What is the value of art in the early childhood curriculum?

This month I will continue to explore each area of our curriculum. Last month I started with cooking. Let’s look at art.

 Art can be enjoyed through all areas of the early childhood curriculum. Art in the nursery school is about exploration. The experience is about the process of creating not the final product though we all know there are limits on some creative behavior for safety reasons!

First, let’s consider art and social/emotional development. Art is for the pleasure and the satisfaction of creating something very personal. The product is very personal and need not be judged by anyone other than the creator. For the young child art provides the opportunity for freedom of expression through color, shape, texture, modeling and design.  This can be accomplished with paint, playdough, paper and glue to name a few.

In the art center children learn to respect each other’s work and to accept differences amongst themselves. The practice of sharing supplies and space happens in the art center. Often children might have to take turns, another skill that can be learned in the art center. Art helps the young child build self confidence in his/her ability to make choices and decisions.

Art can build literacy skills as young children tell stories through drawing and painting. Additionally, looking at the art work in children’s books and offering the same materials is a great way to submerse the child in art.  Art vocabulary can be very informative and impressive as the young child says “illustrator”,  “mosaic”  and “three dimensional” to name a few. Listening skills and following directions are important for safety and the setting of rules for using artists’ tools, for example, a paint brush, rolling pin or scissors.

How else is art important for the preschool aged child? In the area of math in the art center children can observe color, texture, size, and shape of objects.   Often they may need to count out enough materials to complete a project.

In the art center, making play dough and paper mache are materials through which young children can participate in science. Young children thrive with hands on learning.

The art center can provide for physical development when exercising the small muscles of the hand while drawing, cutting, gluing and painting. Eye/hand coordination can also be developed. The large muscles of the body can be used in art as well, using the upper body when taking broad painting strokes.

Finally, at home provide materials and a space for your child to create. Fill a box, bin or bag with crayons, chalk, markers, pencils, playdough, rollers and cutters, scraps of paper all kinds, child scissors, glue and paint. You need not be fancy, recycled materials work well. Color or paint on old newspaper or cereal boxes. Throw in an old table cloth or sheet to catch the spills. Choose a space for creating and a special place for displaying what your child creates.

Next week I’ll take on the dramatic play area.