Art and Preschoolers
I
Art promotes…
A. Physical growth

By... developing fine motor skill
necessary for writing
B. Social growth

By... learning responsibility and working
with others
C. Emotional growth

By... expressing their emotions on paper

D. Cognitive growth

By... helping them learn
color, texture and development of learning
through their senses

tactilly defensive-
Art and Age
A. Manipulative period
1. 1. Ages 2-4
2. 2. Artwork is experimental because of
limited attention span, eye hand
coordination and underdeveloped arm
muscles
 3. Active participation is important
 4. Children in this period focus on the
process not the product- scribbling is
acceptable
Presymbolic

1. Ages 4-7

2. Art work becomes representationalyou can begin to identify what it is

3. Interest is in the finished product and
the process
Think about it…

We have kids in the manipulative and pre
symbolic stage

- who will take longer to do their art
projects?- why?
Identify who would benefit most
from the following



Making cars out of wooden blocks
making planets and finger painting them
Drawing a picture of their family
Presymbolic continued
4. Encouragement to follow their own
ideas
 - do not force them to create things your
way
 5. Too much correction and
demonstration may discourage the
preschooler

Techniques for guiding art
activities
A. Allow child to manipulate within agreed limits
B. Observe and give help when needed but do not
interfere or do the project
C. Ask the child to tell you about his/her work do
not tell them about their work
 - you may not see what they see
D. Do not ask what it is- it may not be anythingthat’s ok
E. Be sure that the physical environment is
comfortable and cheerful
Don’t…
- make children perform all art activities
- put pressure on the child to be neat
- rush the child
- judge the art piece
- use models - they will want to copy
them exactly and won’t be able to
- get upset by their creative mess - art is
messy
Do…
- demonstrate how to use equipment properly
-display artwork
- tell the child what you like specifically about the
picture
- I like how the cat is looking at the bird
- I like the colors you used
- keep the equipment orderly and in good condition
- encourage children to clean-up after themselves
Stages of Art skill development
A. Scribblers
1. Explanation

zig zags first and then circles
2. Ages- 15 months- 3 years
3. To developcomment on their movements
Basic forms
1. Explanation

learn and use shapes in their
drawings
control is important
2. Ages- 3-4
3. To develop- comment on
movement
First Drawings
1. Explanation

create symbols using basic forms
2. Ages 4-5
3. To develop- ask them to tell you about
their drawing
What stage and age?
What stage? Beginning middle or end?
Merk’s artwork what stage?
What stage and age? Why?
What stage, beginning middle or end?
What stage and why?
Corey’s pirate ship. What stage?
Nicole’s artwork, what stage?