Recognising and Supporting Young Children's Creative Arts Experiences Presented by Rebecca Heenan Good Evening Parents, Guardians and peer early childhood educators. Tonight I have been given the opportunity to present and discuss Young Children’s Creative Arts Experiences in terms of how they are beneficial for children aged three to five as well as how we as educators and parents can promote greater awareness and use co-constructivist approaches to support Young Children’s authentic arts experiences.

Art allow us to create a symbolic world and to ‘shape and reshape, revise and revision’ our own ‘hidden and subjective’ lives in a way that allows us to formulate and express ourselves and the worlds in which we live (Wright, 2012). As parents and educators we are aware that children’s development and growth is very important for their advancements in their life. Therefore, Young children’s development can be dependent on arts experiences in order for them to grow and make sense of this world. The arts allow us to create a symbolic world and to ‘shape and reshape, revise and revision’ our own ‘hidden and subjective’ lives in a way that allows us to formulate and express ourselves and the worlds in which we live (Wright, 2012). According to the Early Years Learning Framework Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity meaning that need to be given the opportunities to express themselves and gain knowledge of different materials and contexts in which they can grow and develop. This is why Art can be seen and established in everyday life, and therefore can be experienced within the home, an educational setting and even a community setting.

As teachers and parents we are presented as being the main sources of information providers to these children. In doing so we can give them opportunities to express themselves and the ability to engage in fun activities that provide underlying teachings of specific knowledge vital to development within a child. This means that art can be portrayed as ‘having a role in education of helping children become more like themselves instead of more like everyone else’. Even from an age bracket of 3 to 5 years, children have a voice and see the world in a different way, it is our task to recognise the importance of our own children’s and/or students’ abilities in providing them with arts experiences that will shape their identity and worlds and therefore living up to their full potential (Wright, 2012).

- Music - Dance - Drama - Media Arts - Visual Arts Different types of Art - Music - Dance - Drama - Media Arts - Visual Arts There are 5 different types of art and each can have an effect on an individual in a different way as well as providing the children with a different and new ability that improves their development. These 5 types of art can be classified as Music, Dance, Drama, Visual arts and Media arts. The variety of arts allows each child to expose the artistic passion that is ignited from within, and uncover interests and sensitivities that are quite personal and particular (Wright, 2012). Each different form of art can be varied in how they are associated to child development and in reference to certain contexts.

Music Musical development can be reflected by the music that is heard in the home environment or any given culture (Pound & Harrison, 2003). Home: Recreational, Television shows Educational: Songs Community: Playgroups, Mothers group, Library sessions Music can benefit children aged three to five to gain physical coordination in the form of gaining knowledge of the terms beat and tempo (Pound & Harrison, 2003). Boost in confidence Music and the arts play an important role in human development, enhancing the growth of cognitive, emotional, and psychomotor pathways. Rich experiences with the arts at an early age provide a higher quality of human experience throughout a person’s lifetime (Burton, Alvarez & Cardany, 2011). In relation to young children between the ages of three to five, musical development can be reflected by the music that is heard in the home environment or any given culture (Pound & Harrison, 2003). This is therefore important as music can be experienced in any environment and have an effect on/influence individuals. Children can be exposed to music within the home setting as a form of recreation by the parents as well as from electrical devices such as children’s television shows. Within the education system music can be both used as a form of enjoyment as well as a learning device, and it has also been shown that music has had positive effects on learning in domains other than the arts, specifically in reading and maths (DeVries, 2004). Young children within the community can experience music by attending local playgroups, mothers groups and library sessions that contain music in the forms of singing songs and using body parts as instruments for actions. Music can benefit children aged three to five to gain physical coordination in the form of gaining knowledge of the terms beat and tempo (Pound & Harrison, 2003), as well as the development of fine motor skills when controlling their fingers whilst playing instruments. Music allows the opportunity for children to express themselves, therefore providing a gain in confidence whilst performing in a social environment and increasing their emotional and social development.

