Guiding Art Experiences

Stages of Art Skill Development

Scribble Stage: dots, lines, multiple lines, zigzags

Basic Forms Stage: circles, rectangles, squares

Pictoral Drawing Stage: draw representative marks. Attempt to mimic their view of the world.

Painting Activities

Easel painting Finger painting String painting: slide short pieces of yarn

through tempera paint and slide across a piece of paper

Mono painting: finger painting with a 8x12 piece of paper placed over finger painting, patted together and pulled apart

Chalk painting: dip chalk into water and draw on construction paper

Texture painting: use liquid tempera or mix powdered tempera with liquid starch, then add sand, sawdust or coffee grounds.

Salt painting: spread paste or glue onto construction paper, then shake salt/tempera mixture onto glue

Spice painting: add a small amount of water to liquid glue and spread across a piece of paper. Then shake spices onto paper.

Molding: clay, play dough, Plasticene

Cutting Collages

Can use aluminum foil, buttons, candy wrappers, gift wrap, greeting cards, seeds, sequins, etc.

Guiding Block building Experiences

Stages of Blockbuilding

1. 1 – 2 years old: Children carry blocks around but do not engage in construction. Enjoy filling containers with blocks and dumping them out.

2. 2 – 3 years old: children stack blocks vertically or lay them in horizontal rows. Strive to build towers higher until they fall down

3. Bridging

4. Construct square enclosures (houses, barns, etc.)

5. 3 – 4 years old: carefully carry out designs that are more involved and intricate

6. Name structures and use in dramatic p lay

7. 5 years old: representational play; structures are symbolic and used in dramatic play

How do children learn through block play? PHYSICALLY

Fine and gross motor skills Hand – eye coordination

INTELLECTUALLY: Exploring shapes, sizes and proportions Understanding balance, weight and measurements

EMOTIONALLY: Self – confidence Sense of accomplishment and success

SOCIALLY: Sharing

Guiding Sensory Experiences

Sand play Moist sand can be

used to pack molds and cans

Create sand castles Moist is preferable to

dry sand because it cannot get in the eyes, shoes and hair as easily

Place near water source

Water play Water tables, plastic

bins, laundry tubs, wading pools

Promotes mathematics, social skills, problem solving skills

Water cycle, chemistry (ice/snow/water)

Woodworking Hammering Use of carpentry tools

Guiding Storytelling Experiences

Why is storytelling important?

Helps children understand the world in which they live

Understand other people Deevelop a positive attitude toward books Develop listening skills Build correct concepts of objects and form new

ideas Increase their vocabulary Associate written and spoken words

Understand that print carries meaning Develop an appreciation of printed words Learn the difference between everyday

conversation and written language Understand that letters can be capital or small Develop a desire to read Learn that people read from left to right across

a page

Books as a source of stories

Picture books: single words or simple sentences and simple plots

Storybooks: family life stories, animal stories, fairy tales Peter Rabbit, Little Bear

Family life stories: contain the theme of social understanding; children in these stories often have problems My Dog is Lost, Will I Have a Friend?

Animal Stories: animals have some human qualities Little Brown Bear, Nothing but Cats

Fairy tales: have a theme of achievement Three Billy Goats, Cinderella, Three Little Pigs

Selecting Children's Books

Fictional Content Most preschool children cannot separate fact from

fiction. It is important to look for realistic stories. Avoid books in which inanimate objects or animals

behave as humans should if the age group is <5. Illustrations

Illustrations and text should be integrated. Children will be more interested if they can “read”

the story by looking at the pictures.

Vocabulary Only have a few new words Repetition of some words

Durability Children should be allowed to hold and carry books

as well as turn pages. Covers should be made of strong, washable

material Page surface should be dull to prevent glare.

Length Infants and toddlers = only a few pages 2 year olds = a book that takes 5-8 minutes to read 3 year olds = a book that takes 6-10 mins to read 4 year olds = a book that takes 8-12 mins to read 5 year olds = a book that takes 10-12 mins to read

Avoid stories that reinforce stereotypes Do not just read books in which women are

homemakers and men are the doctors, lawyers, etc. Relationships between children and elderly should

be pleasant

Ending a story

Ask questions such as “What did you like best about the story?”

Thank the children for listening Give the children something to take home that

relates to the story

Vary your storytelling

Draw and tell: draw on a chalkboard as the story is being told

Puppets Felt boards: uses characters and props cut out

of felt and placed on a felt background. Props are moved around as story is told.

Puppetry

Types of Puppets

Hand puppets Mascot puppets “Me” puppets made out of the child's own hands

Materials for making puppets

Terry cloth Velvet Felt Wooden spoons Gloves Socks Hats Tongue depressors Paper bags

Paper towel tubes Boxes Envelopes Ribbons Buttons Foam balls Construction paper Mittens