"Art for toddlers and preschoolers is rarely about beauty. It's all about exploration and personal expression." -Heather Shumaker
Artsy Thursday is the focus for today in the Week of the Young Child. Children develop creativity, social skills, and fine-motor skills when they engage in open-ended art projects. Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel. They care more about the process of creating than the making of a product.
When children engage in process art-exploring and experiencing materials without working towards a particular end product, it builds curiosity, resilience, and encourages children to try new things. Using materials commonly found in the home and nature will support exploration and creativity. Children encounter challenges when creating which gives them the opportunity to problem solve and think through different possibilities. Allow them to work through the process, being available to support when they request.
Art allows children to practice a wide range of skills that include: Fine motor skills - Grasping pencils, crayons, chalk and paintbrushes helps children develop their fine motor muscles. Cognitive development - Art can help children learn and practice skills like patterning and cause & effect Math skills. Children can learn, create and begin to understand concepts like size, shape, making comparisons, counting, and spatial reasoning. Language skills - As children describe and share their artwork, as well as their process, they develop language skills.
Take some time to celebrate Artsy Thursday with your child. Draw a picture, use chalk outside, cut and glue different items, play with playdough, explore different art materials together to make a masterpiece and memories.
Interested in learning more about the RPS 205 Early Childhood opportunities for families with children Birth-age 5? Visit https://rockfordpsil.sites.thrillshare.com/page/early-childhood or call the Early Childhood Screening and Placement Office at 815-229-2103.
Hillary Cook-Harris is the Director of Early Childhood Curriculum and Assessment. Hillary joined RPS 205 in November 2019. She has been an Early Childhood educator and director for more than 30 years.