Photo provided by flaivoloka.
Developing the creative senses of a child, as well as the confidence to create are important, and sometimes undervalued, aspects of childhood development. In a culture currently obsessed with standardized testing ,creative development is easily lost through the cracks. While loads of money have been made on flashcards designed to enhance children’s memorization of notable works of art and famous artists, they have little, if anything, to do with creative development. The true benefits in children being exposed to fine art are being able to discuss the art and to get inspiration for their own, new works of art. Talking with children about the colors (by name, tone, or intensity), the feeling (“I feel far away when I look at this.”), the lines and texture, or other aspects of art, when talking about their own creations as well as more widely known works, does far more to develop a child’s creativity than do meaningless identification drills.
Children also need the time, materials, and freedom to explore and create with a variety of tools (brushes, rollers, combs) and media (paint, dough, paper). In these activities, the process of experimenting and creating is far more important than the end result.
While visual arts are often the first to come to mind when creative development is mentioned, they are but one component. In addition to the visual arts, creativity finds an outlet in music and movement, and dramatic play.
Creativity is also at work in more academic subjects as an integral part of language, the scientific process, and social problem solving- driving inquiry and creating a flexibility in thinking, allowing children to devise new and unique solutions.
Where do you sit on the Spectrum of Preschool Arts and Crafts?
6 Comments
June 12, 2009 at 4:34 pm
[...] a great butterfly art project that is not only fun and fancy, but reinforces small motor skills and creativity, as well as the concept of [...]
June 19, 2009 at 11:02 am
[...] Fine motor skills are developed as they pick up and place the seeds. And of course, creativity is fostered as they make their own unique work of [...]
July 29, 2009 at 6:09 am
[...] as the music alternates between staccato and legato. This is a great activity for fostering creativity as well as developing music and movement skills. So now you can dance on over to iTunes and [...]
August 4, 2009 at 9:41 am
[...] were, the children can use their imaginations and implement any colors they like. Challenge their creativity and talk to them about their ideas as they make their own colorful dinosaurs. Where would such [...]
August 4, 2009 at 9:44 am
[...] the world of dinosaurs also opens up the creative minds of our little ones. Because no one was here to see them, there are only ideas – no [...]
August 13, 2009 at 6:27 am
[...] activity fosters creativity as well as large motor skills. It would be a great activity to use in a unit on rocks, sound, or [...]