Lori Carraway, Ph.D.

WSU Cooperative Extension, Snohomish County

When my children were very young, our refrigerator was covered with their paper plate collages, fingerpaint masterpieces, and lavish tempra compositions. Sometimes the trees were blue, skies were striped or polka-dotted, and horses had sixteen fingers – four on each hoof! Many paintings were done for the mere pleasure of dragging a paint-laden brush across textured paper. Other efforts consisted of items found and arranged and pasted on a surface. A child’s art expresses imaginings, feelings, experiences, and explorations.

In the early stages, children spend most of their time exploring art materials and what to do with them. For example, children fill paintbrushes with gloppy paint and rub, dot, smear, drop and swoosh paint across a surface. A soft, fat paint-filled brush works differently than a stiff, straight one. Smooth, shiny paper absorbs differently than cardboard or plywood or construction paper. Using big, fat crayons on paper that has a big hole in its middle, adds excitement and challenge. The PROCESS is the important issue to very young children. They like "doing" art are usually much less concerned about the final PRODUCT.

Hands-on activities help children learn about the world and how it operates. As s/he smears shaving cream or finger paint on a surface, a child studies textures and density, practices fine motor skills, and luxuriates in the feel and smell of the substance. Making pla-doh sculptures builds understandings about how shapes can change while amounts stay the same – or vice versa – that amounts can change even when shapes don’t. Constructing collages introduces "parts" and "wholes." Painting small rocks with feathers fosters fine motor skills and teaches concepts such as "hard" and "smooth" and "soft." At later ages most children represent people and things in art by painting or coloring houses, pets, families and things from nature. They may repeat a particular theme (like rainbows or airplanes) over and over, practicing until they are ready to move to another topic.

Art opportunities are important to children’s development. Adults help when they:

1. store a VARIETY of art materials and equipment on low shelves or tables so

children can choose what supplies to use

2. offer PLACES and spaces for art – places where messes are okay and

creativity is valued

3. avoid providing a "MODEL" - imagination gets squashed when children think

they have to "copy" or imitate a product

4. demonstrate TECHNIQUES – like how to keep a brush from dripping or how to

hold the paper so it won’t slip

5. encourage the PROCESS of creativity rather than focusing on the PRODUCT

6. respect the child’s EFFORT – avoid saying "But, what is it?" Instead request,

"Oh, please tell me about your picture."

7. ENJOY children’s art – display it in an honored place, take pictures of it to share with relatives, help children see their self-expression as fun and valued.