Nursery Schools: The Colours of Emotions
Art therapy workshops in nursery schools across Milan — always in collaboration with the Milan-based association ForMattArt — where children learn to give shape to their emotions through colour, mark-making, materials, music and movement. Programmes designed to foster inclusion, address relational difficulties and support the emotional growth of the youngest children.
Art Therapy Enters the School
Since 2019 I have been leading art therapy workshops in nursery schools. The school setting is fertile ground for art therapy work: children are naturally predisposed to creative expression, and the school environment provides the structured framework needed for a continuous programme.
Who I Work With
The workshops are designed for children aged 3 to 5 and are embedded in the school’s educational plan. I work with whole classes, small groups and — when necessary — on an individual basis, particularly with children who present:
- Relational difficulties and challenges with socialisation
- Emotional vulnerabilities and difficulty managing emotions
- Special educational needs (SEN)
- Complex family situations that are reflected in behaviour at school
How the Workshops Work
Each programme is designed in collaboration with the teachers and tailored to the group’s needs. The sessions follow a recurring structure that gives the children a sense of safety and predictability:
- Opening circle: we gather, greet each other and introduce the theme
- Creative activity: painting, hands-on work, collage, drawing — each time with different materials and proposals
- Sharing: we look together at what we have made and give a name to what we have created
The Themes
The programmes revolve around the child’s emotional world:
- Core emotions: joy, sadness, anger, fear — we learn to recognise them and give them shape and colour
- The body: body awareness, body schema, the mark as a trace of oneself
- Relationships: collective artworks that teach how to collaborate, to listen, to respect the other’s space
Children do not need to know what art therapy is. They need a safe space where they can express themselves. The rest comes naturally.
The Relationship with the School
I work closely with the educators, sharing observations and planning. The workshops are not an “extra” activity: they are integrated into the educational programme, offering teachers a different perspective on the children and new tools for understanding them.