This OER provides an opportunity for further self-directed learning related to the STEAMified Transversal Skills Development teacher training programme.
STEAM brings together Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics to create meaningful interdisciplinary learning experiences. But the A(rt) in STEAM is more than adding drawing, colouring or decoration to a STEM activity.
Art gives pupils opportunities to imagine, explore, design, create, express and reflect. When genuinely integrated into STEAM, artistic processes can help children approach problems from different perspectives, experiment with ideas, make decisions, create original solutions and communicate what they have discovered.
For children aged 6–10, these processes also provide rich opportunities to develop transversal skills.
What Does Art Add to STEAM?
1. Read: Why Kids Need Art
Read “Understanding Why Kids Need Art” from Golden Road Arts. The article explores five important ways in which art can contribute to children’s development:
- Language and literacy – creating and talking about art can help children develop vocabulary, speaking, listening and comprehension.
- Motor skills – drawing, painting and making can develop coordination and fine motor skills.
- Communication – art gives children different ways to express and communicate ideas.
- Problem-solving – creating art involves making choices, experimenting, responding to unexpected results and finding ways to turn an idea into reality.
- Self-confidence – creating, developing skills and overcoming difficulties can strengthen children’s confidence.
Read: Understanding Why Kids Need Art – Golden Road Arts
https://www.goldenroadarts.org/art-resources/why-schools-need-art-stem-vs-steam/
2. Watch: Arts Integration in Practice
What does it mean to genuinely integrate Art into learning?
Watch Foundations of Arts Integration from the Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM. The video provides a short introduction to arts integration and examples of the approach in K–12 education. It helps clarify an important distinction: arts integration is not simply adding an arts-and-crafts activity to an existing lesson. Art and curriculum learning are intentionally connected.
Watch: Foundations of Arts Integration – Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM
3. Further Resources for Teachers
Why Art Is More Than an “A” Added in STEM to Equal STEAM
Golden Road Arts explores more directly why Art should not be treated as the junior partner in STEAM. The resource highlights the contribution of Art to areas such as creativity and problem-solving and argues for meaningful integration with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Arts in STEAM: More than Creativity, Inclusion and Learning
The role of Arts in STEAM is often misunderstood as a creative complement to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. However, within STEAMbrace, the “A” represents much more than decoration: it brings expression, storytelling, design, culture and communication into the learning process. From artistic performances at STEAM Congress 2026 to story-based learning and classroom activities, the project shows how the Arts can help students connect knowledge with creativity, identity and real-world challenges.
Read the full article: https://steambraceproject.eu/arts-in-steam-creativity-inclusion-learning/ – https://blog.tcea.org/integrating-art-into-steam-lessons/
Integrating Art into STEAM Lessons
This article of TCEA (Texas Computer Education Association) highlights that Art should not simply make STEM activities more colourful or engaging; it should become an integral part of the learning process. By combining artistic and STEM thinking, pupils can explore ideas from different perspectives, visualise abstract concepts, experiment, solve authentic problems and communicate their understanding creatively. The article particularly emphasises hands-on learning, authentic problem-solving, interdisciplinary connections, pupil choice, inclusion, reflection and iteration, showing how Art can strengthen creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving and adaptability while deepening curriculum learning.
Read the full article: https://blog.tcea.org/integrating-art-into-steam-lessons/
STEAM Art Activities for Elementary Kids
STEAM Art Activities for Elementary provides a practical collection of hands-on projects showing how Art can be meaningfully connected with Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Architecture and Nature in elementary education. Through activities related to topics such as the water cycle, animals, plants, symmetry, perspective, structures and bridges, pupils observe, experiment, design, create and revise while developing curriculum knowledge. The examples demonstrate particularly well that Art in STEAM can become part of the inquiry and problem-solving process, creating opportunities for creativity, critical thinking, spatial reasoning, experimentation and learning through making.
Read the full article: https://artprojectsforkids.org/steam-art-activities/