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| Expanding boundaries with open ended art
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Early childhood is the ideal time for children to explore their inner creativity through a wide variety of artistic experiences. Young children rarely display self-consciousness or inhibitions when it comes to creating art and this boundless enthusiasm should be encouraged in early childhood settings.
In addition to being fun, art gives children the opportunity to express their emotions, experiment with a wide variety of textures and materials, problem solve and learn about colour and shape. In many homes, children don't have the opportunity to try messy art such as finger painting and clay work, which is why early childhood environments offer such fertile grounds for developing children's artistic abilities.
While all art-based projects are valuable, open-ended art is especially wonderful for very young children as it offers a child the opportunity to undertake a free form art project which focuses on individual expression and the journey a child takes in creating the piece, rather than simply the final product.
Children choose the theme of the art, the materials, the time frame for completing the project and which tools they use in the creation process. Carers may offer supervision and advice when requested but ultimately all of the creative control rests with the individual child.
Cathy Graham offers these tips for early childhood educators interested in offering more open ended art opportunities at their service:
- 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.
- Don't ask, "What is it?" - Say "Tell me about it."
- Ask the child if and where he/she would like his name on the art.
- Let children explore materials.
- Let children come up with their own ideas and use materials creatively.
- Provide materials for 3-D and ongoing artwork projects.
- Encourage but do not force participation.
- Do not do models or samples for the children.
- Throw away colouring books and colouring sheets.
- 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 experiences 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 self-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 circle doesn't remotely resemble a circle yet. This is how they develop these fine 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 collage materials, and always be an open, available choice for children.
Most early childhood services are well equipped with a wide variety of innovative art materials and the majority of open ended art projects will take advantage of existing supplies. Remember, that the focus in open ended art is the process rather than the final product and children should be given as much freedom as possible to decide when a project has reached its final state.
For more information on open ended art and loads of fabulous project and material ideas read Cathy Graham's Open Ended Art Experiences booklet. |
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