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The Montessori activities on art and craft can teach a thing or two about organization and order. Children materials for this activities should be; easy to get to, well-organized, striking, suitable for their age, appealing and guileless. The most important aspect of art and craft material for toddlers is their simplicity. The materials are expected to enhance creativity, hone fine motor abilities and improve coordination and sharp focus.
For these activities, it is essential to avoid compilation of clutter and waste. The following steps should guide parents and teachers when teaching art and craft activities.
Use few materials. It is important to present the children with few materials at a time. The less materials presented to the child the less chances of waste and mess.
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Present manageable number of activities. Do not overwork the child with loads of activities. There still is time for the child to master the concepts. Rotate the activities as much as possible but not engage the child with a lot of activities at the same time.
Use baskets and trays. Always provide the art and craft materials in a basket or a tray. The containers help in making the materials easy to get to and keep the materials safe and orderly. The only exemptions would be water or paints.
Make the materials suitable for the age of the child. Suitability in this aspect means material that are not dangerous to the health of the child. Do not use toxic materials or very complicated materials.
Present materials that encourage clean-up. Provide sponges, wet wipes, mops etc. to allow the child learn some cleaning after exercising the art activities. Small bins are also important for discarding paper wastes.
With all this in mind, now let us take a look at a host of art and craft activities for your toddlers.
Drawing
Materials
For this activity you need to present some color pencils in a box with sliding lid, a paper or canvas surface. Take note to rotate the color selection from time to time depending on the type of paper or surface you are using.
Step by step
Show the children how to use their color pencils or crayons by drawing some simple patterns on the paper or canvas material.
Let the children take turns in drawing the patterns you have just showed them.
Remember to show the children bit by bit to inspire them to explore more, without being rigid which may hinder their imagination.
Water colour painting
Materials
Provide water colors, brushes, a jar of water, and a plain surface (paper or canvas), and a pallet for mixing colors.
Step by step
Smear the desired color on a pallet.
Wet the bristles of the brush in water provided in a jar.
Mix the color on the pallet using the wet brush.
Paint some patterns on your flat surface.
Keep a piece of cloth to help in cleaning the area of exercise.
Cutting
Materials
Sturdy cards and a pair of scissors.
For this activity, teach the children how to hold the scissor by the handle and remind them that the blades are sharp. The activity is recommended for age group 3 and above.
Step by step
Hold a piece of sturdy card on one hand and a scissor on the other.
Cut a thin strip of from the card.
For younger kids, hold the paper for them as they use their two hand to hold the scissor and cut.
As the kids advance, start creating straight lines on the paper and cut along the lines. Let them repeat the process on their own.
Sewing
Materials
For this activity you are required to provide sewing cards, cross-stitch needles
In a case and sewing threads.
Step by step
Hold the sewing card while showing the children the holes in the card.
Show the children how to sew the holes and rotate the card after each hole.
At this stage, let the children pull the sewing thread through the holes and push the stitching needle through the next hole on the sewing card.
Cut the thread at the end and let them learn how to make a knot at the end of the thread.
Prick work
This activity is aimed at helping the children learn how to control the movement of their hands.
Materials
A piece of paper, pricking object.
Step by step
Make patterns on the piece of paper. Start with simple patterns as you advance to complex drawings.
Let the children prick holes along the patterns.
If possible, show the children how to make holes all along the shapes you have drawn and help them pull out the shapes.
Punches
Provide paper punches on varied shapes and sizes like hearts, diamonds or Christmas tree. Let the children punch a piece of paper that you have provided and pull out the shapes made. This art activity help the children in develop creative skills and learning about different shapes.
Gluing
Materials
Provide different shapes of paper images in a bowl, a small pot of glue and a brush. A separate flat paper is also required.
Step by step
Spread the sheet of paper on a flat surface, preferably a table top.
Using the brush with the bristles immersed in the Pot of glue, spread the glue on the back of the shapes and images provided.
Slowly spread the shapes on the flat sheet of paper.
Let the children try doing this on their own.
Modelling clay
This activity should involve the children in making different shapes using clay.
Materials
The supervisor should provide some modelling clay, a rolling pin and some cookie cutters.also remember to avail some wet towel for cleaning once the activity is complete.
Step by step
Guide the children in moulding different shapes using clay.
For flat shapes, place some clay on a flat surface and flatten Te cay using the rolling pin.
Using the cookie cutter, cut the clay into different shapes.
Guide the children in repeating the process.
As an alternative to the modelling clay, you also use coloured play dough or kinetic sand.
Colour Collage
This activity involves sticking different coloured papers into matching colours on the flyer provided. Creating the colour collage helps develop creativity in children.
Materials
Coloured construction paper, bowls, flyers, scissors, and glue.
Step by step.
Cut the colored paper according to color arrangement. Put different colours in separate bowls.
Pick one bowl containing cut pieces of paper of the same colour. Read out the colour to the children and ask them to identify the colour in the flyer you have provide.
Using the gluing skill you had taught earlier let the children stick the pieces on the flyer with matching colours.
Making a colour booklet
Materials
A sketch pad, labelled coloured papers, glue, and crayons.
Step by step
Cut the labeled coloured papers into one shape, preferably rectangle.
On the sketch pad, label every page with a different colour on the top part of the page.
Let the children identify the coloured papers and help the stick every paper on the matching page of the sketch pad.
Leave a small margin on every page for the toddlers to paint the matching colour using their crayons.
