SETTING UP THE ART CENTER

Fostering Creative Expression in Young Children

Setting up a classroom environment that nurtures creative expression is an essential part of a well-rounded quality instructional program. Creative activities enhance the whole child; physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally. Have materials accessible that allow children to engage in each of the art processes. These include drawing, painting, printmaking, collage and modeling. Each of these allow for many variations using different kinds of materials.

Stages in Painting and Drawing

Stage 1: Scribbling and Making Marks
Stage 2: Making Shapes, Outlines, Designs and Symbols that have Personal Meaning
Stage 3: Pictoral Art that is Becoming Recognizable to Others
Stage 4: Realistic Art

Process vs. Product

When working on creative projects, there is never a right way to make something. Activities should be open-ended with the emphasis on the creative process rather than a final product. Precut or drawn patterns or adult models leave little room for imagination, experimentation or individuality. Provide a variety of materials and let children explore and create in their own ways.

Displaying Creative Work in the Classroom

• Display creative work throughout the classroom at children's eye level
• Include in the display a variety of art processes
• Change the display frequently
• Allow children to select where they want to display their work
• Having tape accessible allows children to display work independently
• Use the back and sides of furniture for display area or the sides of a cardboard box
• Be sure to have creative work that shows individual expression
• Construction paper can be used to frame work
• Remember to have a place to display 3-D creations

ART CENTER MATERIALS

Basic

Glue bottles & glue sticks
Scissors
Stapler
Shaped hole punchers
Masking tape
Paper clips
String, yarn, ribbon
Pipe cleaners

Drawing

Markers (thick and thin)
Pencils
Colored pencils
Crayons (thick and thin)
Dustless colored chalk
Rubber erasers
Rubber stamps
Puzzle pieces
Bubble wrap

Paper/Painting Surfaces

9x12 White & manila paper
11x18 White & manila paper
9x12 Colored construction Paper
Various paper scraps
Graph paper
Finger-paint paper
Wrapping or butcher paper
Tissue paper
Used greeting cards, Postcards, stationery
Catalogs and magazines
Cardboard & cardstock Scraps
Old file folders
Coffee filters
Paper doilies
White paper bags
Wall-paper samples
Adding-machine rolls
Note pads
Grocery sacks
Shoebox lids
Thin paper plates

Paint

Watercolors
Tempera
Finger paint
Brushes (thick and thin)
Paint cups
Easels
Smocks or paint shirts
Sponges
Towels
Newspaper

Print Making

Burlap or onion bags
Corrugated cardboard
Pot scrubbers
Bubble wrap

Collage Materials

Tissue paper
Cardboard tubes
Egg cartons
Small boxes
Buckets and bowls cloth, felt, carpet scraps
Sequins
Crepe paper streamers
Mosaic craft foam squares
Cotton balls
Pom poms
Yarn
Feathers
Buttons
Old puzzle pieces
Rickrack
Ribbon
Old jewelry
Corks
Cupcake papers
Plastic foam packing pieces
Natural items such as acorns, seeds, shells, pinecones, bark, leaves
Colored masking tape
Wood craft sticks
Scrap paper box

Sculpture

Play dough
Play dough accessories
Rolling pins
Uppercase & lowercase Letter & number play dough Stamps
Cookie cutters for play Dough
Clay & clay tools
Smooth pieces of wood
Cardboard
Boxes of all sizes
Empty cardboard tubes
Empty thread spools