What’s “Nurturing Children in The Visual Arts Naturally” book all about?

A proven visual art method book for young children.

This book is devoted entirely to children and their relationship to the visual arts.

Parents, teachers and caregivers interested in nurturing visual arts will be better prepared to do so by reading this book.

• Understand how children develop art skills

• The latest up-to-date exciting link to visual perception & art skills.

• Detailed 7 principles guide

• Age recommendation phase guide

What each chapter looks like:

Part 1. Journey to Discovery

Chapter 1. Introductions: Who I am & Why The Book

Chapter 2. My Observations Lead To Method

Chapter 3. Child, Visual Arts & Artist, Three Special Terms You Must Know!

Chapter 4. Fine Art Instruction: Where It Came From & Why We Teach This Way

Chapter 5. Fine Art All Wrong For Kids: Nurturing Method Emerges

Chapter 6. Experts, Non Experts Today On childhood Visual Art Learning

Chapter 7. Elex’s Drawing Story

Chapter 8. Elex’s Story Brings: Revelations, Discoveries to Natural Patterns

Chapter 9. Elex’s Story Identifying Creative Mode Artwork vs. Copy Mode Artwork

Part 2. Freeing The Imagination

Chapter 10. Methodology, Principals, Phases & Parts To The Method

Chapter 11. Cognitive “Mind/Brain” & Fine Motor Growth

Chapter 12. Visual Perception, Connecting visual growth to how we learn to draw

Chapter 13. Nurture The Naturalistic Child

Chapter 14. The 3 C’s Curiosity, Creativity & Child-Led

Chapter 15. 3 Phases of Development

Chapter 16. Buying Art Supplies

Chapter 17. Art Supply Safety & Non-Toxic Truths

Chapter 18. Colour Theory

Chapter 19. Art Therapy, Art Helps Children Communicate Simpler

Chapter 20. Digital Multi-Media Arts For Children

Chapter 21. Art Topics

Chapter 22. The End Of The Rainbow, Conclusion

Book Excerpts:

Opening Page

To a young child, exploring through play is simply natural. Children collect knowledge and gain a sense of their physical world through their senses of seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, and hearing. The excitement a child experiences while dipping a brush in paint and creating strokes of colour is a curious mixture of the senses! Visual art exploration is a natural way for children to explore and learn and it can come in many forms: doodling, painting, colour, sculpting, crafting, and many other visual art forms.

Many books have been written on the subject of teaching visual arts to children, which use traditional fine art to facilitate lessons. This s not that type of book. Here, I offer a new way of teaching visual arts. This new way of thinking will open your eyes to a child’s natural creative abilities. The Nature of Art For Kids® Methodology and proven method is based on these ideas: 1) Freely allowing a child to use intuitive thinking while making art, 2) Allowing ideas and creative expression to develop with abilities appropriate to each child’s developmental stage, 3) Not disturbing the curious evolution a child undergoes while exploring, and 4) Not burdening a child with adult ideology about how to be creative.

Part one of this book will take you through the journey how I came to the conclusion young children should learn visual arts naturally, part two will explain why and how to nurture visual arts.

Why should visual arts be part of a young child’s life? Making art is a natural way to communicate. Emotions can be expressed during the process of making art or the final message in artwork. From a beginning idea to a completed art project, the process is good for a child to experience. Visual Arts is a great way to explore a child’s creativity. Our physical earth and daily life is a bounty of colorus and light, art is a great way to explore colour. Art making provides limitless colour and form. Making art is a great way a child can develop fine motor skills. Visual Arts can bridge a child to the natural world. Visual Arts in a young child’s life can be positive for healthy growth.

This book is available in paper back, ebook, CD and you can also buy each chapter separate.

This book is the new “must have” resource for teachers and parents alike. I hope Ms. Elaun has many more books in the works. “Nurturing Children in The Visual Arts Naturally “ gives the visual arts their proper due as an antidote to what ails our children in this age of focus on “teaching to the test”.
Even in these times of high tech and low touch, communication is connection and hands on learning is essential for proper human development. This book will teach you just how to encourage this full potential via the visual arts.
This brilliant book should grace the shelves of every school and home library as a timeless resource for positive child development.

Marga Schneider-Munoz, MD, MPH, homeschooling mom

A well thought out and needed book written by artist, art teacher, entrepreneur and homeschooling mom with many years of experience nurturing children in the arts. Both of my girls have enjoyed Spramani’s art classes and collaborative community projects over the years. She shares her knowledge and experience in this book through many years of being around and teaching children of all ages to learn art naturally, at their pace and interest level. This method flows so naturally, especially for my homeschooled kids. This book outlines not only the “whys” of why it’s good to nurture children in the arts with her methods but some wonderful examples as well. She’s put a lot of thought, research and time into creating this book to help others facilitate this method of learning art naturally for their families. Really enjoyed the book and wish it much success. Also, my girls and I love her paint products and love knowing that they are safe!

Mandy Sicard – unschooling mom