The Montessori art curriculum plays a vital role in young children’s growth and development. Montessori art activities aid in the development of fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and cognitive abilities such as problem-solving and critical thinking. Montessori art activities also foster creativity and imagination, allowing children to express themselves freely and explore their ideas visually.
- Brief Overview of Montessori
- Montessori Art: Integrated into the Curriculum
- Art Activities vs Craft Activities
- Montessori Art Activities
- Creating an Art Curriculum for Young Children
Brief Overview of Montessori
Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian educator and physician, developed her child-centered educational philosophy over a hundred years ago. Montessori education emphasizes self-directed learning within a carefully prepared environment, and encourages independence, freedom within limits, and hands-on learning experiences.
In Montessori classrooms, mixed-age groups of children engage in activities that promote exploration, discovery, and mastery of concepts at their own pace. The classroom itself supports the development of physical, cognitive, social, and emotional skills through the inclusion of specially designed materials and activities that are developmentally appropriate and appealing to young children.
Teachers in the Montessori method act as facilitators, observing and guiding children as they explore. Whole-group instruction is minimal, with priority instead given to individual, one-on-one lessons with an adult. Montessori lessons introduce specific skills and concepts that will aid in children’s continued exploration and discovery. The goal of Montessori education is to cultivate a lifelong love of learning, independence, and respect for oneself, others, and the environment.
Montessori Art: Integrated into the Curriculum
Though art is typically set up as a separate and distinct area of the Montessori curriculum, art skills are relevant to and incorporated in many other curriculum areas.
For example, art is integrated into the Sensorial area through activities that involve color mixing, pattern making, and texture exploration, providing children with opportunities to refine and engage their senses. In the Cultural area, children explore different artists, art forms, crafts, and storytelling, fostering an appreciation for diverse perspectives. Montessori Art activities extend the learning in Language, Math, and Science when children us
Art Activities vs Craft Activities
Art activities in a Montessori classroom typically involve open-ended materials and processes that allow children to express themselves freely without a predetermined outcome. For example, art activities might include painting or drawing on blank paper, sculpting with clay, or collage-making using a variety of materials and techniques.
Art activities emphasize the process of creating rather than the final product, encouraging children to explore their interests, experiment with different materials, and develop their artistic skills at their own pace. The final “product” of an art activity may not resemble anything recognizable to an adult. Especially in early childhood classrooms, a Montessori art project may look like smudges of color on paper, an irregularly-shaped clay figure, or a multimedia collage without a particular subject.
Craft activities in a Montessori classroom typically involve more structured processes and outcomes. These activities often have specific steps or instructions that children follow to create a predetermined project or object. For example, children might follow a set of instructions to make a paper lantern, a woven placemat, a picture of a particular animal, or a beaded necklace following a specific pattern. Craft activities offer valuable opportunities for fine motor skill development and following directions to achieve a particular result.
Some creative Montessori activities blend art and craft elements. For example, a child may be encouraged to fill a blank paper with paint in any way they choose, then to trace and cut that paper into a specific shape once the paint has dried.
Art activities prioritize individual exploration, decision-making, and self-expression, while craft activities provide opportunities for following directions, problem-solving, and fine motor skill development. Both types of activities contribute to a well-rounded and enriching educational experience that supports children’s holistic development.
Montessori Art Activities
Essential Components
Most Montessori art activities share three main components:
1. Isolating or Highlighting a Single Concept, Technique, or Procedure
In general, Montessori art activities teach children about one particular concept, technique, or procedure at a time. For example, a “gluing” activity includes all the components needed to complete that activity (a piece of paper, small items to glue, the glue itself, a tray to contain and move the items, and possibly a sponge for cleaning). This allows the child to focus on the particular skill being introduced (gluing) rather than on searching for and gathering supplies.
2. Moving From Simple to Complex
Over time, basic or preliminary concepts and techniques combine to create more complex activities. For instance, after a child has practiced the separate lessons of “gluing” and “cutting paper with scissors,” these two skills can be combined in a mosaic-making activity.
