The Top Montessori Child Care Center Art Questions Answered
Posted on: 10 June 2020
What can you expect from art in the Montessori child care center? If your creative child enjoys painting, sculpting, drawing, and collaging, take a look at the top art questions Montessori daycare parents have answered.
Is Art Part of the Montessori Day?
Simply stated—yes. Like other types of daycare centers, Montessori preschool classrooms also include an art component. But this doesn't mean the Montessori daycare center will have a dedicated time for art lessons or activities.
Montessori schools use an uninterrupted work period as part of the educational approach. This gives the young students the time they need to learn, grow, and explore without the need to switch activities or follow along at a teacher's pace. At the preschool level, children typically have a three-hour uninterrupted work period daily. Children may engage in individual activities, such as art or small group explorations.
Is Art Required in the Montessori Preschool?
Unlike other types of daycare centers, Montessori schools don't force students to engage in specific activities. Your child is given the choice to explore art materials in their own way. If your child doesn't want to draw, paint, sculpt, or make art in another way, they aren't forced into the activity.
Is Art Its Own Content Area in the Montessori Pre-K Classroom?
Even though there are art shelves, bins, or a similar area in the Montessori classroom, the teacher won't necessarily lead group art-making lessons. Again, the students can explore the artistic process during the uninterrupted work period if they choose.
Along with this type of exploration, art is also used in cross-content activities. The children may choose to draw a picture of the plants they investigate in a science activity or paint a pattern to better understand basic math concepts.
Is Art Project or Process Based in Montessori Schools?
There are two primary ways to approach art activities in the early childhood classroom—by project and by process. Project-based art activities require the child to make something specific. This might mean the teacher instructs the children to paint a portrait of their parents or a collage a paper flower.
In comparison, process-based art allows the child to explore and experiment with the materials. This type of discovery-oriented activity is child-directed and promotes inquiry. Art in the Montessori child care center focuses on the process—not the product. Whether your child wants to squish finger paint onto paper, mix tempera colors, or cut and glue paper, they're in charge of the exploration process. Contact local child care centers to learn more.
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