Best Practices in Art in the Early Childhood Classroom “All young children are great artists. The importance of their art is in the act of creating with confidence and in using their imaginations. It is our sacred trust not to take away this gift from our children, but to encourage and nurture it at every opportunity.” ~ Susan Striker

Stage 1: Manipulative Random attempts to manipulate various materials. The focus is on tactile sensations

Stage 2: Patterning & Design Develops in older 3’s Lines Shapes Dots Patterns

Stage 3 Naming and Symbolic 4 and 5 Year Olds Children make models or pictures that represent things

Stage 4 Representation 5 Year Olds Children’s pictures actually represent things

The creative process is more important than the products that children develop!

The dominate art displayed and sent home should be CHILD-DONE!

Concentrate on the materials the children will use and the experience they’ll have… and NOT what the end result will be

If not everything makes it home!

Not required if all children are under 12 months Does it provide a pleasurable sensory or tactile experience?

Offered at least 3 times per week, using only safe, nontoxic materials Children are not required to participate; teachers provide at least two other alternative activities.

Offered once per day Participation are not required; other alternative activities are offered. Individual expression is encouraged: no coloring sheets, patterns Wide variety of materials offered: large crayons, paints, pencils, watercolors Appropriate use of materials is facilitated by educators

Materials are accessible to children at least 1/3 of the hours the school is open! Much individual expression in use of the art materials is seen in the classroom. Some art is related to other classroom experiences (theme-based); some is art for art’s sake! ● Children are encouraged but not forced to participate.

New materials are added at least monthly! Dittos and color sheets are not used Only write the child’s name directly on the work if the child wants it. Children don’t follow samples or models Educators ask for permission before hanging up child’s art. Children are given ample time to complete their work

Clay Wood Carpentry

In 4’s and older, make provisions for paper mache wood working collage projects

Provides many benefits Should be accessible the majority of the day

o sand o coffee grounds o baby powder o soap flakes o water (to change consistency) o rice o sugar o cornmeal o salt o oatmeal o baking powder o corn syrup

o sponges o bottle brushes o hair brushes o tooth brushes o Q-Tips o loofas o pine cones / branches o straws o cookie cutters o potato /apple prints o squeeze bottles

o finger paint o tempera paint o watercolors o diluted food coloring o berry juices o dried up markers dipped in water o chalk o chalk dipped in water o crayons o oil sticks / pastels o colored pencils o thick and thin markers o crayons tied together o chalk tied together o spray bottles filled with diluted paint o highlighters

o easel paper o newsprint o manila paper o newspaper o construction paper o gift wrap o construction paper o fingerpaint paper o tagboard o butcher paper o poster board o old stationary o lunch bags / grocery sacks o cloth o foil o corrugated cardboard

Three-dimensional Materials Play dough with tools! Clay wood for gluing or carpentry pipe cleaners Modeling compound. Collage Materials: paste or glue, various types, colors and shapes of paper, cardboard shapes and pieces, felt remnants, magazine pictures, yarn/strings, cotton balls. Pom-poms, sequins, etc. Tools: safe scissors, staplers, hole punchers, take dispensers with tape, tools to use with play dough, stencil, sponge painters, rollers, brushes or various sizes and shapes.

Drawing tools Painting Collage 3-D materials Tools

Is there a “right” way or a “wrong” way? Or is it open-ended? Do all of the pieces look basically alike? Or is every child’s piece original and unique? Does it require a great deal of teacher preparation or assistance? Or can the child work independently?

Does the activity emphasize the end product? Or the process and experience? Does the child need to follow a predetermined outline? Or can the child express his/her own ideas and feelings? Is the experience “Teacher-directed” and initiated? Or child-directed and initiated?

“I see circles in your picture.” “You filled up the whole paper.” “Do you have a story you want to tell me about your picture?” “Tell me about how you made the blue lines so smooth.” “I feel happy when I look at your picture. The colors are very bright.” “I can see you worked hard on that.” “You used red, yellow and orange in your picture.” “You’ve got all kinds of lines in your picture.”

Alteration Shops/Tailors: - spools - fabric scraps - buttons - samples - remnants Copy/Print Shops: - computer paper - scrap paper - misprinted envelops, stationary - ends of paper rolls - packaging materials - pads of paper ‘ends’ - ‘punches’ from paper that has been 3-hole punched Builders/Carpet & Floor Stores: - carpet and tile samples - discontinued tile - packaging materials - old wallpaper sample books - paint swatches - large tubes (packaging) - wood scraps - discontinued knobs and handles Photography Stores: - mat board remnants and miscut pieces - old promotional pictures

Photos show the children working through the process Includes a written description of the activity

Avoid putting ALL children’s art work on EVERY display

Showcase a variety of mediums and work Label children’s work as in an Art Show Back work with contrasting paper

Working with 1-2 other staff, make a list of all of the art supplies that could be found on the Art Shelf for “Dinosaur and Space Themes.” (Include purchased, donated and loaned materials)

Bredekamp, S. (1999). Developmentally appropriate practice for children birth through age 8. Washington D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children. Cryer, D., Harms, T. and Riley, C. (2003) All About the ECERS-R. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, FPG Child Development Institute. Kohl, M. (2002) First Art: Art Experiences for Toddlers and Twos. Silver Spring, MD: Gryphon House, Inc. Kohl, M. (1994) Preschool Art. Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House, Inc (2010). Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers. Carrie Lippencot, OTR/L (2007). The Importance of Art: A HighReach Learning Training.