Most children are very enthusiastic “artists.” The arts are a great avenue to teach many important life lessons, skills, and academic concepts. The definition of “the arts” refers to the discipline of dance, music and visual expressions. Physical movement improves children’s wellbeing, both physically and mentally, as endorphins are released in the body improving their emotional health and attitude.

When children are engaged in the arts, it is important to remember that they are not creating a product but are involved in a process. Allowing children to make decisions is an important aspect of their art experience in Mimi’s Place classroom. Teachers are present to facilitate the process and help students to develop their critical thinking skills by asking them questions. Adults inspire children’s confidence with encouragement to create a work that is indeed their own. The arts not only promote creativity but self-expression and self-esteem, and develop the following skills:

  1. Confidence
  2. Problem solving
  3. Perseverance
  4. Focus and concentration
  5. Following instructions
  6. Social skills
  7. Responsibility
  8. Exploration
  9.  Language
  10. Motor skills
  11. Visual and spatial perception
  12. Cognitive
  13. Physical strength and coordination
  14. Rhythmic control
  15. Eye-hand coordination
  16. Attention span
  17. Mathematics
  18. Science
  19. Literacy

Objectives:

1. Drama

  • Develops understanding of different emotions.
  • Learns how to retell a story.

2. Music and Dance

  • Echoes simple rhythmic patterns (in body percussion or when playing percussion instruments); uses the sticks.
  • Moves expressively to sound and music; uses a growing range of movements.
  • Identifies percussion, string and wind instruments by their sounds while listening to classical music.

3. Visual Art

  • Demonstrates painting skills using primary colors, secondary colors and a variety of painting tools.
  • Creates collages.
  • Explores cutting and gluing skills.
  • Practices rolling and kneading clay. 

TIPS FOR TEACHING CHILDREN TO PAINT

Identifying what children can do and are interested in, and then developing art lessons just for them, is a fun part of teaching art. One of the very first art lessons for young children might be one of exploration and practice. Set out tempera pants, tubs of water, and brushes in a number of sizes. Ask the children to paint as many different shapes and lines with the brushes as they can. Some children will use all the colors, others will use just one. Some will swirl their brushes around and others will draw straight lines. The end result will give you a sense of where each child is in their development of paintings. Use this knowledge to help design their first activities.

WEBSITES WHERE MORE ACTIVITIES CAN BE FOUND

More activities by subject and theme