11/02/2023
So excited to start incorporating famous artists into my toddler/preschool crafts!
I’m currently taking two classes, one is an Observation & Recording class, and the other is a Creative Activities class. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I find myself observing Dem Babies. Assessing and recording every single thing they say and do, trying to figure out what causes their behaviors, or even trying to redirect behaviors before they happen because I’ve picked up on signs that lead them to that specific behavior.
It has been an “aha” moment for me these last few weeks!
But the best part of this journey back to school has been ridding myself of product art. Not that we do much of it, but we have in the past!
A few weeks ago I watched two videos. The first was of a group of toddlers painting freely. You could see the joy on their faces, the comfort, the creativity, the mixing of colors, the freedom to create. Then I watched another video where a group of toddlers had to make the same exact craft as the other which was some kind of house out of shapes. These toddlers were told what to do, how to do it, and exactly where to place the cuttings to create the perfect house. They were so confused, uncomfortable, and just waiting for their teacher to take their hands, squeeze the glue for them, then hold the child’s hand as they stuck the cut-out on the paper. It was awful, and painful to watch. But even worse was that everyone’s end product looked the same! 😩
We have to let these babies create! To us it may be a blobby mess, but to them? To them it’s their entire world. Their family, their pets, a playground, their friends, shapes, animals…etc.
Sometimes as providers we’re so focused on “wowing” parents that we lose sight of what’s really important, that the child enjoys the process of art! Their art! Not what we want the art to look like.
🎨Process over Product 🎨
With that being said, parents will never get another handprint from me!
Y’all have fun with those though! ✌🏽😂
