In our effort to de-clutter, I knew I was keeping my old college art history books around for a good reason. The project with our toddler was fun and the best part is that the “art” education part of it has only begun for us.
I pulled out my trusty laminating supplies, which was enough to get my two year old interested in the project. Then I grabbed four thick art history books, settling on impressionism to begin our project. My little man and I flipped through the pages and I asked him to chose his favorites. Turns out he has great taste as he chose two prints, a Seurat and a Renoir, to cut out, laminate and hang at his eye level in the activity area.
Maria Montessori believed that art is vital in a child’s environment, not so much to teach the child to become an artist but to allow for a child to explore visually, feel emotionally as he experiences the art and to appreciate the art work by taking care of it (i.e. not touching it, or rough housing with it). Michael Olaf writes beautifully about this concept within Montessori in the early years (3-6 years old). By displaying art, you can teach history and appreciation through the work.
Thanks for reading!
Marnie
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Marcia TM
September 25, 2011 at 5:59 pm
Great idea…I agree the sooner you introduce kids to great art the better. Great use of the old college books!
Marcia
Deb Chitwood
September 29, 2011 at 2:52 am
I’m loving your Project Montessori at Home! I always enjoyed having reproductions of art masterpieces when my kids were little (and in my Montessori school before I had kids of my own). Thanks for sharing this at Montessori Monday! I featured it at the Living Montessori Now Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/LivingMontessoriNow
Jen
September 29, 2011 at 4:08 am
Great job! We did this too but used large, thick loose leaf calender pages from the Metropolitan Museum of Art! Don’t you love how it looks in the room? Our first display was Van Gogh and hung the paintings at eye level in a play area in our living room and it didn’t look out of place at all. I thought it was quite beautiful!
Here’s a link to ours: http://jen-peacefulparenting.blogspot.com/2011/02/homeade-art-cards.html
Jessie, The Education of Ours
September 29, 2011 at 11:50 pm
Art book are the greatest place to find classic art. Now that my oldest is 5, I let her change out the collection we have to fit her mood. It’s fun
Montessori-Inspired Art Appreciation | LivingMontessoriNow.com
January 26, 2012 at 6:03 am
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