By Cathy Abraham

“All young children are great artists. The

importance of their art is in the act of creating with confidence and in

using their imaginations. It is our sacred trust not to take away this gift from our

children, but to encourage and nurture

it at every opportunity.”

~ Susan Striker

AArrtt RReecciippeess Non-Hardening No Cook Playdough 2 cups self-rising flour 1 T. Alum 2 T. Salt 2 T. cooking oil 1 cup plus 2 T. boiling water Mix and knead. (Due to boiling water, cannot be made with the children) Dry Salt Paint 1 cup salt ½ tsp food coloring Spread in pan to dry. Put in shakers. Shake onto paper brushed with glue. Cooked Playdough 1 cup flour ½ cup salt 1 cup water 1 T. vegetable oil 1 tsp cream of tartar Heat until ingredients form a ball. Add food coloring.

Finger Paint

1 cup elastic dry starch 1 cup cold water 3 cups boiling water 1 cup Ivory Snow Flakes oil of cloves (few drops) vegetable coloring Dissolve elastic starch in cold water. Smooth lumps and add boiling water. Stir constantly. Thicken but do not boil more than 1 minute. Add rest of ingredients. Use on glazed paper or wrapping paper. Soap Bubbles 1 cup water 2 T. liquid detergent 1 T. glycerin ½ tsp. Sugar Mix all ingredients. Use bubble wands to blow bubbles. Sawdust Modeling 4 cups sawdust 1 cup wheat paste 2 ½ cups water. Mix. Add color.

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Easy Playdough 2 cups flour 1 cup salt tempera paint water Mix flour, salt and paint with enough water to make the correct consistency. Sally’s Playdough Recipe 1 cup flour 1 cup water 1 T. oil 1 T. alum ½ cup salt 2 T. vanilla food coloring Mix all dry ingredients. Add oil and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it reaches the consistency of mashed potatoes. Remove from heat, add vanilla and color. Divide into balls and knead in color. Paste ½ cup flour ½ cup water

Clean Mud 4 rolls of toilet paper (torn) 3 bars Ivory Soap (shaved) 1 gallon warm water ½ tsp. bleach large tub Place torn toilet paper in tub. Add grated soap. Add warm water. Mix and knead.Add water when dry. Gak Mix equal parts white glue to liquid starch. (Gak has the texture and consistency of Silly Putty) Goop ½ cup cornstarch ¼ cup water food coloring Mix in media table. Let children explore texture – it is wet, but feels dry to the touch. Puffy Paint Mix equal parts of flour, salt, water, liquid tempera (for color). Put in squeeze container. Use on heavy paper.

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Scribble Cookies Put old stubby crayons in muffin tins (lined with cupcake papers) Place in warm oven. Let melt. Pop out of paper when cool. Sparkly Salt Paint 2 cups salt ½ cup liquid starch 1 cup water tempera paint or food color Thoroughly mix liquid starch, salt, and water. Slowly add food coloring or tempera powder. Use as paint. Pictures will sparkle when the salt paint dries. Dry Sand Paint ½ cup sand (washed, dried) 1 T. powdered paint Mix. Put into a shaker Shake onto glue on paper

Face Paint 2 T. cold cream ½ tsp glycerin 1 T. cornstarch 1 tsp dry tempera paint

Pixie Dust Glitter Confetti Flour Sugar Mix together. Sprinkle! Potters Clay ½ cup flour ½ cup cornstarch 1 cup salt 3 ½ cups boiling water Dissolve salt in boiling water. Add cornstarch, mix, cook until clear. Cool overnight. Add 6-8 additional cups flour until not sticky. Soapsuds Clay ¾ cup soap powder 1 T. warm water Mix well. Modeling Goop 2 cups salt 1 cup water 1 cup cornstarch Cook salt and ½ cup water 5 min. Add rest, cook until thickens

Colored Glue

Mix food coloring, tempera or glitter into glue bottles. Cloud Dough 1 cup salad oil 6 cups flour 1 cup water food coloring or tempera Use just enough water to bind mixture. Knead. Cloud dough is soft, pliable and oily, but provides an unusual tactile experience. Oatmeal Dough 1 cup flour 2 cups oatmeal 1 cup water food coloring or tempera Mix flour and oatmeal, then add water gradually. Cornmeal may be added in place of oatmeal to vary the texture. Sidewalk Chalk ‘Plaster of Paris’ Tempera (for color) Mix. Pour into cupcake papers Pop out when dry.

