Arts & Crafts Posts
Why Should Children Study Art?
When setting out to help children learn about art, I think it's important to spend some time thinking over the subject first - what is the purpose of art, and why should kids study it?
Bringing Art to the Elementary Classroom
As I mentioned last week, I believe that every Montessori classroom should have a dedicated art area. This lets kids know that art is important, and also gives them a chance to explore different kinds of art and different art media. In elementary, projects can be more sophisticated, especially if kids have had a good foundation in the basic art skills...
Setting Up Your Preschool Art Area
Art. What does that little word mean? It can encompass a huge variety of pursuits, from drawing to dance, from sculpture to movie making. The one thing all artistic pursuits have in common is that they involve some sort of creation - making something that didn't already exist...
Hands-on Projects Bring Nature Indoors
Kids love nature. The endless varieties of trees, bugs, rocks, and flowers provide unlimited opportunities for learning and exploration. Naturally, they love nature-themed projects, too. Here are a few of my favorite ways to bring the outside in...
Making the Most of Spring - Some Great Activities for Kids
Can you feel it in the air? I can! Even after a surprise snowfall this past weekend, the first signs of spring are definitely showing up in my neighborhood. I can see some bulbs sprouting their pale green leaves in my garden box, and a certain turtle dove keeps hanging around our bird feeder, looking feverishly (I think) for a mate.
5 Smart Activities to Beat the Winter Blues
Are you buried up to your ears in snow in Norway or wondering if the rain will ever stop in not-so-sunny California? We all get feeling a bit cramped in wintertime and children may be feeling especially constrained, their abundant energy pent up from being inside all the time.
Helping Kids Find the Artist Within
Art programs are invariably the first to go when funding cuts happen in public schools, and a friend of mine who is an award-winning artist tells a touching story of being invited by a teacher to visit such a school to give a presentation. As the artist walked onto the campus, carrying beautiful, colorful canvases, she was swarmed by curious little children who begged to be allowed to look at the paintings.
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