The infants and toddlers have been busy this summer. We spent the beginning of the summer finding a routine that worked with the children. We found that this included spending lots of time outside on our playground. Our days are carefully planned but flexible. We have found that sometimes the best place for group times and messy art activities is outside!
At the CDFC, the art activities are centered around the concept of “process art.” We also call this “open-ended art experiences.” We believe that young children learn through the process of the activity. The feeling of the paint on their hands. The visual of what happens when you add red to the yellow. What happens when you use a different type of art medium? What about a different type of paper? Having choices is the foundation of process art. The choice of materials, how long they engage in the activity, and if they want to engage at all. Some children may want to just observe for a couple of weeks before dipping their hands into the fingerpaint. This is ok. That is part of THEIR creative process.
I have included an article explaining process art in more detail here. The full article along with tips on how to do process art with young children can be found here
https://artfulparent.com/7-simple-art-activities-for-toddlers/
It’s the process, not the product.
Process art is all about the making and doing rather than just the end result––which by the way––is still stunning artwork. When it comes to toddlers, process art is a wonderful way to engage young children through art.
You may be wondering why? Similar to any other skill your child is building at this time, they need to experiment and test and explore over and over again. Process art allows this experimentation and over time builds confidence for children to try new methods for creating art. And a comfort level with how and what the materials can be used for.
A toddler making art is exploring the materials, the tools, his body, the world around him, and cause and effect as he creates. Jean Van’t Hul
As the adult, you can guide your toddler’s art explorations as you guide his/her interactions with the rest of the world—with loving awareness that your child is actively forming foundations for living and being in this world.
Process art places the role of creation, joy and satisfaction solely on the child’s shoulders. Some craft projects require more adult assistance or have a specific end goal in mind while process art fosters imagination, creativity and confidence through its open-ended approach.
For young children, art is about the process of creating, not about how the finished artwork looks. And the younger the child, the more this is true. Jean Van’t Hul
We want to recognize the hard work our interns Andrea, Emma, and Tyonna have done this summer. The interns worked on various activities in the classroom throughout the summer which include planning group times and small group activities, art activities, emergent experiences with individual children, contributing to TSG, and just overall classroom management. We wish them all the best in their future endeavors.
It has truly been a pleasure working with all the infant and toddler families this summer. I look forward to watching all the children grow throughout their time here at the CDFC. Here are some reminders as summer ends and we look ahead to interim and fall 2021.
Classroom reminders:
- If your infant is eating new foods, please inform the teachers so we can update their food list in the classroom
- Please be aware the once your child turns 1 YEAR OLD they will be on ALL of our table food listed on our posted menus. This includes WHOLE MILK.
- Please be sure to sign your child in and out daily
- Some days are messier than others in our classroom. Please make sure your child has extra clothing at school
- Be sure to check out our pictures and documentation displays in the hallway
- Have you checked out your child’s TSG? If not, please ask Krysten, Tori, or I about it
- Make sure you are checking your e-mail for CDFC news as we move towards interim and fall semester
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Nadine, Ecila, Krysten, Tori