Baked Salt Dough 2 cups flour 1 cup salt Enough water to make a dough-like mixture. Flat objects can be baked at 300*F. for 1 hour. Paper clips in back before baking will serve as a hanger. Paint designs after baking. Hard-drying Clay 2 cups Baking Soda 1 cup cornstarch 1 ¼ cup water Mix cornstarch and baking soda. Add water. Blend thoroughly, then bring to a boil stirring constantly. At consistency of mashed potatoes, cool. Sculptures dry in 36 hours.

Notes: Store ‘doughs’ in airtight plastic bags or containers. Children are to wash hands prior to use of shared group materials. Safety is paramount in cooking with children!!

Growth and Learning through Manipulative Art Materials

(doughs, clays and squeezables) Emotional Development Feelings of success and competency Sense of control Calming and soothing Stress reducing/ self behavior modifier Outlet for feelings Tension reliving Social Development Seen in all stages of play: Solitary Parallel Associative Cooperative Promotes sharing Builds social language Social ‘icebreaker’

Cognitive Ca Pa Sp M La Pr

Physical D Lg Fi Pi Ey Es MCreative Development Open-ended Creative expression/exploration Mallable/ changeable Individualism Development of imagination

Development use & effect rt/whole relationships ecial relationships

atching/comparing nguage development operties

evelopment and small muscle develop.

nger dexterity ncher grip (pre-writing) e-hand coordination tablishment of handedness uscle strength

Guidelines for Open-ended Art

- Never alter or ‘fix’ a child’s work - Provide a wide variety of interesting materials and choices - Add new materials weekly, incorporating your theme if possible - Never tell a child what to create - Emphasize the process, not the end product - Don’t ask “What is it?”; Say “Tell me about it” - Ask the child if and where he/she would like his name put - Let children explore materials - Let children come up with their own ideas and use materi

creatively - Provide materials for 3-D and on-going artwork projects - Encourage, do not force participation - Do not do models or samples for the children - Throw away any colorbooks or dittos in the room - All materials should be at the children’s level, and accessible - Playdough and the art easel should be open the majority of each day- Encourage children to express feelings and personal experienc

through art - Display art in a variety of ways – it should not all ‘match’ - Talk about texture, color, smell, shape, etc and the experience - Let the children be as independent as possible, and encourage se

help skills and responsibility in cleaning up art - Educate parents as to the value and learning in open-ended art - Teach and model appropriate use and respect of materials - Allow ample time for children to create and explore - Incorporate books on fine art in your classroom - Children should be doing their own cutting – it’s okay if a cir

doesn’t remotely resemble a circle yet. This is how they develop thefine muscles – and makes it ‘their’ work and experience.

- There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way, or end product. - The art area should have lots and lots of a variety of different colla

materials, and always be an open, available choice for children

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WHAT CAN YOU SAY TO CHILDREN ABOUT THEIR ART?…

“I see circles in your picture.”

“You filled up the whole paper.”

“Do you have a story you want to tell me about your picture?”

“Would you like me to write something on your picture?”

“Tell me about how you made the blue lines so smooth.”

“I feel happy when I look at your picture. The colors are very bright.”

“I can see you worked hard on that.”

“You used red, yellow and orange in your picture.”

“You’ve got all kinds of lines in your picture.”

Remember – when we say something very specific about a child’s work, it is much more meaningful than an insincere “That’s beautiful!”… and shows that we are truly looking

at what they did.

