Michelle Mallonee Long
I recently spent a few days hanging out with a (very special to me) three- year old. During that time, we gathered a bunch of nature supplies (leaves, twigs, rocks, birdseed) and got out some paper, paint, glue, wiggle eyes, ribbon, etc. for the two of us to “Get Creative.” For almost two hours we sat at the table talking and using our imaginations. One of the leaf people even got a birdseed princess crown like the fairies wear.
On a subsequent visit to the family I was greeted with “Yay! Aunt Shell is here. Now we can do messy art!”
So, we pulled out a bunch of art supplies and got to work. When the child was asked “What are you going to make?” her response was “Whatever I want. I just need to get creative!”
Best response EVER!
In a time when social media sites have bombarded the preschool classrooms with project art, we need to remember to step back and let the creative juices flow. Art should be more about learning how the materials work and feel and less about the end product.
For more on this topic check out one of my all-time favorite resource books “Don’t Move the Muffin Tins – A hands-off Guide to Art for the Young Child” by Bev Bos.
