Guiding Art, Block building, and Sensory Experiences

1. I can explain how art experiences promote physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth

2. I can describe techniques for guiding art experiences

3. I can list the stages of art skill development.4. I can compile a list of art supplies needed for a

well stocked classroom.5. I can plan a variety of art, block building,

sensory, and woodworking activities suitable for young children.

The importance of art

• Through art experiences children to:– Express feelings– Develop creativity– Respect the property and work of others– Explore possibilities by finding new ways of using

materials– Use a variety of tools– Mix materials– Become aware of color, texture, line, and form– Build problem-solving skills

The importance of art

• Learning opportunity to think, plan, and express their ideas

• Promotes: physical, cognitive, social, emotional growth

Physical Growth

• Improve fine motor skills through, painting, coloring, scribbling, drawing

• Play dough works hands muscles and they learn to control their fingers.

• Fosters motor and hand eye coordination

Social Growth

• Responsibility- art work , clothing• Share – crayons, paint, etc.• Respect the property of others• Learn to value the work of others

Emotional Growth

• Express Emotions• Angry• Choose activity- hmm what will I paint• Through art children learn to communicate

and express their feelings through different mediums.

Cognitive Growth

• By exploring , experimenting, and problem solving with a variety of materials and tools they are growing cognitively.

• They color, size, texture, and shape• They learn skills like cutting, and drawing.• Cutting takes things apart. Tape or glue puts

things back together.• Visual and tactile skills are learned

Techniques for Guiding Art Experiences

• Provide various art materials• Allow for opportunities to create• Allow children to express feelings• Give them enough time• Allow them to experiment with colors and

materials• Experiences should involve all the senses:

smell, sight, taste, touch, hearing

Techniques for Guiding Art Experiences

• Teachers are helpers, not intruders• Start art activities by introducing the supplies

and tools available for the day.• Observe children during art experiences,

refrain from asking what they are doing.– Could be just experimenting with the tools– May lack the language skills to express

Techniques for Guiding Art Experiences

• Focus on the process• Make them feel successful and confident• Let them decide when the work is finished• Don’t urge them to fill up all the space• Praise all children’s work, avoid singling out

one child’s• Display the work – children feel valued

Commenting on Children’s ArtFocus is on the Process

• You’re using a purple crayon• Your work has interesting lines• What a nice yellow star you are making• You must really like the color green

Techniques for Guiding Art Experiences

• Color is not important in preschool children’s artwork

• No relationship between the colors chosen and the object

• They choose colors they like opposed to real life

Color preferences

Beutiful

•Yellow•Blue•Orange•Green

Ugly

•Brown •White•Black

Stages of Art Skill Development

Scribbles• 15 month to 3 years• Motor skills and eye hand

coordination not well developed

• Zigzags, whirls, and circles• Lines are not connected

Basic Forms• 3 and 4 year olds• Ovals, rectangles, and

circles• More control over

movements• Name their drawings and

start making connections with techniques

Stages of Art Skill Development

First Drawings• 4 and 5 year olds• First real drawings• Mimic their view of the

world• Combine shapes to make

objects or people• Later they will add, trees,

houses, cars, boats to their drawings.

Tempera PaintBuy tempera paint in a liquid or powder form.

Paint Brushes½ to 1” wide

Easels

Crayons, Chalk, and Felt-Tip Markers

Paper and Painting Surfaces

Coloring Books

Paste and Glue

Molding

• Play dough and clay• Children enjoy the tactile experience• Stimulates imagination and freedom to

change their mind• Accessories to use with play dough – cookie

cutters, rolling pins

Molding

• Two year – pull, beat, push, and squeeze the play dough

• Three year – make balls, and snake shapes• Four year – more complex forms• Five – may announce what they are going to

make before they make it

Refrigerated Playdough

• 1 cup Salt• 2 Cup Flour• 1 Cup water• 3 Tablespoons Oil• Food Coloring

Characteristics

Clay• Purchase in red or white• Red will stain clothes so

most teachers prefer white• Store in a plastic bag,

garbage pail.• Vinyl tablecloth for easier

clean up

Play dough• Softer texture then clay• Play dough can be scented• Add different textured items

to the the playdough such as rice, cornmeal , sand , oats

Cutting• Time and supplies to cut

daily• Cut in straight lines at first• Scissors should have

rounded tips• Use construction paper or

wrapping paper• Paper Flower

Collages• Selection of material

mounted on a flat surface• Introduces contrasting

colors and textures• Younger children will paste

materials on top of each other

• Make sure materials are appropriate for young children.

Block building

• The most popular center• Large and small muscles• Improve eye hand coordination• Strengthening muscles• Learning new concepts and skills

Stages of block building

• Page 287• Memory Game

Sand and Water Play

Wood working