Montessori-approved art supplies are essential and play an essential role in a child’s development. Art is not just for fun, as it helps develop fine motor skills, spatial perception and offers children the opportunity to explore their creativity.
Why are Fine Motor Skills so Important?
Fine motor skills are vital for physical and mental health. Even though they may seem simple, the development of fine motor abilities is imperative to your child’s ability to learn. These motor abilities help a child develop self-esteem by being able to control their own body and hands. In addition, fine motor skills play a significant role in extending learning time and creating better memories.
Montessori-approved art supplies will help your child build their fine motor skills in a playful environment. They will be able to use their hands to cut and form the materials, which will improve their skill and ability. While Montessori art supplies are essential, make sure that you’re using them correctly when helping your child build their fine motor skills.
What to Consider When Choosing Art Supplies for Your Child?
Art can be a fun time for your child to use their imagination and express themselves. But it’s also vital for them to learn while they’re creating. Here are some things you should look for when choosing the art supplies that will be used with your child:
• Materials must be easy to use by small hands
• They must be colorful and have bright colors, so they capture the child’s attention
• Materials must not contain toxic materials or substances that are dangerous for children to ingest or in contact with their skin
• It is essential not to overwhelm the child with tons of art supplies and materials; keep them limited, more than 4-5, to focus on what they need to create.
Best Montessori Approved Art Supplies
Children can use these art supplies to help develop essential attributes like confidence, creativity, independence, organization, communication skills, and more. In addition, these art supply toys make it easier for your child to develop their creativity and express themselves through different mediums such as drawing, painting, sculpting, or collage making.
1. Watercolors
Watercolors are a great art supply for your child to use because it’s in their control. When working with watercolors, your child will need to hold the brush by themselves, which helps them develop coordination and hand-eye coordination. In addition, they’ll be able to control how much paint they want on the brush, which will teach them how to be independent and use their creativity. You can also help them add more paint by putting more drops of water in it. Another tool that also helps with independence is the paintbrush holder, where you can easily attach an extra brush or two to increase your creativity.
2. Watercolor Paper
Watercolor paper is a significant art supply as it is lightweight, and the texture is smooth. Your child’s hands can easily manipulate it. This paper will prevent them from getting frustrated with it because they’ll create different designs and figures.
3. Modeling Clay
Modeling clay will help your child’s fine motor skills like handling different shapes and surfaces. In addition, they’ll create a lot of artwork with the clay, so your child won’t need painting or paper as much. Clay is more difficult to mold; thus, it will give a richer experience to your child.
4. Waterproof Beeswax Crayons
Crayons are a great tool to use with children. They are easy to use, and the variety of colors will entice their creativity. Your child will also be able to create a lot of artwork. Beeswax crayons are smoother, firmer, and can provide great colors.
5. No-Spill White Lid Paint Cups
Paint cups are another art supply that will allow a child to explore their creativity. The no-spill lid makes it easy for them to pour the paint out without spilling the paint on their clothes or table. They will also control the paint flow to create fantastic artwork on paper or other surfaces. These spill-proof paint cups will let you relax while your child creates their little masterpieces.
6. Giant Triangular Colored Pencil
For your child, find durable pencils that won’t easily break, comfortable to hold, and have vibrant colors. Giant triangular colored pencils are the perfect combination of all three. The rich color and finish will entice their creativity. You can also use them to create different designs and patterns on paper.
7. Hardbound Sketchbook
A sketchbook is another art supply that you should consider getting for your child. It will help them express themselves, and it’ll help develop their creativity. Sketchbooks also encourage children to gain an understanding of perspective, drawing, and color schemes. Sketchbooks are readily available in different sizes, so your child can choose what suits them. It also allows your child to look through their past masterpieces.
8. Multi-Purpose Paint Brush
The multi-purpose brush is ideal for helping a child create masterpieces. They’ll be able to use the brush to paint different surfaces, such as paper and canvas. This tool will allow your child to create different designs and figures by painting in different ways: one stroke, two strokes, or swirling the paint. In addition, this art supply will help develop your child’s fine motors muscles, which allows him to gain more control of his movement.
9. Oil Pastels
These vibrant and lively colors are great art supplies for your child. These can add a lot of color to any art piece. They are easy to use and won’t be messy like other painting materials. Oil pastels have a smooth consistency which will allow your child to control the flow of the paint better. In addition, these pastels can easily blend, which allows your child’s creativity to come out.
10. Fiskars Kids Scissors
Scissors are great art supplies for your child. Children tend to use their fingers rather than the scissors when making a cut, which helps them develop their motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Clipping the paper will also help your child learn how to control the direction of the cut, so they won’t get frustrated while using the scissors. Children love using scissors because they’re fun to use. This art supply will also help them with their fine motor skills as it makes it easier for them to make precise cuts and designs on paper or canvas.
11. Eyelike Stickers
These realistic stickers are interesting art supplies that will entice your child’s creativity. Your child can easily peel the sticker off the paper and stick it on another surface, such as clothing, paper, or even windows. It will also help your child control his movements as he can pick them up without tearing them.
12. Stencils Set
Stencils are great art supplies for your child. It will allow them to add and blend shapes and figures to create an intricate piece of artwork. In addition, stencils can be used with paint or markers, which is an excellent way for your child to create different designs and figures.
Children learn a lot through the different activities and experiences they have. They will gain more knowledge and understanding of arts and crafts with the right equipment and materials. That is why you need to invest in art supplies for your children. Not only do they get to express their creativity with different art materials, but they can improve their skills in different aspects of fine motor development. For example, arts and crafts is an activity that can help your child develop hand-eye coordination, which is essential for them in learning other skills later on in life.