How Creative is your “Creative Art?”… Is there a ‘right way’ or a ‘wrong way’?…

Or is it open-ended? Do all the pieces look basically alike?… Or is every child’s piece original and unique? Does it require a great deal of teacher preparation or assistance? Or can the child work independently? Does the activity emphasize the end product? Or the process and experience? Does the child need to follow a predetermined outline?

Or can the child express his/her own ideas and feelings?

Is the experience ‘Teacher-directed’ and initiated? Or child directed and initiated?

And finally…

WHOSE HANDS ARE BUSIER – THE CHILD’S OR THE ADULT’S

?

Dear Mom and Dad, It may not look like much, but my scribbles are very important! Scribbling is the first step in learning to write, and I am developing the muscles I will need to hold a pencil! Sometimes a scribble is not just a scribble! Love, Your toddler

For Added Variety: Tools to Paint With

Paint brushes * sponges * combs * spools * tooth brushes * paint rollers *

sticks * rag strips * cookie cutters * cooking utensils * q-tips * pine cones * scrub brushes * straws * string * yarn * medicine

droppers * deodorant roll-top bottles * corncobs * crumpled paper * feathers * potatoes mashers * tongue depressors * Popsicle sticks * fingers *

fruits/vegetables * dental floss * marbles * rubber spatulas * fly swatters * koosh balls * spray bottles * golf balls * large beads * cotton balls *

evergreen swags * plastic play animal ‘feet’ (prints) * wheels * old mascara brushes * pipecleaners * corks * bubble wrap *

nail polish brushes * kitchen basting brushes * baby bottle brushes

Surfaces on Which to Paint All kinds of paper – colored, computer, newsprint, manila, giftwrap, waxed paper, old newspapers, typing paper, tagboard, butcher paper, posterboard, construction paper, fingerpaint paper, easel paper, etc Lunch bags * cloth * foil * corrugated cardboard * large tile squares * rocks

* bark * boards * sidewalks * windows * mirrors * plastic coffee lids * styrafoam meat trays * old placemats * burlap * coffee filters * boxes * magazines * wallpaper * comic strips * old phone books * plexiglas *

screens * window shades * envelopes * paper plates * paper towels * canvas * paper towel tubes * tissue paper * bubble wrap * doilies * suede * old

shower curtains * sheets * vinyl * cellophane * fabric * T-shirts * pieces of wood * clay creations * tin * ceiling tiles * paper grocery bags

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Mixers to Add Variety to Paint Texture

Sand * coffee grounds * baby powder * detergent powder * water (to change consistency) * rice * glitter * sugar * cornmeal * salt * oatmeal * soap flakes * baking powder * syrup * cooking oil * shaving crème * glue * confetti *

Media For at the Easel

Finger paint * tempera paint (with a variety of textures – see above) * Watercolors * diluted food coloring * berry juices * dried up markers dipped

in water * chalk * chalk dipped in water * shaving cream * crayons * oil sticks * colored pencils * markers (thick/thin)* highlighters * scribble cookies * several crayons tied together * spray bottles with diluted paint or

colored water * graphite pencils * calligraphy pens * charcoal sticks * glitter pens * colored glue * stamp pads * paint brushes tied together

Collage Materials

Cut up straws * yarn * fabric scraps * magazines * greeting cards * ribbon * tissue paper scraps * twine * glitter * egg shells * stamps * small wood

scraps * confetti * packaging materials * bows * streamers * fringe * fake fur scraps * velvet * wrapping paper * Popsicle sticks * paper scraps *

wallpaper books * pompom balls * googlie eyes * doilies * trim * colored pasta * cotton balls * q-tips * Easter grass * raffia * catalogs * buttons *

sequins * feathers * felt * foil * lace * rickrack * seeds * shredded paper * dried flower petals * ceramic tiles * colored wire * spools * crepe paper * *

beads * bread bag closures * All types of paper (listed above)

Materials for 3-D Projects

Milk cartons * Paper plates * Paper towel rolls * gift/shoe boxes * spofrozen food trays * chicken wire * clothespins * coffee cans * shel

ols * ls

Stages of Art Development

Stage One: Manipulative

Random attempts to manipulate various materials – scribbling, thick sweeps of paint strokes, pounding and squeezing of clay. Typically seen in children under 4 years, with focus on experiential and tactile. Stage Two: Patterning/Design

Typically develops by age 4, experimentation with beginning to master materials. Children discovering lines, shapes, dots, spaces, and patterns.

