Open Ended Art
CREATIVITY AND ART:
USING PROCESS ART
WITH YOUNG
CHILDREN
MNAEYC-MNSACA 2013
Margaret Mahowald
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10 years at Calvary Lutheran Church of Golden
Valley
K-bound Teacher-4’s & 5’s
Early Childhood Enthusiast
Goals for today:
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Why is process art Developmentally
Appropriate(DAP) for NAEYC
Learn about using tools and materials for
creative representation
Discover opportunities for creative representation
beyond the art area
Time for hands on exploration of materials
Take at least 1 NEW idea to your classroom
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Young children “do” art for the experience, the
exploration, the experimentation. In the “process”
they discover mystery, creativity, joy,
frustration.
Children should be encouraged to be independent
in artistic process rather than striving for a
finished product.
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MaryAnn F Kohl, Preschool Art
Where I am coming from
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NAEYC
Minnesota Early Learning Standards
High/Scope
Creative Curriculum
11 years in the classroom
Eager to learn, try, and experiment with new
things
My start…first day of teaching
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The letter is A-we will:
Make thumb print ant with ink and markers
 Paint apple shapes at the easel-no paint mixing!
 flannel board Way up high in the Apple Tree
 Practice writing ‘A’s’ on lines and color the shape of
an apple
 Send home the ‘A’ die cut
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Now…11 years later
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Calvary Childcare Center
Ink pads are available if a child would like, children
rarely uses just one finger
In September we taste tested apples, after many
children talked about their weekend trip to the Apple
Orchard
Coloring sheets and worksheets are NOT allowed
Children take home items that they have created,
drawn, cut, traced, glued, etc-if they allow, we hang
it up in the classroom for a bit.
Change in planning…
We/I always….
 It would be cute if….
 I saw this craft project in a resource
book…I think I will try it. I will
precut shapes, count out google
eyes, and make a model…
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We always make Christmas trees
It would be cute if…
Cute…
I will get the supplies counted and make a
model…
No more “Use only 2 google eyes”
Process vs. Product
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Process
 Open-ended
 No
expectations
 Doing
 Experiment
 Discover
 Explore
 “I wonder”
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Product
 Specific
result
 Discourage creativity
 “cookie cutter”
 Child not actively
engaged
 Expected outcome
 “Do it this way”
Art vs. Craft
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Art
 Free
 Unique
 Creative
 original
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Craft
 Follow
certain steps
 Similar/identical
 End result valued
 copy
 Self-expression
*it’s not all bad!
Art vs Craft
Meeting in the middle
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Product art isn’t a worst case scenario.
Possible to incorporate artistic processes into a
product based activity
 Ie
child created cards
 Easel painting in shapes
 Colors to fit a theme
 “Today we are going to make animals for our jungle
mural…what should we use?”
Art in the classroom-NAEYC
Dance
Music
Drama
Visual Arts
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NAEYC-Visual Arts-Preschool
1. Developmentally appropriate
Classroom teachers or specialist art teachers give
children opportunities to explore various art
materials (ie markers, paint, clay) to use in
creative expression and representation. They talk
with children about their art. Teachers have
children revisit projects and media, giving them
opportunities to revise and expand their ideas and
refine their skills.
NAEYC-Visual Arts-Preschool
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In Contrast…
To avoid mess, teachers provide only a very
limited selection of art materials or allow
children to use materials only under highly
controlled conditions
Teachers introduce only a few art media and
methods that they enjoy or know.
NAEYC-Visual Arts-Preschool
Developmentally appropriate
2. Teachers do not provide a model that they expect
children to copy. However, they demonstrate new
techniques or uses of the material to expand
children’s options.
NAEYC-Visual Arts-Preschool
In Contrast
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Emphasis is on the product children make, and
teachers typically provide a model that children are
to reproduce (thus, children’s products all look
identical). They often give children tasks such as
coloring in forms on printed pages, and they
emphasize “coloring inside the lines.” Teachers
“fix” children’s work if it does not meet
expectations.
Child directed
Follow their lead!
You will go to wonderful
places!
Art Area-Studio-creation station
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Inviting
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Organized
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Labeled
Art Area-Tools and materials
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Always available
 Colored
Pencils
 Crayons
 Paper
 Envelopes
 Stencils
 Collage Tray & Scrap Box
 Masking Tape
 Glue, Tape, Stapler, Scissors
Art Area
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Available upon request
 Large
paper
 Construction Paper
 Ink Pads
 Pipe cleaners
 Dot Markers
 Any previously introduced material
Easel is not just for paint!
Markers
Crayons
Highlighters
Pencils
Sponges
Take the easel outside
Take the easel to the window
Paint
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Tempra
Watercolor
Liquid watercolor
Tempra powder
Foam
Glitter
Collage
Collage Tray
4-5 various materials available
 no limits
 organized
 Glue, tape, and scissors
available
 Work can be revisited
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Collage Tray
Invitation to explore…
Drawing……..writing
Crayon
Pencil
Oil Pastels
Pens
Markers
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Dough and clay
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Cutters
Animals
Beads
Nature
Scissors
Straws
Plates
What else…????
Tape, Scissors, and Staplers
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Clear tape
Packing tape
Masking Tape
Colored masking Tape
Tape Flags from 3M
Florist Tape
All kinds of scissors
Yes! Staplers
Beautiful Stuff
Leave the art area…
Is it a success?
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How can we assess if the area is working?
More than the Art Area
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Home Living
Block area
Sensory Table
OUTSIDE
Clipboards always available to make the art area
mobile.
Home Living/Dramatic Play
Sensory Table
Large Group Time
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Create class collage
Class sculpture
Give everyone a clipboard
Small Group Time
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Time to introduce new materials