“Art is a place for children to learn to trust their ideas, themselves, and to explore what is possible." -Maryann F. Kohl
Today's focus for the Week of the Young Child is Artsy Thursday, celebrating the vital role of art in early childhood development. As noted by Heather Shumaker, "Art for toddlers and preschoolers is rarely about beauty, It’s all about exploration and personal expression."
Process art is key. It involves children exploring and experiencing materials without aiming for a specific final product. This hands-on approach builds curiosity and resilience, encouraging children to experiment. Using common household or nature materials supports this open-ended creativity.
Why Art Matters: Engaging in open-ended art projects allows children to express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel. They naturally prioritize the process of creating over the finished product. When children encounter challenges during creation, it presents valuable opportunities for problem-solving and thinking through different possibilities. Parents and caregivers should allow them to work through this process, offering support only when requested.
Art is a foundational skill-builder, helping children develop Fine Motor Skills: Actions like grasping pencils, crayons, and paintbrushes strengthen fine motor muscles. Cognitive Development: Art activities help children learn and practice concepts such as patterning and cause and effect. Math Skills: Children begin to understand concepts like size, shape, comparison, counting, and spatial reasoning. Language Skills: Describing their artwork and sharing their creative process helps children develop their language and communication abilities.
Take some time today to celebrate Artsy Thursday with your child. Draw a picture, use chalk outside, cut and glue, play with playdough, or explore different materials together to make masterpieces and lasting memories.
Interested in learning more about the RPS205 Early Childhood opportunities for families with children Birth-age 5? Visit https://www.rps205.com/o/rps/page/early-childhood or call the Early Childhood Screening and Placement Office at 815-229-2103.
By: Hillary Cook-Harris
Hillary Cook-Harris is the Director of Early Childhood Curriculum and Assessment. Hillary joined RPS 205 in November 2019. She has been an Early Childhood educator and director for more than 30 years.