Safely Supporting the Development of the Visual

Arts in Infants and Toddlers

Shannon D. Lockhartslockhart@highscope.org

Objectives

1) Discuss the importance of art experiences for infants and toddlers

2) Identify the stages in the development of the visual arts in infants and toddlers

3) Safely plan an environment that supports the visual arts

4) Identify ways to begin supporting the appreciation of art in infants and toddlers

Experiencing the Visual Arts as ITs

Listen to instructions for the first art activity

What are your reactions to this experience?

What about active learning? (Materials, Manipulation, Choice, Language and Adult Support)

Experiencing the Visual Arts as ITs -- Part 2

Listen to instructions for second activity

What are your reactions to this experience?

What about active learning? (Materials, Manipulation, Choice, Language and Adult Support)

Why is art experiences important for infants and toddlers?

In your table groups, discuss why you think art experiences are worthwhile for infant and toddlers.

Refer to the key developmental indicators during this discussion.

Reasons:

1. The arts are central to children’s cognitive, social, emotional, language, and motor development.

2. Art is intrinsically rewarding3. The arts motivate and engage children in learning,

stimulate memory, facilitate understanding, enhance, symbolic communication, promote relationships and provide an avenue for building competence

4. Important for its own sake5. Turns us inward to define personal ideals of

beauty, meaning and value6. Uses all of our senses while engaging our minds

and bodies

Cont’

9. Develops children’s thinking and ability to express thought

10. Develops language and communication skills11. Strengthens children’s mental images12. Children represent their memories, ideas,

predictions, hypotheses, observations and feelings

13. Arises naturally from children’s play14. Supports early brain development15. Precursor to the development of problem solving

skills

Identifying Developmental Areas of Art

Let’s take a look at the stages of development of the visual arts and the developmental progressions in making art.

Turn in your training booklet.

Discuss stages with your group.

Look at these children and identify the stage.

Identify Stage

Identify Stage

Identify Stage

Identify Stage

Identify Stage

Let’s watch ITs in action

Watch these infants and toddlers involved in a painting activity.

Keep in mind the stages.

Discuss as a whole group.

Practice Identifying the Stages

Now look at the pictures on your table and with your group decide their developmental stage and/or their progression in making art.

What are your reactions?

Easy? Hard?

Come up with a plan

With a partner, choose 1 picture.

Come up with a plan to support this child based on the stage of development.

Could be materials, group time, outside time, meals, adult support strategies.

Pictures of Art Materials

With your group, take a look at the pictures of art materials on your tables.

What materials do you currently have for infants and toddlers?

What do you think about these materials with infants and toddlers?

How would you provide a variety of materials?

What about safety? How would you store art materials?

Supporting the Artist

in Each Child

1. Set up an attractive art area (quantities of inexpensive materials)

2. Provide enough time for art experiences3. Create a playful atmosphere for

children’s art4. Encourage children’s discoveries about

lines, shapes, and colors5. Plan ways to build on their current

understanding.

Cont’

6. Watch what children do and converse with them about their work:

(Going back to interaction strategies)–Be silent; Just be there!

Repeat what the child says Restate what the child says Make reflective comments about the visual-

graphic elements or the process Use questions sparingly. Use questions that

encourage children to share more about their work

Cont’

7. Display children’s art• At eye level whenever possible• Have lots of undecorated classroom space for

children’s work• Remember that children’s work does not need

to be improved upon!

8. Visit visually interesting places with children

9. If you provide a creative atmosphere and positive adult support children with create and have the self-confidence to create.

How should we support art development?

In Art Activities: Build slowly, (e.g., one primary color –

another primary color – white & black). During choice time, at the easel or paint

that is set out, try only primary colors plus black and white with empty cups to mix colors; children can create more subtle shades and tones if they mix their own colors.

Strategies for Appreciating Art with Young Children

Learning Environment Use the illustrations in children’s storybooks as

examples of art Bring reproductions and illustrations of fine art into

the classroom Observe art as it occurs in nature

Daily Routine Incorporate other sensory experiences to enhance

children’s understanding of visual art Use art to establish a connection between home &

school Connect children to art and the creative process in

their communities

Cont’

Adult-child Interactions Begin with children’s own experiences

and interests Make sure children feel safe and

secure expressing themselves about art

Develop a language to talk about art Help children develop a sense of

aesthetic appreciation

Adult Support Interaction Strategies

Research studies show that the way adults interact with children in a variety of caregiving, play and teaching situations play a very important role in children’s learning and development.

In classrooms where adults are responsive-guiding and supporting children’s activities rather than directing or controlling them– children take initiative more often and are more likely to be actively engaged and persistent in their work.

Phase 3 Finding: As As the the number and number and variety of materialsvariety of materials in settings increased, in settings increased, children’s age-7 children’s age-7 cognitive performance cognitive performance improved.improved.

© 2003 IEA Preprimary Project, High/Scope Educational Research Foundation

Phase 3 Finding: The less time children spent in whole group activities, the better their age-7 cognitive performance.

© 2003 IEA Preprimary Project, High/Scope Educational Research Foundation

Phase 3 Finding: As As the level of the level of teacher teacher educationeducation increased, increased, children’s age-7 children’s age-7 languagelanguage performance performance improved.improved.

© 2003 IEA Preprimary Project, High/Scope Educational Research Foundation

Enjoy Art Experiences with Infants and toddlers