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January 2026

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Boosting Preschool Students' Language Skills Through Art and Nature

Teachers can gently embed language development into everyday sensory moments in the classroom.

Art and nature provide rich soil for this growth, turning everyday encounters into opportunities for imagination and expression.

5 steps to turn art and nature into a language-rich experience

To make sensory and aesthetic learning an everyday habit, teachers can follow a simple five-step framework that turns any art or nature activity into a language-rich experience.

1. Observe and name. Begin by helping children notice sensory details. Slow down the moment and invite observation. Use rich, specific language yourself. For example, ask, "How does the paint move when you mix it with water? Does it swirl, wiggle, or maybe even sploosh?"
2. Prompt and expand. Encourage children to share what they feel or imagine. Open-ended prompts work best:
   
   • "Tell me what you see."
   • "What happens when you press harder on the clay?"
   
   Then expand gently: If a child says, "It's wet,” you might reply, "Yes, it's wet and slippery, like soap."
3. Integrate art. Translate sensory discoveries into creative forms such as painting, clay, collage, music, or movement. If children painted stormy skies, you might ask:
   
   • "What sound does your storm make?"
4. Share and reflect. Invite children to share their creations and describe them. This builds confidence and narrative thinking:
   
   • "What was your favorite part?"
5. Document. Capture children's words, literally. Write down short phrases they say as they work or invite them to dictate descriptions for display.

Sensory Learning as a Launchpad for Language

Long before children can read or write, they are feeling their way into language. Neuroscience shows that sensory input helps wire neural pathways for memory and meaning. Model precise language and add gestures. Name contrasts and use your body to show them. Connect to feeling.

Art and Nature as Ready-to-Use Language Labs

Research shows that the arts support children's development through visual, aural, language, and movement modes.

Here are a few simple activities that invite language through the senses:

Color walks. Take the class outside. "Let's find all the shades of green we can."

Nature collages. Collect leaves, petals, and twigs, then create collages.

Sound maps. Sit outdoors. Each time children hear a sound - a bird, a passing truck, a rustle - they mark it on the paper with a symbol or color.

Seeing Language Everywhere

Language doesn't grow only in books - it grows in clay, wind, color, and song. A child mixing paint might whisper, "It's turning stormy blue."

When teachers invite children to feel the world before naming it, vocabulary expands from the inside out.

*Excerpts taken from "Boosting Preschool Students' Language Skills Through Art and Nature" by Cecilia Cabrera Martirena www.edutopia.org – Edutopia, George Lucas Learning Foundation.

Activity of the Month!

"Wishing Stars" Craft

Materials Needed:

• Star-shaped paper cutouts
• Crayons or paint
• Stickers

Children decorate star-shaped cutouts using crayons, paint, or stickers. As they work, teachers gently encourage them to voice simple wishes, such as "I wish for fun!" or "I wish to learn new things!" Once finished, gather all the decorated stars and display them on a classroom bulletin board to create a cheerful "Wishing Stars" wall for everyone to enjoy.

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