Stage Three: Naming/Symbolic

Children able to make models or pictures representing things, often with object in mind as they begin the process. Stage Four: Representation

Develops around age 5 or 6, with children’s art actually resembling objects represented. Initially many details missing, with more detail as skilllevel and motor control develop.

Art Elements: line, shape, form, color and texture.

Principles of Visual Organization: unity, variety, balance, rhythm, emphasis, proportion, movement, repetition, pattern.

Where to get Free Art Materials Alteration Shops/Tailors:

- spools - fabric scraps - buttons - samples - remnants

Builders/Carpet & Floor Stores:

- carpet samples - floor samples - tile samples - discontinued tile - packaging materials - old wallpaper sample books - paint swatches - large tubes (packaging) - wood scraps - discontinued knobs and handles

Photography Stores:

- empty film canisters - mis-cut mapboard - centers from mapboard frames - old promotional pictures

Copy/Print Shops:

- computer paper - scrap paper - mis-printed envelops, stationary, forms - ends of paper rolls - packaging materials - pads of paper ‘ends’ - ‘punches’ from paper that has been 3-hole pu

nched

What message does a child get from Teacher – directed product art and craft activities:

The adult’s ideas are more important than mine.

In comparison,

someone else’s work is always better than mine.

Different is not better - all being the same is the goal.

Art is not about expressing myself or my

ideas.

I can’t do it right.

If it’s good my Teacher will like it – and me.

I don’t have to think – just do what my Teacher says.

I don’t know what to do unless the Teacher tells me.

This is not about me or about what I want to do.

““AAllll cchhiillddrreenn aarree aarrttiissttss,, aanndd iitt iiss aann iinnddiiccttmmeenntt ooff oouurr ccuullttuurree tthhaatt ssoo mmaannyy ooff tthheemm lloossee tthheeiirr ccrreeaattiivviittyy,, tthheeiirr uunnffeetttteerreedd iimmaaggiinnaattiioonnss,, aass tthheeyy ggrrooww oollddeerr.. BBuutt tthheeyy ssttaarrtt ooffff wwiitthhoouutt sseellff--ccoonnsscciioouussnneessss aass tthheeyy ppaaiinntt tthheeiirr ppuurrppllee fflloowweerrss,, tthheeiirr aannaattoommiiccaallllyy iimmppoossssiibbllee ppeeooppllee,, tthheeiirr tthhuunnddeerroouuss,, ssuullpphhuurroouuss sskkiieess.. TThheeyy ddoonn’’tt wwoorrrryy tthhaatt tthheeyy mmaayy nnoott bbee aass ggoooodd aass DDiiCChhiirrccoo oorr BBrraaccqquuee;; tthheeyy kknnooww iinnttuuiittiivveellyy tthhaatt iitt iiss ffoollllyy ttoo mmaakkee ccoommppaarriissoonnss,, aanndd tthheeyy ggoo aahheeaadd aanndd ssaayy wwhhaatt tthheeyy wwaanntt ttoo ssaayy..””