Dance Connecting humanity and the world (Sansom, 2011) Dance provides children with the innant need to express thoughts, feelings and ideas through movement (Sansom, 2011) Home: Recreational activity Educational: Accompany to songs Community: Dance schools to engage in choreographed steps Early Years Learning Framework Outcome 5: (Children are effective communicators) they are able to exchange ideas, feelings and understandings using language and representations in play Physical development by their ability to coordinate and perform movement tasks Another component that falls under the arts category is Dance, which can be defined as being an important way of connecting humanity and the world (Sansom, 2011). Dance provides children with the innant need to express thoughts, feelings and ideas through movement (Sansom, 2011) as well as in relation to the Early Years Learning Framework Outcome 5: (Children are effective communicators) they are able to exchange ideas, feelings and understandings using language and representations in play. Dance can be experienced at home as being a recreational activity that include numerous family members, within an educational setting dance may be included to accompany songs as being actions and within the community children can voluntarily join numerous dance schools to engage in choreographed steps. Dance can benefit children aged three to five by increasing their physical development by their ability to coordinate and perform movement tasks. Dance also gives children the ability to express themselves which therefore improves their emotional development as they are showing their true feelings. Movement is a fundamental function of life and a basic form of human communication (Wright, 2012), by children expressing themselves through dance they are improving their social capabilities which will therefore be impacting on their development

Drama Home: Dress ups Educational: Dress ups dependant on learning/plays Community: Plays Gaining confidence skills Children will develop Dramatic Play where children will be imitate with the world around them through their role play. (Department of Education and Training, 2006) Drama is another form of art that may include children presenting their ideas in informal contexts and allow opportunities for various other spontaneous activities that involve peers and carers (Wright, 2012). Drama can be experienced at home through the concept of dress ups, especially for children aged between three to five who love dressing up as their favourite character from their favourite film or book. Within an educational setting children can participate in end of year plays and also dress ups through kinder lesson plans, e.g. they might be learning about doctors. Through the community children can join playgroups that might participate in the development of mini drama plays that they put on themselves. Children can benefit from Drama by gaining confidence skills to be able to perform and express their ideas and thoughts around their peers, therefore increasing their social and emotional development. According to Sara Smilansky Children will develop Dramatic Play where children will be imitate with the world around them through their role play. (Department of Education and Training, 2006). In comparison children can also express the term ‘imitation’ in which they will copy the behaviour of a given thing or in this case a human, imitation can also be seen in the forms of learning and conditioning (Department of Education and Training, 2006).

Media Arts Radio, film, television and music that creates a living history and represents our current representation of reality (Wright, 2012) Home: Technology, Discussions Educational: Films Community: Issues According to the Early Years Learning Framework outcome: 2 - Young children will explore the diversity of culture, heritage, background and tradition and will understand that diversity presents opportunities for choices and new understandings Media arts refers to radio, film, television and music that creates a living history and represents our current representation of reality (Wright, 2012). Media Arts can be exposed to children within the home by using technology devices and if parents engage in discussions concerning these ideas, within an educational setting teachers/carers may introduce these children to appropriate films that they can enjoy and talk about. In a community setting children would be able to be exposed to issues within the group that they could talk to the children about and see what their response would be e.g. playground equipment. According to the Early Years Learning Framework outcome: 2 (children are connected with and contribute to their world) it describes that young children will explore the diversity of culture, heritage, background and tradition and will understand that diversity presents opportunities for choices and new understandings. Children will benefit from media arts as they will gain more of an understanding of the world around them and discover new things every time they engage with a technological device. In comparison, according to Kohlberg’s theory children will undergo what’s known as Moral reasoning which refers to the thinking processes involved in judgements about right and wrong, justice, and fairness. Therefore a child’s cognitive maturity, experience and cultural context can influence their views on numerous things, and redesign their way of learning and vision of the world (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013).

Visual Arts Connecting to the world around us in our own ways of telling a story and using our feelings, ideas, culture, society and emotions using materials to create imagery Home: Drawing, Craft making Educational: Craft activities Community: Library sessions When a child deliberately makes marks this is the beginning of their visual arts-making development (Schirrmacher, 2002) Stages of drawing development Finally Visual arts can be another form of connecting to the world around us in our own ways of telling a story and using our feelings, ideas, culture, society and emotions using materials to create imagery. Children can experience visual arts within the home setting by engaging in drawing and craft making, in terms of an educational setting children would also be exposed to this type of creativity using their hands to feel and create things using different materials. In a community setting such as a library, children could attend an arts and craft day where they will explore new things whilst creating something that is special and expresses them. Young children are visually aware and show aesthetic preferences from an early age their physical gestures and first scribbles are closely related as their movements create traces. When a child deliberately makes marks this is the beginning of their visual arts-making development (Schirrmacher, 2002). As presented by Viktor Lowenfeld and Betty Edwards (Donley, 1987) children go through stages of drawing development which therefore Improves their physical development and fine motor skills as they progress and are able to hold the material better and create different markings and designs.

What motivates young children is the drive to express emotions and feelings, to communicate with others and to play both with sounds and ideas (Pound & Harrison, 2003) Art is presented as being a very important aspect within a child’s life. Children clearly express their feelings and thoughts about life when they are given free rein to paint, play or act. And as we are aware drawing, painting and role-playing all rely upon the imagination, and external material from our world (Balke, 2015). What motivates young children is the drive to express emotions and feelings, to communicate with others and to play both with sounds and ideas (Pound & Harrison, 2003). Therefore presenting how vital children’s exploration and experimentation of art is affective in their development.

