The Montessori environment is filled with activities that help children explore, experience, observe and appreciate the artistic expressions in their world. Artistic creativity is the expression of the human spirit acquired through experiences and knowledge. This process helps focus children's actions and thinking into a way to express themselves.

Toddlers are naturally drawn to art. As sensory explorers, they absorb the characteristics of art as it becomes a language of their spirit. There is an important distinction that must be made when discussing toddlers' artwork and creativity. In a Montessori classroom, toddlers' artwork is sensorial and process-oriented. Generally, the children are exploring and experiencing the possibilities of various artistic materials and techniques. Because of this, toddlers' artwork is, by nature, repetitive and serendipitous. How the final result looks is less important than what they learned along the way.

As a parent, you may notice that your toddler is often not interested in what he or she made. Toddlers often paint over art projects, tear them up or even throw them away. This indicates that they value the process more than the end result. Parents should follow their child's lead about what creations he or she would like to keep. Be patient; your toddler's artistic creativity will reveal itself when he or she is able to plan and manipulate materials with precision and knowledge.

We can support toddlers' creative processes by providing a variety of opportunities to experiment and follow their interests. Toddlers should be allowed to choose the materials they would like to explore. Limit the use of adult-led "craft projects," which have predetermined steps, use only certain materials and focus on the end result. These are fine once in a while but tend to place limits on toddlers' thinking, actions and self-expression. Creativity is about doing things in new ways. It requires risk-taking. In the Montessori classroom, the environment provides choices that allow for these creative impulses. The children take the lead in deciding when to engage in art, how to use the medium and when to stop. At times, the children may not like the outcome, but that is OK as well. They took a chance, followed their whim and have experienced the result. We need to show that we value their experimentation and originality over the product. We can learn so much about children by observing their art. Their artwork reflects their moods, feelings, fears and their personal preferences.

It is important to give toddlers feedback about their artwork and let them know we value their risk-taking. However, we need to be mindful that our comments focus on the process rather than the product. For example, comments such as "I saw that you were really enjoying exploring the paint with your fingers today," or "I noticed you took your time deciding which colors to use," tell children that we value the creative process and allows them the freedom to explore another day. On the other hand, saying "I really like your picture," places the focus on the product. These comments can pull children's attention away from their natural desire to explore and take risks, instead causing them to work for the approval of others. This switch in focus can place limits on toddlers' freedom of self-expression.

- Paula Polk Lillard, Montessori: A Modern Approach