3. Emphasis On Process Rather Than Product
Montessori art activities emphasize the child’s creative efforts rather than requiring the child to recreate an adult’s example. After the adult’s instruction or demonstration, the child is welcome to use the materials freely – as long as the materials are being treated with respect and aren’t being damaged. Even in a “craft” activity where the materials can be used to create a specific product, children may use the materials to create a product of their choosing, whether this product resembles the adult example or not. Montessori education encourages adults to observe the children’s use of materials and techniques, using these observations to inform future art lessons.
Typical Art Activities
The following are art activities commonly found in a Montessori environment. Please note that these lessons are certainly not a complete list of possible art activities for young children. However, they will give adults working in Montessori settings a clear overview of how Montessori art lessons can be organized, introduced, combined, and extended.
- Cutting
- Gluing
- Painting and Printing
- Easel
- Finger Painting
- Watercolors
- Crayon Resist
- Painting/Printing with Objects – Marble, Straw, String, other Found Objects
- Exploring Color
- Primary and Secondary Colors
- Color Wheel
- Shading and Tinting
- Drawing
- Crayons
- Oil Pastels
- Markers
- Colored Pencils
- Crayon Rubbing
- Still Life
- Self Portraits
- Creating a Story Book
- Sculpture
- Dough art
- Clay
- Other materials – foil, wood, wire, paper mache, etc.
- Handwork Activities
- Stringing Beads
- Sewing
- Weaving
- Woodworking
- Art History & Art Appreciation
- Learning About an Artist
- Learning About an Art Movement
- Representation in Art History and Art Appreciation
- Seasonal & Holiday Arts
- Seasonal Art
- Holiday Art
Creating an Art Curriculum for Young Children
If you are looking for detailed guidance on how to create an art curriculum for your Montessori or early childhood environment, we recommend the Creating an Art Curriculum for Young Children course with Carolyn Lucento.
This isn’t a patchwork of random art activities; this is a purposeful and sequential guide to Montessori art education. You’ll receive a 60+ page Montessori-style Album/Manual in digital format, and you’ll explore an inspiring range of topics such as the following:
Art Curriculum Part One:
- Aesthetically Preparing the Art Environment: Designing and organizing your art space to inspire creativity and facilitate learning.
- Setting Up Procedures in Making Art: Establishing guidelines and protocols to ensure a smooth and effective art-making process.
- The Elements of Art: Introduction to the basic components like line, shape, color, and texture that serve as the building blocks of art.
Art Curriculum Part Two:
- Cutting Activities: Hands-on exercises focused on developing fine motor skills through cutting various materials.
- Painting and Printing Activities: Engaging tasks that involve different painting and printing techniques to encourage artistic expression.
- Exploring Color Activities: Experiments and exercises designed to deepen the understanding of color theory and its application in art.
Part Three:
- Handwork Activities: Activities that involve knitting, sewing, or other manual crafts
- Cultural, Seasonal, & Holiday Arts: Projects and exercises that explore art from different cultures, as well as art related to various seasons and holidays
- Art History/Appreciation: Lessons that introduce students to key figures, movements, and works in the art world
Why This Course is a Must-Have
- Montessori-Aligned: Every aspect of the course is designed to complement the Montessori philosophy.
- Practical: With sample lesson plans and instructional videos, you’ll be ready to implement what you learn immediately.
- Comprehensive: Covering everything from basic elements to advanced activities, this course is all you need to make art an integral part of your curriculum.
The aim of this course is to equip you with everything needed to transform your art environment into a flourishing space for exploration. Even more importantly, the course seeks to reignite your passion for nurturing children’s innate creativity.
You will rediscover the splendor of self-expression and learn how to empower your students to embrace their unique voices through the language of art. This journey promises to be as beautiful and surprising as the artistic process itself.
This course is more than just a series of lessons; it’s a comprehensive guide to making art an enduring and impactful part of your Montessori educational journey.
Holly Earnest is a content writer on the Trillium team. After eight years in the classroom and another 2.5 as a center director, Holly transitioned from full-time campus life to focus on supporting Montessori educators and caring for family. She is AMS-credentialed at the primary level, and enjoys coaching Montessori guides, creating Montessori training materials, and presenting at Montessori conferences.