Expressive
Arts Beneficial
to
Education
1990 the Association for Childhood Education International stated
that music, drama, visual arts in early education:

Foster “learning from the inside out,” authentic learning
that changes behavior and encourages reflection.
Enhance the child’s ability to interpret symbols.
Are associated with growth in all areas of development, including
academics.
Regard the child as a meaning maker and constructor, a discoverer and
an embodiment of knowledge rather than a passive recipient of someone
else’s ready-made answers.
On!!
Getting Started
and your child can gradually collect supplies for his/her use as
needed when inspiration flashes. A child will get into the habit of
keeping materials organized and in place if they know it is expected
of them from the beginning!
Supplies
for the Budding Artist
Utensils
___ Pencils
___ Crayons
___ Chalks
___ Markers
___ Colored pencils
___
Pencil sharpener
___ Ruler
___ Erasers
etc.
___
Tape
___ Glue sticks
___ Elmer’s glue
___ Stapler
___ Paper fasteners
___ Water colors
___ Finger-paints
___ Poster paints
___ Brushes
Paper Supply Varied
plays a most important role in your child’s art experience. There are
numerous different kinds of paper out there, judged by weight,
texture, strength, color, thickness, and opaqueness. It may be made
of cloth rags , wood pulp, or recycled paper. Exposure to a wide
variety of paper provides lessons in texture, absorbency, permanency,
transparency, sturdiness, and attractiveness.
Few of the Basics:
-
Manilla
paper is inexpensive. It is best used for drawing and painting, but
becomes brittle with age.
-
White
drawing paper is available in many qualities and weights (e.g., 60
lb. is adequate for general use, 80 lb. is of excellent quality) It
takes paint well, is good for cutting, crayoning, pasting, folding,
and similar activities.
-
Construction
paper is excellent for general art work. It is smooth, colored,
usually 80 lb. It comes in a wide array of colors and hues,
including multicultural skin tones, but has a tendency to fade.
There are fade-resistant brands of construction paper but the cost
can be prohibitive
-
Butcher
paper, or freezer paper is great for finger painting (buy coated
finger paint paper only if it is of excellent quality: otherwise
substitute), It also works for ironing onto the back of fabric to
stabilize it (and protect furniture!) when painting or using fabric
markers. It comes in rolls of various widths, and is available in
grocery stores.
-
Brown
wrapping paper also comes on a roll in varying widths, available in
paper and office supply houses. It is good as background paper for
murals, and for over-sized drawings and paintings. In addition, it
emphasizes lighter colors that often get lost on white paper.
-
Newsprint
is available as end rolls from newspaper companies, or from
educational, stationery, and art supply stores. It’s great for use
when you don’t want to use the good stuff!
Keep in mind that there are many sources of free or inexpensive
paper. Keep your eyes open, and use your imagination!
you know???
books stifle creativity. A child comes to believe that s/he cannot
draw independently. When a child says, “I can’t” or “I
don’t know how”, respond with, “Try! I’ll bet you surprise
yourself!!”
Setting
Limits
opportunities for your child to experiment and discover his/her
creativity, it is essential to set guidelines. This is what is
expected of the children in this classroom:
-
Tools
must be handled with care.
-
Materials
must not be used for touching or hitting other people
-
Art
materials are not to be wasted. They are used only for creating
artwork.
-
Art
materials must not be thrown, deliberately spilled, or destroyed.
-
Do
not put paste, paint, glue, chalk, or any other materials in your
mouth- they are not for eating, drinking or tasting.
-
Art
materials are to be kept in the art area, and cleaned up when they
are no longer in use.
-
Work
only
on
your own project.
-
Work
only on the paper you are given.
-
Clothing
and children are not for painting or cutting or gluing.
