Montessori art activity integrates “observation” and “production”. In observation, the child carefully observes an object and absorbs visual stimuli. Production is the actual crafting and drawing of the object after adequate observation.
Adults prepare objects and images that encourage children’s visual literacy. They should be of a certain quality, simple, and have variety. For example, if you are painting sunflowers, it would be better to have images of real sunflowers, Van Gogh, or sunflowers painted by another artist.
As for production, it will be done in a free space, and perception of the tactility, color, etc. of the materials is also considered part of the activity. Children are free to explore the prepared environment and learn through their senses.
A recommended art activity for summer vacation that can be done at home is to go to a museum, find a painting the child likes, and let them reproduce it using various materials (if the child likes certain materials such as crayons and paints, that is fine) and the child’s own imagination. The same applies to a three-dimensional work of art.
I drew the forest after being inspired by these three. The oil painting is by Henri Edmond Clos, an early 20th century painter.
