Educators who wish to provide art in the life of a young child, have access to a multitude of resources that provide them with ideas to promote creativity in the classroom. Art lesson plans should include sufficient amounts of time to allow the children to show interests in the various forms of art. A classroom rich with the children's original art or posters of famous artists, encourages pride in their work and curiosity in the work of others. By allowing the children to unlock and develop their interests, always have a variety of art medium available.
- Blank sheets of drawing paper, crayons, markers and colored pencils should always be accessible.
- Easels, paints and a variety of brushes should always be available for painting.
- Show the students how to paint with a feather or stamp designs using unusual objects, such as a heel from an old shoe.
- Extend story-time with art, by making available clay or play dough for sculpting a pet or an animal read about in the story.
- Collages are another way to allow their self expression. Hand out magazines and suggest a topic. The children may cut out and paste pictures to create their personal collage.
Promote originality, rather than conformity, as art in the life of a child provides an opportunity to explore his or her emotions through their art work. Allow them to tell you about their painting or drawing. Always offer praise and encouragement. Working together in small groups, prevents arguments and accidents. The children learn to share and appreciate each other's work. This is also an opportunity for them to learn to take care of the art equipment and tools. Age appropriate materials and ideas will provide a channel for developing creativity in each child. This learning opportunity should be recognized as a child's effort for self-expression and not a talent search for future artists. As a teacher, I often refer to one of my favorite books, Creative Expression and Play in Early Childhood, by Joan Packer Isenberg and Maary Renck Jalongo.
