Join Spramani Elaun, artist and international Montessori arts trainer, as she explores how visual arts nurture the essential skills children need in the 21st century. With decades of experience guiding parents and educators around the world, Spramani shows us that art is far more than a “creative extra” — it is a powerful pathway for cognitive growth, emotional wellbeing, and independent thinking.
In this session, you’ll learn about:
• How early art experiences support brain development, focus, and problem solving
• Why creativity is a core skill for today’s world, not just a hobby
• The emotional regulation benefits children gain through hands-on art
• How to introduce art from infancy through early childhood with confidence
Spramani also shares practical, real-life guidance on:
• Setting up simple, effective art spaces at home or in the classroom
• Choosing materials that match a child’s developmental stage
• Guiding children through different mediums and techniques without overwhelm
• Keeping art stress free — for both the adult and the child
She’ll wrap up with inspiring examples that show how art becomes a natural antidote to today’s fast-paced world, helping children slow down, express themselves, and build the creative resilience they will carry for life.
In this video
Messy art, and where to let children do it, is a big part of Spramani Elaun's talk for parents and teachers of young children. It begins with what art has to do with thinking and feelings. Practical chapters cover painting in the kitchen or outside and setting up an art shelf. The Q&A takes up when to start painting, a child who gets frustrated, first materials and short attention spans.
Chapters
- 0:00 Welcome and the skills children will need in this century
- 6:12 What the Wright brothers and STEAM show about art
- 10:42 How art teaches kids to invent, solve problems and adapt
- 16:10 How art builds grit, imagination and creativity
- 22:50 How making art helps brain development and movement
- 28:10 Art for calm kids and using colors to talk about feelings
- 35:13 Where kids can do messy art and choosing a simple table
- 38:35 Painting in the kitchen or outside, and keeping an art shirt
- 45:12 Setting up an art shelf and storing art supplies
- 51:14 Q&A: when to start painting and helping a frustrated child
- 55:08 Q&A: sparking interest in art and the best first materials
- 59:10 Q&A: rules for using art materials and why to skip easels
- 1:02:41 Q&A: short attention spans and one art lesson a week
