Lesson Summary (3)

Art and craft activities are one of the most excellent ways for children to communicate their feelings. A Montessori classroom provides the child with opportunities to get involved in **open-ended art activities** to explore and discover their creative skills. **Teaching Art to the Children** The Montessori environment contains many different materials that help children explore their abilities via art. In the Montessori environment, art and crafts are **not** offered in a traditional, step-by-step form. Instead, they are incorporated all around the classroom — in language and storytelling, history and visual representation of time, mathematical exercises, and geography. **Describing Montessori Art** The Montessori art environment can be described using words such as: **sensorial / sensory**, **unique**, **intriguing**, **patient**, **creativity**, and **time**. **The Importance of Art in a Child's Development** Numerous research studies indicate that art helps children develop and enhance abilities such as: - Whole-brain development - Emotional development and regulation - Development of fine motor skills - Sensorial development - Encouraging of expression