Creative Arts Foundation: 3 - Visual Arts

Topic: CA3.2 - Demonstrate creative expression through visual art production

Visual art production is the creation of art with an end product in mind. It is providing opportunities to plan then produce something unique and original. The ability to create art and reflect on original products encourages young children to use art as a creative way to express their thoughts and process emotions.

Creative expression through visual art production leads to:
*Problem solving skills
*Critical thinking skills
*Project planning skills
*Confidence
*Ability to follow a plan (i.e. child follows their own plan for project)
*Fine motor skills
*Understanding healthy outlets for expression

Looking Ahead to Kindergarten Family Engagement Special Populations
Kindergarten students will create art that tells a story about a life experience (VA:CN.10.1.Ka) as well as art that represents natural and constructed environments (VA: Cr2.3.Ka). Lastly, students will work towards the ability to explain the process of making art while creating (VA: Cr3.1.Ka).

 Encourage families to:

*Support self-directed creative expression at home.
*Provide appropriate space and materials (when possible) for the creative production.
*Use household materials for children to engage in creating art (e.g. paper plates, paper towel rolls, newspaper, magazines, etc.).

Educators can:

*Provide adaptations or larger handles for art tools (e.g. paint brushes, etc.).
*Provide opportunities and materials that are accessible to all children (e.g. ensuring the art materials are accessible to children with varying mobility).
*Ensure communication devices and visual supports include words related to art production.

Powerful Practices
Across all developmental stages, educators can:

*Encourage the use of visual art production to process emotions and life experiences (e.g. processing the arrival of a new sibling, moving to a new house, family separation, etc.).
*Provide creative materials throughout all centers to support creative expression (e.g. providing materials for children in the block center to draw a potential building or structure).
*Display the artwork of children throughout the environment and at children’s eye level.
*Provide opportunities for and engage with children as they safely explore materials through art production (i.e. get messy and engaging children in clean up efforts).
*Provide a wide variety of open-ended art materials appropriate for the age of the child (e.g. blank pieces of paper that are different colors, sizes and of varying weight, avoiding the use of coloring sheets).
*Provide indoor and outdoor opportunities for children to engage in the art process (e.g. weaving in a fence with fabric pieces, colored bubbles on butcher paper, putting an easel or chalkboard outside).
*Use art as a mechanism for the processing and identifying emotions (e.g. encourage children to express emotions and help the child to associate feelings with colors, shapes, etc.).
*Expose children to various types of visual arts (e.g. pottery, painting, watercolor) from a variety of cultures.
*Provide consistent opportunities for open-ended, child-directed art experiences throughout the day (i.e. not mandated participation).
*Ask open ended and extension questions while children are engaged in art creation.
*Model the use of art related vocabulary (lines, shapes, colors, textures, etc.).
*Consider providing opportunities to engage families in the art production within the program (e.g. setting out materials in a common area for families to create with their children).

Infant

Provide opportunities for infant to use their whole body to explore simple and safe art/ sensory materials (e.g. using non-toxic paint, pudding, jello, or cool whip and butcher paper on the floor or outside)

Create environments that support exploration and curiosity (i.e. limit the use of “baby containers” or equipment that restricts an infant’s movement such as bouncy seats, swings, etc.)

Display artwork at children’s eye level

Younger Toddler
Provide a variety of simple and safe art and sensory materials (e.g. non-toxic clay or play dough)

Display artwork at children’s eye level
Older Toddler
Provide safe art and sensory materials (e.g. variety of materials including large craft sticks, non-toxic glue sticks)

Display artwork at children’s eye level and provide descriptions
Younger Preschool
Provide safe art and sensory materials (e.g. materials including water color paint, paint mixed with sand, fabric, yarn, collage materials, etc.)

Display artwork at children’s eye level and provide descriptions

Older Preschool
Provide safe art and sensory materials (e.g. materials including water color paint, paint mixed with sand, fabric, yarn, collage materials, etc.)

Display artwork at children’s eye level and give children the opportunity to provide descriptions and display (e.g. providing painter’s tape and allowing children to display their own artwork or designating a shelf for 3D artwork)