There are many different ways to make art with kids. If you’ve ever been on Pinterest, you might have even been overwhelmed by craft ideas with pictures of perfect outcomes. Those are great, but there is more to art than just the end product! Focusing on the process of making art can support physical development through small motor skills, language and literacy development when your child explains their art, and social and emotional development through self-expression. It may be messier, and the product might not be perfect to our adult eyes, but each piece will be child-driven and truly original. Here are some ways you can incorporate process art into your schedule:
This resource from The National Association for the Education of Young Children explains more about process art, gives tips for how to guide it, and ideas for open-ended art.
Activities can provide some adult leadership as well as having a process focus. Here’s an idea from PBS on how to make a mosaic. Anything can be mosaic tiles, whether it be paper cut into different shapes, pebbles, leaves, scraps of fabric, or whatever you have around the house.
Combining science and art, you can paint using baking soda, food coloring, and vinegar! Here’s how to do it!
Make a display for all to see! Contact paper, tape, and things to stick to the contact paper like toothpicks, bottle caps, or tissue paper come together to make sticky window art.
Lastly, an early years teacher goes over the benefits of process art as well as many project ideas, such as painting with cars, fruit stamping, and painting with ice.
Need book recommendations? Drake Community Library has got you covered with a Making Art booklist!
The Usborne Complete Book of Art Ideas by Fiona Watt
Cool Collage by Anders Hanson
Hands-on Art: more than 100 delightful, skill-building ideas and activities for early learners by Jean R. Feldman
The Jumbo Book of Art by Irene Luxbacher
Maybe Something Beautiful by Isabel Campoy
For more titles check out our online catalog at: drakelibrary.org
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