Set limits early on. Make a space for the children to keep and use
their arts and crafts independently, with the expectation that they
clean up and put their things away each time they use them. If you
show them by your attitude that you sincerely trust them, they will
be careful. *
Tells All
discovery and process by talking with your child about his/her
artwork. Avoid judgment. Ask open-ended questions:
-
Tell me about
your painting. -
How did you
make such a big design? -
What made you
decide to paint the grass purple? -
I see the
painting is brown. What colors did you use?
-
Did you know
what it was going to be when you started, or did it surprise you? -
You have dots
and squiggles on that! What were you thinking about when you painted
that? -
Look how
straight you made those lines! -
The way you
draw people is very different from when you were younger.

your child know you are interested and marvel at your his/her view of
the world!
Children
Experiment with Color
The
next time you are taking a drive in the country, notice with your
child, notice the many shades of green. Or yellow. Or brown… Ask
him what colors mixed together make green. Is the grass light or dark
green, the trees blue green or yellow green? Talk about the colors in
the sky, and how the weather and time of day affect the way it looks.
Watch a sunset, walk around the neighborhood and check out the
gardens, compare the colors of cars in a parking lot, or the houses
on your street. Become aware. Much
of the artwork that we do is with an emphasis on color, especially
through experimentation with paint and play-doh. You will see our
adventures in mixing paint, artwork that has several shades of one
color, and even some “color magic“.
Few Discoveries We have Made
-
When certain
colors are put together they seem to bounce: Mix two of the primary
colors (red, yellow and blue) and place that color with the third
(e.g., orange on blue, yellow on purple, green on red).
-
It is very
difficult to mix a pretty purple!
-
We
may have a “favorite” color, but it could change, or we
might not be in the mood to use it sometimes!
-
Mixing
different colors of play dough is a blast!
And it smells good too!
-
You can make
your own paint!
-
Evergreen
branches make great paintbrushes
food jar with lid
coloring
Process
Mix one-teaspoon vinegar, one teaspoon cornstarch, and 20 drops of
food coloring in the baby food jar.
Shake the ingredients to mix.
Make several different colors in different jars.
Dip a paintbrush into the cornstarch paint and paint on paper as
with tempera paint.
- Paint on hard boiled eggs.
- Paint on wood scraps.
- Experiment painting on other surfaces.
- You may double or triple this recipe if you will need a large
supply of this paint.
- Substitute cream or paste food coloring found in cake decorating
departments for a brighter paint that goes farther.
- Food coloring can stain clothing, so have soapy water and towels
ready. Cover children and table surfaces to prevent spills and
stains.
Preschool
Art by
MaryAnn Kohl
-
Bjork,
Christina. Linnea
in Monet’s Garden. -
Brenner,
Barbara. The
Boy Who Loved to Draw. -
Carlson,
Laurie. Kids
Create!: Art & Craft Experiences for 3-to 9-Year-Old
-
How
Artists See Animals. -
How
Artists See People. -
How
Artists See Weather
-
dePaola,
Tomie.
-
The
Art Lesson. -
The
Legend of the Indian Paintbrush.
-
Dionetti,
Michelle.
Painting
the Wind: A Story of Vincent van Gogh.
-
Green,
Donna. My
Little Artist.
-
Henry,
Sandi. Kids’
Art Works. -
Johnson,
Crockett. Harold
and the Purple Crayon.
-
Kohl,
MaryAnn. - Preschool
Art. - Discovering
Great Artists: Hands-on Art for Children in the Styles of the
Great Masters.
-
Mayhew,
James. Katie
Meets the Impressionists. -
McPhail,
David.
Drawing
Lessons from a Bear. -
Micklethwait,
Lucy.
Discover
Great Paintings.
-
Art
Starts for Little Hands. -
The
Little Hands Art Book. -
The
Little Hands Big Fun Craft Book.
-
Walsh,
Ellen Stoll. -
Mouse
Magic. -
Mouse
Paint.
-
Wellington,
Monica.
Squeaking
of Art: The Mice go to the Museum -
Wolfe,
Gillian.
Oxford
First Book of Art.