32 studio art lessons for children PreK-2nd grade compiled from SchoolArts Magazine. Aligned with National Visual Art Standards and the National Association of Young Children Program Standards. Published by Davis Publications, www.davisart.com www.schoolartsmagazine.com

1. Secrets of Teaching
Kindergarten Art

2. Nancy Walkup
Editor of SchoolArts
Magazine
Davis Publications
www.davisart.com
nwalkup@davisart.com
nancywalkup@mac.com
www.covatar.com
Secrets of Teaching Kindergarten Art

3. “Art is not lecture. Planning an art class is not
planning for a lecture. It is planning for a magical
experience. It’s planning for an art room that will
inspire children.”
George Szekely

4. Practical Matters
• Have students practice entering and leaving the art room as
long as needed.
• Have students stay in their seats unless given permission to
leave them. (Helps control chaos.)
• Keep students busy.
• Establish a consistent routine.
• Have at least 3 activities planned for each 45 minute class. (for
example, a book, a short video, and a hands-on activity)
• At the beginning of school, let students take away any artwork
they did that same day. (They won’t all know how to write
their names yet and trying to pass artwork back without
names is frustrating for you and a class time waster.)
• Have a signal for clean up time, like a timer, bell, or other
noisemaker.

5. More Practical Matters
• Start with very basic skills. Many students do not have crayons,
scissors, glue, or paper at home.
• I used tiny stickers and praise for incentives, always looking for
good behavior.
• Find children’s books that will engage students. Every class
could start with reading a book aloud.
• Do not start painting right away in the school year. When you
do, start with just one color at a time, then perhaps the
primary colors. White paint on colored paper is an option.
• I never used painting shirts and it never was a problem.
• Photograph work you want to keep for a digital display in a
highest setting.
• Find a room arrangement that works for you. I placed my
tables in a U and had the kids sit on the outside facing me.
• Keep calm and carry on.

6. Child-Centered Approaches
to Early Childhood Art Education
The Reggio-Emilia Approach:
Emphasis on exploration, discovery, and creativity in a supportive and
enriching environment . Reggio schools have an atelier, a combination art
studio and science laboratory.
Choice-Based Approach:
Emphasis on student choice and self-direction in both subject matter and
media. Often utilizes centers.
Play-Based Approach:
Emphasis on the importance of meaningful play in artmaking. Anything can
be an art tool. Anything can be an art supply.

7. Invite Collaboration with Other Teachers

8. SchoolArts Collection:
Early Childhood
• Grades PreK-2
• 32 Studio Lessons
• Objectives
• Essential Questions
• Materials and Resources
• National Visual Art
Standards
• NAEYC Early Learning
Standards

9. Social And Emotional Development

10. Collaboration

11. Language and Literacy

12. Art Books to Share with Young Children
• The Dot, Peter Reynolds (Dot Day is September 15)
• Mouse Paint, Ellen Stoll (Primary and secondary colors)
• The Delightful Mr. Seahorse, Eric Carle
• Who Will Tuck Me in Tonight? Carol Roth
• The Treehouse that Jack Built, Bonnie Verburg
• Corduroy, Don Freeman
• The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams
• Not Norman, A Goldfish Story, Kelley Bennett
• Ten Little Fish, Audrey Wood
• Family Pictures, Carmen Lomas Garza
• My Name is Georgia, Jeanette Winter (Georgia O’Keeffe)
• Henry’s Scissors, Jeanette Winter (available as video)
• Yayoi Kusama: From Here to Infinity, Sarah Suzuki
• Linnea in Monet’s Garden, Christina Bjork and Lena Anderson
• Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos, Monica Brown
• Artists and Their Pets, Susie Hodge
• Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing, Kay Haring

13. Mathematics

14. Symmetry and
the Science of
Color

15. Science

17. Media Arts

18. Using a Scanner to Make Art

19. Kindergarten Art
Davis Publications

20. Reading Rainbow

21. http://www.craighinshaw.com/

22. Express ideas found in collections such as real or virtual art museums, galleries,
portfolios, or exhibitions such as this from the Baltimore Museum of Art.

23. Art Websites for Kids
Art History Kids,
https://www.arthistorykids.com/blog/2015/8/9/cut-paper-matisse-
shapes-xs8ba
Met Kids, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/online-
features/metkids/
Families/MOMA, https://www.moma.org/visit/families
The Small Works Project by Mo Williams,
https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/mo-willems/
Tate Museum, https://www.tate.org.uk/kids/explore/who-is/who-
henri-matisse
Henri Matisse, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfvcqeH8fRA
Keith Haring, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7SnDuPX_JA
Georgia O’Keeffe,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORFPKuPkbV8
Carmen Lomas Garza,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqY99gWRVgo&app=desktop

24. You can download this presentation
and others at
http://www.slideshare.net/nwalkup
nwalkup@davisart.com
nancywalkup@mac.com
www.davisart.com