Co-Constructivist approaches Based on the belief that learning occurs as learners are actively involved in a process of meaning and knowledge construction as opposed to passively receiving information. This suggests that learners are the makers of meaning and knowledge (Gray, n.d.). Students are motivated to become independent learners Exosystem Co-construction environment Positive and encouraging Teacher knowledge and tools Art is presented as being a very important aspect within a child’s life. Children clearly express their feelings and thoughts about life when they are given free rein to paint, play or act. And as we are aware drawing, painting and role-playing all rely upon the imagination, and external material from our world (Balke, 2015). What motivates young children is the drive to express emotions and feelings, to communicate with others and to play both with sounds and ideas (Pound & Harrison, 2003). Therefore presenting how vital children’s exploration and experimentation of art is affective in their development. Within a Co-Constructivist approach the type of environment known as the co-construction needs to have a positive and encouraging feel in order for these children to continue their growth and transition to becoming more independent with their learning practices. In doing so, it is important that teachers have knowledge of age specific needs and appropriate materials in order for their students to excel. This means that for students to become more independent they need to be familiar with certain tools in order for them to create their own understanding. Early childhood educators can use Co-Constructivist approaches to support young children’s authentic arts experiences by providing children with certain materials and allow them to make their own judgements and decisions with how and why they drew that picture, and why they used that brush or who they were resembling. Learners can create their own understanding by being given the opportunity to express it. We as teachers need to enable our students to independently make choices and show their identity in order for them to create their own understanding and make sense of our world.

Moreover, art experiences in young children’s lives are a vital requirement in order for them to excel later on in life. The development of the new and different skills they will learn, helps them to complete other tasks independently in the future as it presents itself as being prior knowledge that they can adapt to the new situation. Every child is their own artist and it is our job to present them the opportunity for them to express that. Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.

References - Australian Government: Department of Education and Training (2013). Educator’s Belonging, Being and Becoming: Early Years Learning Framework. Retrieved from: http://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/educators_guide_to_the_early_years_learning_fra mework_for_australia.pdf - Balke, E. (2015). Play and the arts: the importance of the 'unimportant.' (Play and the arts in children's education). Retrieved from: http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA20119021&v=2.1&u=acuni&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=3 93c14bfd6e6c92c27aed780e27b81f1 - Burton, S L., Alvarez, J., & Cardany, A B., (2011). Learning from young children: research in early childhood music. R&L Education. - Department of Education and Training (2006). A basic introduction to child development theories. Retrieved from: http://leo.acu.edu.au/.../content/1/theories_outline.pdf - DeVries, P. (2004). The Extramusical Effects of Music Lessons on Preschoolers. Australian Journal of Early Childhood. 29(2).

- Donley, S K. (1987). Drawing Development in Children - Donley, S K. (1987). Drawing Development in Children. Retrieved from: http://www.learningdesign.com/Portfolio/DrawDev/kiddrawing.html - Gray, A. (n.d). Contructivist Teaching and Learning. Retrieved from: http://www.saskschoolboards.ca/old/ResearchAndDevelopment/Resear chReports/Instruction/97-07.htm - Pound, L., & Harrison, C. (2003). Musical Development. Supporting musical development in the early years. (20-40, 145-150). Philadelphia, PA: Open University Press. - S. Wright (2012). Children, Meaning-Making and the Arts. Frenchs Forest, NSW, Australia: Pearson Australia. - Sansom, A. N. (2011). Movement and dance in young children’s lives: Crossing the divide (pp. 25-38). New York: Peter Lang.

- Schirrmacher, R. (2002). Art and creative development for young children (4 ed.). Albany, NY: Delmar Thomson Learning. - Woolfolk, A. & Margetts, K (2013). Educational Psychology 3rd edition. Australia: Pearson Images sourced from: http://belladia.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341cc08553ef0168e8a5b774970c-pi https://s-media-cache- ak0.pinimg.com/736x/5c/2c/01/5c2c01b4766bc3e53855beaeb5d1d3e6.jpg http://pineslearning.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/MusicWorkShop- Image.jpg http://images.clipartpanda.com/kid-clipart-clip-art-kids-1.jpg http://www.bensonblake.com/wp-content/uploads/dramakids0516_1652.jpg http://www.clipartbest.com/cliparts/nTB/Xqx/nTBXqxRGc.png http://blog.grafflicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Degas_ArtIs.png