Did you ever think back on learning experiences for children? What memories do you have to carry out for you? I have asked these questions many times teachers, parents, friends and family members. The answers usually revolve around projects or activities that are creative with some small (or large!) Risks. There is always an emotional aspect of memory, whether positive or negative, which maintains and sustains it.
Thinking about how children participate in the experience of life brings to mind the need for creative experiences, enriching. The arts are a wonderful way to support a child's creativity and wonder. Here is a simple scheme to use, even if you do not feel comfortable with the idea of "art." Too often the arts are high out of reach, but we are all creative beings! Take a moment to perhaps step outside your comfort zone, and express themselves through the eyes (and practical experience of art!) With a boy!
Monitor / Scan:
• Take a walk
• Look at the objects around the house
• Visit a museum
• Playing at the park
Take your time to do an activity to observe a child or a group of children. Bring a paper (or blank notebooks) and marker pens / colored pencils /. Draw what you see while encouraging children to draw what they see. Talk about all the comments and drawings by such questions as: What have you seen? Tell me about your drawing. What made you see that object? How do you draw on paper to show what you've seen with your eyes?
Create:
Visual Arts: What art materials do you already have at home? Crayons, markers, pencils, paper, clay, paint, rope? If possible, have a variety of materials available. Get creative! Kids have lots of ideas now, after watching and exploring the environment and record their ideas on paper. Keep these! You can then use their observations to create a 3-D sculpture, painting, drawing more elaborate. Make your comments "visible" will add to the memory and detail of observation.
Drama:
Using their observations, children can re-create the scene. What drew the sheet can tell the tree? What do you think the swing? All that is caught can bring to life! Encourage children to look back at their pictures and remember. What can you say the picture? Children are natural storytellers. Let's look back on their work and tell you what they remember.
Dance / Music:
From their drawings, children can choose a line, shape, or an object and re-create that shape with their bodies. Having three forms of his drawings, and moving their bodies so that each of these forms is a choreographed dance! Now what music would work with this new dance? CD you can play, kids can sing or hum a tune, the instruments can make or buy cheap to support dance music. Or, you can choose music that supports your drawing. There is no limit!
Share
While experience is important, the presentation of a product, either through visual arts, dance, drama and music or is a wonderful way to get credit for an effort well done. Share a piece of art takes him alive to the interpretation of others. This is a valuable way to express what has been in the artist's mind and can now be "seen" by others. The arts are truly interactive and the kids can get so much for sharing your artwork. So hang the pictures, see the performance, listen to stories and music. Enjoy time well spent to experience life through the arts and each other.
Monitor / Scan:
• Take a walk
• Look at the objects around the house
• Visit a museum
• Playing at the park
Take your time to do an activity to observe a child or a group of children. Bring a paper (or blank notebooks) and marker pens / colored pencils /. Draw what you see while encouraging children to draw what they see. Talk about all the comments and drawings by such questions as: What have you seen? Tell me about your drawing. What made you see that object? How do you draw on paper to show what you've seen with your eyes?
Create:
Visual Arts: What art materials do you already have at home? Crayons, markers, pencils, paper, clay, paint, rope? If possible, have a variety of materials available. Get creative! Kids have lots of ideas now, after watching and exploring the environment and record their ideas on paper. Keep these! You can then use their observations to create a 3-D sculpture, painting, drawing more elaborate. Make your comments "visible" will add to the memory and detail of observation.
Drama:
Using their observations, children can re-create the scene. What drew the sheet can tell the tree? What do you think the swing? All that is caught can bring to life! Encourage children to look back at their pictures and remember. What can you say the picture? Children are natural storytellers. Let's look back on their work and tell you what they remember.
Dance / Music:
From their drawings, children can choose a line, shape, or an object and re-create that shape with their bodies. Having three forms of his drawings, and moving their bodies so that each of these forms is a choreographed dance! Now what music would work with this new dance? CD you can play, kids can sing or hum a tune, the instruments can make or buy cheap to support dance music. Or, you can choose music that supports your drawing. There is no limit!
Share
While experience is important, the presentation of a product, either through visual arts, dance, drama and music or is a wonderful way to get credit for an effort well done. Share a piece of art takes him alive to the interpretation of others. This is a valuable way to express what has been in the artist's mind and can now be "seen" by others. The arts are truly interactive and the kids can get so much for sharing your artwork. So hang the pictures, see the performance, listen to stories and music. Enjoy time well spent to experience life through the arts and each other.
