Maryann kohl: the importance of art in early childhood, part two

How Art Affects Development

~Part one is here.~

 

***Remember!  There is a giveaway of MaryAnn Kohl’s book, Scribble Art at the end of this series!  Any comments left on this post or the first post will earn you an extra entry in the giveaway.  Comments on part one and part two will be closed when the final post is published.***

 

The second question I asked of MaryAnn Kohl is below, and her answer is packed full of information that I think will be of interest to many of you (it sure was to me!).  Being a good parent and/or teacher means, in part, helping our children develop skills that will serve them well their whole lives long.  In early childhood, art is an easy and fun way to accomplish some of these goals.  I’m so excited to be able to share this!  

2. Is a child's development affected by allowing them to experience art and explore art materials at an early age? 

MARYANN:  Art may seem like fun and games -- and it is! -- but you may not realize that your child is actually learning a lot through art activities. Your children will gain useful life skills through art, so encourage them to get creative, and you will quickly see that your children are picking up these skills:

Communication Skills:

When a child draws a picture, paints a portrait, or hangs buttons from a wobbly mobile, that child is beginning to communicate visually. A child may draw to document an actual experience like playing in the park, release feelings of joy by painting swirling colors, or share an emotionally charged experience like the passing of a loved one through art. Art goes beyond verbal language to communicate feelings that might not otherwise be expressed.

Problem-Solving Skills:

When children explore art ideas, they are testing possibilities and working through challenges, much like a scientist who experiments and finds solutions. Should I use a shorter piece of yarn to balance my mobile? This tape isn't holding -- what should I try instead? How did I make brown -- I thought I made orange? Art allows children to make their own assessments, while also teaching them that a problem may have more than one answer. Instead of following specific rules or directions, the child's brain becomes engaged in the discovery of "how" and "why."  Even when experimenting or learning how to handle art materials effectively, children are solving challenges and coming up with new ways to handle unexpected outcomes.

Social & Emotional Skills:

Art helps children come to terms with themselves and the control they have over their efforts. Through art, they also practice sharing and taking turns, as well as appreciating one another's efforts. Art fosters positive mental health by allowing a child to show individual uniqueness as well as success and accomplishment, all part of a positive self-concept.


Fine Motor Skills:

Fine motor skills enable a child do things like delicately turn the page of a book or fill in a sheet of paper with written words. Holding a paintbrush so that it will make the desired marks, snipping paper with scissors into definite shapes, drawing with a crayon, or squeezing glue from a bottle in a controlled manner all help develop a child's fine motor skills and control of materials.

Isn’t it amazing how much goodness art can add to our lives?  I value “art time” in our home because of the joy that creating and experimenting give to M (and honestly, to me too, when I sit and do art with him); but I find that I value it even more and am purposeful in making it part of our day when I remember how beneficial art is to his overall development.  Thank you, MaryAnn! :)

Post three will focus on “Art” versus “Crafts”, and I’ll talk a bit more about Scribble Art, hopefully posting some photos of the actual projects we’ve done that were found in this treasure of a book. (I think this was the first book of MaryAnn’s that we bought, and it is most likely the one we’ve gone to most often in the past few years.  I’m very excited that one of my readers will win it!)

Have a beautiful day! :)

Maryann kohl discusses the importance of art in early childhood – part one

***There is a giveaway at the end of this series; don’t miss it!***

 

Art, when you think about it, is an amazing thing.  The possibilities contained within a new box of crayons, a set of paints, a little glue, some scissors, construction paper, and so on, are astounding.  To be able to take a few items and create something that never was before, something unique and totally your own… well, who wouldn’t jump at the chance?  And if you are a toddler or a preschooler (or even an older child!), you might actually do a little jumping as you set to work. ;)  Excitement just pours out of their little bodies, doesn’t it?  It can’t be contained!  We mamas know a little about this too – our bodies were pretty involved in the sweetest creations of all, weren’t they?
 

Giveaway

As you may know, we are big fans of MaryAnn Kohl around here.  In the past I’ve said that we are her biggest fans, but as that seemed to surprise some of you that consider yourselves to be her biggest fans, I’ll just leave it at “big fans”. ;)  I was recently in touch with MaryAnn, who has graciously offered to send one of my readers a copy of Scribble Art:  This is one of our very favorite books of hers, one we go to again and again, knowing we will always find something interesting to do and experience.  MaryAnn has over 20 other books, each one full of art activities – you are sure to find one that is just right for your family!

(The giveaway will be at the end of this 3-part series, but comments on these first two posts will earn you extra entries!)
 

Interview

MaryAnn, even more graciously, offered to answer a few questions for us.  I had three that came to mind, from conversations I’ve had with other moms, either online or in real life.  We often refer to our home as the “art gallery” – if you’ve seen my kitchen walls and cupboards, you know why. :)  M loves to “do art”, and I do my best to encourage it, but I find it hard to explain just why art is so important to us.  And, I am not immune to “mess stress” either, although I try hard to not let it interfere with M’s creativity.  Sometimes this means closing my eyes and just not looking. ;)

I’m separating the three questions and answers into three posts so we have time to really think about and focus on MaryAnn’s answers.  She has so much wisdom to share. :)

1. Many moms of small children are so busy keeping their homes reasonably clean and tidy (with the care of their families genuinely at heart!) that it's hard to deal with the extra messiness of art projects.  Is it truly important for small children to experience art?  Do you think there are benefits of letting small children "do art" at home versus just waiting until they are in school and letting them get messy there?

MARYANN: Art is one of those activities in a child's life that can be messy, but it doesn't have to be. If messiness is a detriment to providing your child with exploration and discovery through art activities, go easy! Provide blank paper and crayons and feel good about it. Research shows that children who draw frequently without adult interference do better in all other academics. So easy -- and yet so important. A little preparation goes a long way for children doing art at home. Keep a trash receptacle near where the child is working. If possible, provide a small table near a shelf or closet where art materials are stored. Providing materials that are "self-serve" for children can make things easier for parents in the long run. Such materials would be crayons, paper, tape, stapler, scissors, and materials like catalogs or magazines for cutting, ribbons and sewing trim, cotton balls, or other collage materials (depending on suitability for the child's age and ability).  

Yes, it is truly important for children to experience art, and not just copying an adult's idea of how things should be made, but allowing a child to experiment and explore and create with their own ideas using materials on hand. The benefits of having art supplies and an area to work at home are many. One of the most important is that the child has a quiet place to go and unwind after a busy day at childcare or school, where they can freely draw or create at will. Parents benefit because the child is involved while dinner is being made or while folding laundry, etc. Art is one of the only creative activities where a child can rest while being busy. Reading is another. In fact, children who have art in their lives tend to also be good readers!

Isn’t that beautifully said?  And how often do children get to follow their own ideas?  So often, they just have to follow the plans of others!  Art is a great way to respect their  ideas and help develop their independence and self-esteem; as well as validate their ideas and creativity as good and worthwhile. 

Come back tomorrow for question number two, and don’t forget to leave a comment for an extra entry to win Scribble Art!  In the meantime, check out MaryAnn’s website, Bright Ring Publishing – she has free art activities available there, as well as a sweet art gallery to look through, and links to her blog and favorite websites.  
 

Have a beautiful day! :)