- Madeleine L’Engle Maybe Tomorrow He could soar to the highest mountain by Lindy T. Redmond He could dream in his mind He could nurture his talents, “Me do it,” said the 2 year old, His gifts he could now fine. “Mom, me will do it now,” “Oh no, my dear,” she replied, The teacher came into his room “I must show you how!” And greeted everyone “Let me try it,” he called at 3 “Take out your crayons and paper, “Let me make my bed,” we’re going to have some fun.” “No, you will have lumps in it, “Use this tracer to make a bunny Color this instead.” And neatly print your name, They’ll all be brown with long ears, So she placed the coloring book They’ll all look just the same.” Near him on the table, “Now try to color in the lines The best you are able.” “But I don’t want my bunny “But Mom, I want to draw the world To stand up straight and tall And all the butterflies, I want him crouched among the grasI want to make the mountains tall, And to be white, that’s all.” And make rainbows in the skies.” “They’ll be nicer if we keep Them looking alike too, “Color carefully,” she replied,``` Now please sit down & start your woAnd color the flowers red, We’ve got a lot to do.” Color the sky all light blue Stay in the lines,” she said. And as the 4 year old one day So slowly he took his seat, His shoes he tried to tie, His eyes had lost their thrill, His father said, “I’ll teach you how He now knew just what he’d face, And later YOU can try.” Monotony and drill. “Maybe later,” thought the lad, And so it was, from birth to 5, “She’ll let me make my own, The others told him HOW, Maybe tomorrow I can paint They gave him restraints and set the laws My picture all alone.” Of what they would allow. Then one day the yellow bus So on the next clear morning, Came right up to his door, They took their crayons out, The little boy thought for sure “Oh boy, I’ll make the sky orange That NOW he could explore. I’ll be different, without a doubt.” “Color carefully,” she replied, He now could dream and imagine “And color the flowers red,

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And experiment on his own, Color the sky light blue He could paint HIS colors Stay in the lines,” she said. And investigate all alone. “Maybe tomorrow, maybe never.”

Thought the boy as he colored the sky light blue.

1. Provides a means of communication and expression 2. Serves as an emotional release 3. Heightens aesthetic awareness and sensitivity 4. Develops and promotes creative thinking 5. Develops an appreciation for individuality 6. Serves as a balance in classroom activities 7. Assists in the development of physical coordination 8. Strengthens self-concept and self confid nce 9. Increases self understanding 10. Enhances the ability to visualize 11. Helps develop fine motor skills 12. Provides opportunities for problem- solving and decision making 13. Provides insight and assists the adult in understanding the child 14. Develops self- elp skills 15. Illustrates caus

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This is a reminder that to children, the process is much more important than the finished product…

GENUIS AT WORK The artist bend over his easel And took up his palette and brush He sketched in the curve of an outline In colors both vivid and lush. I watched him add highlights and shadows With deftness and delicacy, Convinced that no Ruebens of Titan Worked with greater concentration than he. He splashed on a bit of ripe crimson. He blended in scarlet and maize. Then at length he leaned back from his canvas And appraised it with critical gaze. Slowly he turned and presented That completed creation of his. “See, Teacher! My pictures all finished. Now help me decide what it is.”

- Adelaide Holl

I am learning through art!

In the Art Area I am expressing myself and being creative. I am using my small muscles and am developing eye-hand coordination. I am seeing cause and effect, and the different

properties of my materials. All of my creations are unique and special –

like me!

Creative, Visually Appealing Ways to Display Children’s Artwork /Projects

Have a variety of different types of art and mediums. Mix it up – stay away from a bulletin board with just fingerpainting or just collages. When the art displayed is diverse, each piece looks even more unique. Incorporate real photographs of the children working on the art or projects. This helps the children remember doing the work displayed, adding more opportunities for language development, and gives parents additional insight as to the process involved. Add dictation. The children’s words describing their work (or some other aspect) should accompany the art as well. Include 3-D pieces. This adds dimension to your display. Think of interesting or unusual ways for the children to “frame” their work if they would like. (mirrors, paper

m hape.

s more. Often those really nice, colorful teacher borders take away from the children’s work – which

plates, contrasting paper, corrugated cardboard, hanging, etc) Chronicle a project (with pictures and dictation) frostart to finish. Show a how project evolves and takes s Place as much as possible at the child’s eye level. The blue “Tacky-tape” (sticky, gum-like moldable adhesive) typically is kindest on painted walls, and is least likely to remove paint when artwork is taken down. If you want to put a “title” on the bulletin board as a header, stay away from “cutesy” plays on words. Those are adult-oriented, and over the children’s heads. Get input from the children. If it is right before Halloween, and the various creations are about spiders, a heading like “Our Spider Project” or “What We Know About Spiders” is appropriate. Sometimes less i

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of shapes of paper. can glue them together come up with some sting designs or

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Seasonal Art Ideas:

- colored pipe

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shells,

- the season to

- wrapping

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- Make ‘stencils’ out of butter tub lids by tracing seasonal

shapes and cutting them out

Tie 2-5or seasto draw

magazines in the art area. There is also glue idecide you want to glue them.

