With drawing games and steps that are easy to follow.
With skill-based lessons that are designed for success.
With creative drawing choices and lessons about feelings.
Expressive Monkey was created to make teaching art feel clear, manageable, and enjoyable—even on busy days.
Art lessons don’t need to be complicated, overly technical, or prep-heavy to be meaningful. Expressive Monkey focuses on simple structures, strong visual ideas, and thoughtful constraints that help students succeed while giving teachers the confidence to teach art with ease.
Whether you’re an art specialist or a classroom teacher without an art background, these lessons are designed to work in real classrooms, with real time limits, and real students.
At the heart of Expressive Monkey is a belief that structure supports creativity.
Lessons are built around clear steps, limited choices, and approachable techniques. By reducing overwhelm—fewer materials, fewer decisions, clearer directions—students are able to focus, experiment, and take creative risks within safe boundaries.
This approach:
● reduces decision fatigue for students
● supports classroom management
● builds confidence through repetition and choice
● results in artwork that feels personal and successful
When students aren’t worried about doing it “right,” they’re more willing to try—and that’s where learning happens.
Expressive Monkey lessons are designed to be:
● Low prep — easy to print, easy to teach
● Flexible — adaptable across grade levels and abilities
● Process-focused — emphasizing learning over perfection
● Teacher-tested — refined through decades of classroom experience
Lessons include clear visuals, structured choices, and options for differentiation, making them dependable whether you have 30 minutes or multiple class periods.
Expressive Monkey was created by Stacey Peters, a former elementary art teacher with 25 years of public school teaching experience.
Stacey began teaching art in 1989 and spent her career working with elementary students across grade levels.
She saw firsthand how easily children shut down when art felt too technical or intimidating—and how quickly confidence grew when lessons were clear, supportive, and well-structured.
She holds a Master’s degree in Art Education and is a National Board Certified Teacher. For more than 10 years, she has supported teachers worldwide through online art resources, lessons, and professional development materials.
Expressive Monkey is designed for:
● elementary art teachers
● classroom teachers teaching art without formal training
● substitute teachers needing reliable art plans
● educators looking for engaging, structured art lessons
The goal is simple: help teachers feel confident teaching art, and help students feel successful making it.
If you’re looking for art lessons that are clear, practical, and classroom-ready—without sacrificing creativity—you’re in the right place.
Expressive Monkey is here to support you and your students, one well-designed lesson at a time.
