Relationship Building

5 Innovative Strategies to Teach Gen Alpha in the Art Room

art room chalkboard with mantra and sel drawing prompt

Meet Generation Alpha, the first true digital natives. These students grew up with devices at their fingertips and navigated their key years during the pandemic. Gen Alpha are often digital wizards, but their knack for tech comes with its own challenges. For example, you may notice that they’re more comfortable swiping on a screen than presenting artwork in front of the class. They can navigate a new online platform in seconds but may have difficulty cutting a fluid line or correctly grasping a pencil

That’s where the art room comes in! As art teachers, we can tap into Gen Alpha’s tech skills while boosting hands-on creativity, fine motor muscles and coordination, and social skills.

elementary art hands with clay

Support your Gen Alpha students with these five shifts!

Take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with Gen Z and even more strategies to support Gen Alpha!

1. Encourage Gen Alpha’s social skills with collaboration.

Gen Alpha’s digital-first lives and formative years in quarantine shaped their social skills. Rather than starting school with circle time, many began isolated on screens. They’ve had fewer chances to interact with classmates. They may struggle to share materials or productively engage in collaborative art projects.

Use structured partner projects that require communication. 

Students pair up to create mirror image drawings. Partners place their papers side by side. One student draws a line, and the other mirrors it. Switch roles after five minutes. Once they master this, try a non-verbal round. Explore the Mirrored Drawings Lesson in FLEX Curriculum for detailed, step-by-step instructions and resources.  

This activity encourages students to pay close attention to what their peers are doing. It prompts students to put themselves in their peers’ shoes and consider their drawing choices. It also fosters adaptability as they adjust to each others’ actions. All of these build social skills and collaboration!

elementary art students working in pairs on a collaborative drawing

2. Build Gen Alpha’s fine motor skills with hands-on art time.

Since Gen Alpha was born with a device in hand, they’re pros at navigating new technology. Give them a new drawing app and they’ll master it in minutes. On the flip side, so much typing and clicking means they haven’t sufficiently practiced drawing and cutting. Take time to get messy and make art with slower processes like clay. Students enjoy the tactile nature of clay. It also instills patience as they experience the various clay stages. Clay-covered hands naturally discourage students from pulling out their phones, too!

Incorporate timed sculptures to build hand strength and control. 

Give students a small piece of modeling dough or clay and a prompt to sculpt within a set timeframe. Start with two minutes to build their focus. Then, gradually increase the time as their skills and patience develop. Students can crumple the clay in their fists between builds to start fresh and flex those muscles! Use this activity as a fun way to start class or a productive filler between activities. 

elementary art student sculpting with play dough

Here are some fun sculpting prompts to get started: 

  • Favorite animal
  • Favorite food
  • First letter of your name
  • Silly face
  • Tiny house
  • Flower
  • Miniature vehicle
  • Trophy for an imaginary award
  • Tiny piece of furniture
  • Favorite story or show character
  • Self-portrait
  • Insect or bug
  • Castle tower or a tiny fortress

3. Create space for Gen Alpha’s emotional well-being.

This article is written by an art educator. We recognize that art teachers are not licensed therapists, counselors, etc. If you are experiencing concerns about trauma and mental health in your classroom, please seek assistance from professional school counselors, as well as adhere to your school and district policies.

With youth anxiety rates doubling since the pandemic, creating supportive spaces in schools is more important than ever. Anxiety doesn’t look the same for everyone. In some students, it’s obvious. For others, it’s much harder to spot and may show up as hesitation to commit to ideas, reluctance to share thoughts, or an unwillingness to take creative risks. That’s why it’s so important to give them space to work through their feelings—good or bad—without judgment.

Start class with five minutes of visual journaling. 