Put out holiday-cleaners &/or confetti Add holiday/seasonal colors to shaving cream

- Use holiday shaped pasta for collages

- Put holiday/seasonal colors out at the easel Use seasonhold collage materials for variety and to renew interest Cut holiday/seasonal shapes out of sponges Put holiday/seasonal coocutters in with the playdough Use seasonal items from nature to paint with or in

of the p astic lids. -

your media table (pinecones, corncobs, leaves, etc.) Key into nature! Add smells ofyour playdough or paints (pumpkin spice in the fall, cinnamon in the winter, etc.) Put scraps of

paper in the art area.

Color the glue a holiday-related color.

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crayons (of holiday onal colors) together with, if they choose.

Additional Resources on Creative, Open-ended Art –

isplay – Great Ways to ShowcAuthor Unknown, “On DChildren’s Creations”, Scholastic Early Childhood TodFebruary 1997, Page 43 Lowenfeld, Victor. “What You Don’t Learn from Coloan Elephant. What About Color Books?”, Texas Child Care Quarterly, issue – unknown, Pages 58-59 Swanson, Lou. “Changes – How Our Nursery School Replaced Adult-Directed Art Projects With Child-DirecExperiences and Changed to an Accredited, Child-SensDevelopmentally Appropriate School”, Young Children

e

May 1994, Pages 69 – 73

erez, Jeannine. “100 Ways to Paint a Pictur ”, First PTeacher, January/February 1997, Page 26

haw-Perry, Eunice. “Creative MindsS ”, Early ChildhoToday, February 1997, Pages 36 – 45 Armstrong, Thomas. “Seeing Things in New Ways”, Early Childhood Today, February 1997, Pages 32 – 3

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Staff Training Idon Open-ended Art:

Experiencing Apples Materials Needed: 3 – 4 apples. A ditto of a picture of an apcrayons, a knife, pens, paper, 3 ta

ple, bles for staff to sit at.

Directions for Activity: One table can only color the ditto of anapple; one table can only look at the apples – but cannot touch

em; the thir

d table can experience the apples any way they

l, etc.; which table would ave more language development; meaningfulness and relevance

ve memories that

thchoose (cut them up, smell, etc.) Groups then write down what they learned based on this experience only (not on any previous knowledge or experience

ith apples.) w Discuss value of tactile l, taste, smehof each tables’ experience; which table will hawill last longer and why; etc… Rating Creative Art

Materials Needed: Copies of handout “How Creative is Your reative Art?”, 10 – 15 examples (good and not-so-good) of

children’s artwork. (Be careful to offend with too many not-so-

irections for Activity

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good examples from one room or teacher) D : Staff must rate and categorize whether

Painting with Hats/Helmets aterials Needed

art is open-ended or teacher-directed. Discuss results, benefits.

M : Easel paper, hardhat, paintbrush (taped onto a ardhat), paint, ductape h

Direction for Activity: Have adults paint at easel with the hats that have the paintbrushes attached to them. Discuss experience nd appeal to children.

aterials Needed

a Gelatin Rainbows M : Clear Knox gelatin, small bowls (to use as

olds), eye droppers, trays, food coloring and water m Directions for Activity: The day prior, make gelatin as per the directions on the box. Remove from bowls (upside down) onto

ays. Dip droppers into food coloring and insert into gelatin. iscuss experience and appeal to children.

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ce several wallpaper sample books and collage materials t, and have participants create an original project on their n.

The activities listed above are for teachers to take back to their classrooms. Facilitating these activities hands-on with the adults gives them a better perspective and understanding of the experience for children.