• Develop skills such as intuition, dexterity, and hand-eye coordination that are different from math or language skills
• Learn through hands-on experimentation
• Transform their imagination and dexterity into physical forms of expression and communication
• Express themselves and think independently and creatively

 Toddlers (Minimum 4 - Maximum 10)

This class is only offered to students enrolled at the Kankakee Valley Montessori School. At the age of two, the young artist is still developing their motor skills and hand-eye coordination. No structured drawing is introduced to them at this level. Toddlers need materials and activities through which they can express their ideas and feelings. Art can bridge verbal and nonverbal communication at this age, and helps language development. Young children become creative not by what they produce but by what they attept and explore. This does not mean "crafts" or any predetermined, structured activity which is restrictive. IT IS THE PROCESS-NOT THE PRODUCT!!! Children age two are ready to explore and discover!

Simple "open-ended" art activities are what they experience, such as painting with a salad spinner, egg beaters, Jell-O or anything else we think of, working with clay and different clay tools, Printmaking with anything and everything - from natural materials to things found around the house. Perhaps, color mixing with squirt bottles, and various collage activities. In one session, your child will be exposed to a minimum of 40 activities! We never repeat an activity in a year which means a possible 3 sessions, Fall, Winter, and Spring and 120 different activities. If there is an opportunity to follow the art history project presented in older classes on a basic level we will over these as well.

WOW! Therefore, 5 to 7 open ended activities are introduced to the young artists in their studio time. These activities are set up around the studio for the child to create and discover as they wish. Miss Jan and an assistant greet the child each class time and they then put on their art shirt. We ask that the children leave these at the studio for the 7 week session. We then introduce the projects to the child. They can then explore that media until they are ready to move on. Artwork is left at the studio to dry and sent home the following week.

Classes are 45 min. in length at the KVMS School from 9:00 to 9:45 am. Parents are not involved in this class as the children come from the classroom at KVMS. At the end of class we encourage the children to put away their shirt and clean their hands. We sit on the "rug" hand out a sticker or stamp, any artwork going home along with a few m&m's from our candy painting which is a reaward for good listeners. This positive reinforcement is only offered if the little one cas simply follow the teachers instructions when it is time to stop and wash hands, put away shirts and come to the rug to say goodbye. They receive a weekly handout sheet. We then escort them back to the classroom.