Visual journaling is sketchbooking with an introspective twist. Visual journals can include drawings, poetry, notes, and more. They allow students to work through emotions privately and productively at their own pace. Start by introducing journaling prompts to encourage students to check in with themselves.

art room chalkboard with mantra and sel drawing prompt

Check out these prompts to promote reflection:

  • Draw how you’re feeling today using colors and shapes.
  • Sketch a place where you feel calm.
  • Draw something you’re grateful for today.
  • If your feelings were the weather, what would they look like?
  • Draw something you’re proud of from this week.
  • Illustrate one thing you’re worried about and then add something that makes you feel better.
  • Use lines and shapes to show your mood without drawing any specific objects.
  • Imagine your future self and draw what you’re doing.
  • Draw something you’re looking forward to.
  • Create an image of one of your goals or wishes and add steps to reach it.

4. Blend Gen Alpha’s hands-on creativity with digital skills.

Generation Alpha students have grown up in a world where you can punch ideas into AI and immediately generate images. With 86% of students already using AI, it’s clear that AI is here to stay. These tools are groundbreaking and can be helpful, but they can also dampen creativity without care and intention.

As these digital natives mature, this generation will need ethical guidance to navigate tech responsibly and respectfully. Concepts like ownership and the definition of art are evolving and this generation will shape those conversations. The art room offers a unique space for them to explore these ideas.

Challenge students to create in both physical and digital formats. 

Start with a traditional landscape painting lesson. Then, guide students in creating a digital version using age-appropriate software. Save time by using FLEX Curriculum’s ready-made lessons to support both approaches! For the analog version, download the Impressionism in Perspective Lesson to focus on tactile skills and provide standards-aligned objectives, process photos, and artist bios. Check out a digital version with the Painting With Digital Layers Lesson, which offers similar support tailored to digital techniques. After completing both versions, facilitate a discussion on the differences in process and outcome.

art tablet with digital landscape and drawing landscape

Here’s a list of questions to guide the discussion:

  • How did the experience of creating by hand feel different from creating digitally?
  • Which piece do you feel more connected to and why?
  • What makes a piece of artwork truly “yours?”
  • When is it okay to use images created by others in your art?
  • How does the ability to “undo” affect your creative choices in digital art?
  • How can embracing imperfections or “mistakes” enhance the creative process?

5. Embrace Gen Alpha’s family connections.

71% of Gen Alpha students say family is the most important part of their lives. This isn’t surprising since they spent the pandemic isolated at home with them. Some students long for that same sense of connection at school. 

This longing may show up in ways that are easy to spot, like students talking about their families. However, it can also appear in less obvious ways. Some students may linger to chat with you after class, seek extra reassurance on their work, or even act out to get the attention they’re missing. As teachers, we can bridge the gap between school and home!

Host events where students and families can create art together.

Start by selecting a project that’s fun and engaging for all ages. For a creative and cost-effective option, try found object assemblages. Families can collect recycled materials leading up to the event. During the event, they can explore materials, arrange pieces, and build together. For inspiration, check out the Assemblage vs. Collage Lesson in FLEX Curriculum to spark excitement and make the process easy to share.

Once you select a project, communicate the details clearly to families. Advertise the event in your school’s newsletter or other communication channels. A family art night can stand alone or incorporate into larger school happenings, like having a station at Reading Night. Use inclusive language because “family” can look different for everyone. Define “family” broadly to include those who care for and support us.

collage vs assemblage FLEX lesson download with elementary art student

Working with Gen Alpha students offers a unique opportunity to shape the future. Gen Alpha brings digital skills and forward-thinking to all they do. While they may face challenges, they’re more than up to the task. By making the five shifts above, you’ll be ready to meet your students’ needs head-on and help them grow into confident, creative thinkers. Here’s to art rooms being a place of growth, connection, and discovery for the next generation!

What challenges do you see as special to Gen Alpha?

How do you use Gen Alpha’s strengths in your art room?

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica Westman

Jessie Westman, an elementary school art educator, is a current AOEU Writer. She is passionate about incorporating mindfulness in the classroom, fostering creativity in her students, and making an environment where every child can thrive and express their unique artistic voice.

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