these states of flow, try to observe your students from a distance. Too often, creative flow is interrupted by teachers or parents. You should practice more uninterrupted work periods by being conscious of how you are interacting with your child during their painting sessions.

Support Independence

You can support your students’ independence by preparing their art environment to support their painting independence. Think about how you have arranged their painting space. Is their working space aligned with their level of abilities? Is their drying area nearby and easy for them to hang or lay their paintings on? Are materials all set up and easy for them to reach so they can get to work? Have you given them the right amount of demonstrations so they know how to use all the materials properly? By revisiting demonstrations, you can support your child to work more independently.

Support Exploration & Discovery

Exploration and discovery can come in many ways. Allow your children the freedom to choose their materials, such as paint colors, and paintbrush sizes. You can even give them the freedom to choose the size of paper they want to paint on. Children flourish when they can explore how materials behave or even discover how they work in different ways. The process of exploration and discovery is the best way young children learn painting skills. Allow for lots of discovery time. Young children learn to paint over a long period of time. Try supporting more exploration and discovery rather than the outcome.

Support Creative Experimentation

When children go in different directions than you had planned, take a deep breath and allow their experimentation to happen. Example: If they do not use the paintbrush the way you demonstrated or do not choose the colors you planned in your example. You might be thinking, “Green would look lovely for painting turtles,” but your student thinks, “Purple turtles are better!” If your child uses their fingers to paint instead of the paintbrush you took time to stage, as long as they are safe and not disrespecting the art materials, simply allow this type of creative experimentation to go on. This is truly considered one of the artistic processes the National Core Art Standards supports; it’s called INVESTIGATE!

Montessori PAINTING with Children | Tips

Support Freedom Within Limits

YES, discovery and exploration are part of the creative process, but we can provide freedom within limits by presentations and demonstrations that support healthy limits. We can demonstrate where the painting will take place, where it’s accepted in the art environment, and where it’s NOT allowed.

One of the biggest lessons I learned early on, which I share in several of my kids’ painting books, is that you need to explain to children where painting is not allowed, like the walls, and how walking around with loaded paintbrushes is not allowed outside of their art workspace. I also explain to children how to set up and clean up when they are done painting.

As a homeschool mom, I even had to explain this to two of my own little artists. The freedom should be in what they want to express or paint but not where they want to paint. 😉

I hope these tips help you bring the joy of painting into your Montessori spaces.

If you want to learn more, I recommend learning more about my books, video training, and art supplies.

Spramani Elaun

Ultimate Guide to Montessori Painting

Spramani’s Books

Teach children visual arts

Art Book Shop

Curriculum For Children

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

Buy Art Curriculum

June 3, 2021November 4, 2024

How-to PAINT PAPER like Eric Carle | Montessori Art

Paint paper like Eric Carle

Every summer, I host art camps in San Diego, and my students’ top favorite project to do with me is to paint papers! In this post, we will teach you how to paint paper and collage like artist and author Eric Carle. So I thought I would share this fun Montessori art activity you can introduce to your students.

I like to give my students unusual tools, bright paint colors, different colored papers, and crazy things to make interesting textures and patterns. This also prepares papers for future projects that can be cut and be collage into interesting shapes.

Teach the Elements

Painting papers is a great way to teach the Elements and Principles of Design. You can teach texture and patterns, a vital art standard topic children should learn in Montessori art lessons. The artist and author Eric Carle is famous for doing this fun and vibrant method in his book illustrations. Eric Carle is famous for PAINTED PAPERS and collaging them into beautiful creatures featured in all his books.

Eric Carle, artist and children’s book author

Paint paper like Eric Carle — How-to PAINT PAPER like Eric Carle | Montessori Art

What is paint paper?

Painted paper is basically paint applied onto paper. You can paint plain white paper or colored paper. Paper painting can be created with different mediums like watercolor, gel paints, tempera, or acrylic paints (any paint).

What can you do with painted paper?

Like Eric Carle, the famous artist, paint the papers first, let them dry second, then third cut them up into new collage artworks. Eric Carle’s famous painting papers created The Very Hungry Caterpillar book with this unique painted technique.

What tools do you need to make painted papers?

Paint mediums
Paper
Paintbrushes
Interesting objects that make patterns and textures
Drying rack
Interesting tools

Painted papers can be taught in a process-based manner

Process-based painting is more about the experience rather than following directions. When kids paint process-based, they are able to go in any direction they choose. They can explore any texture, use any color, and have any outcome happen, but have very cool painted paper; they can later cut turn into another art piece. Process-based art lessons and painted papers are a great way to start teaching Montessori art lessons.

Spramani Elaun

Early Childhood Guide – Book

You’ll learn:

The importance of early Art Literacy
How to speak the ‘Artist Language’
The art subjects students need to know
The characteristics of child artists
Methods and approaches to teaching
How to create art activity environments
The best art materials for your classroom
How to plan level-appropriate activities

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Teach children visual arts

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Curriculum For Children

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

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Curriculum that actually teaches!

5 Important Curriculum Things Learned Over Time:

Buy the right Montessori Art Curriculum For Children, Painting & Drawing:

When to start clay lessons

Where To Start Clay Play

Montessori Clay Play

6 Video Montessori Art Training

What Visual Arts Looks Like For Children

The Art Lessons You Should Teach First!

How to Theme Art & The Natural World

Positive Artful Ways To Talk To Your Students

Watercolor Joy

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Curriculum For Children

3-6 Art

Sensory Art

Nature Art

Process Based Art

Storytelling Art

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Schedule Art Lessons

Art Subjects To Teach

Art Elements To Teach

Art Mediums & Technique

Building Art Skill-Sets

Focus on Art Direct Aims

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Early Childhood Art Activities

Elementary Art Activities

Safe Non-Toxic Art Supplies

Need to train your teachers?

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Curriculum For Children

Tactile Art-Making Is Beneficial for Stress Relief

Clay Modeling Activity Can Reduce Stress

Basic Clay Modeling Steps:

Recommended Clays to Buy:

Recommended Reading:

Recommended Curriculum to Follow:

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Curriculum For Children

How to Support Montessori Painting with Young Children

Support Flow & Concentration

Support Independence

Support Exploration & Discovery

Support Creative Experimentation

Support Freedom Within Limits

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Curriculum For Children

Paint paper like Eric Carle

Teach the Elements

Eric Carle, artist and children’s book author

What is paint paper?

What can you do with painted paper?

What tools do you need to make painted papers?

Painted papers can be taught in a process-based manner

You’ll learn:

Spramani’s Books

Curriculum For Children