You know intuitively that art activities engage children of all ages. But how can you make the most of your teaching with art? How can you---even without formal training---organize stellar lessons that leave the kids asking for more? In this fundamentals course, participants start with a review of art expression at each stage of early childhood development, then move on to understanding ways to foster creativity and the creative process. Next, participants work hands-on with basic art processes, such as painting, drawing, and creating designs. Through mini-lectures, discussions, videos, and readings, participants prepare age-appropriate lessons that build visual and spatial awareness and relate art to other key curriculum---science, mathematics, language arts, and social studies. Participants leave the course with an individualized portfolio, complete with lesson plans and objectives. Course activities include ample instructor modeling.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of the course, you should be able to

• Select and develop age-appropriate, process-oriented art experiences for young children and share them with the class and instructor
• Create a resource portfolio based on knowledge of media and resources in the field of creative art
• Observe young children and assess the developmental level of children’s art expression and skills
• Demonstrate through assignments and group discussion a knowledge of and appreciation for the role of creative art expression in the emotional, social, physical and cognitive growth of the child
• Demonstrate judgment and decision-making in selection of art activities and materials for young children
• Demonstrate integration of theory and practice by oral presentation of activities and written assignments
• Demonstrate an appreciation for the role of creative expression in the individual through hands-on classroom experience

Topics Include

• What is creative art?
• How teachers can encourage creativity
• Relating art activities to other curriculum areas (integrated curriculum)
• Relating art to all four areas of development

Additional Information

Creative Arts for the Young Child is designed to meet the needs of teachers planning curriculum for preschool through third grade. This course includes practice in using age-appropriate methods with commonly available creative art media for children of various developmental stages, infancy through eight years old. This hands-on course will focus on the importance of individual expression of creativity, including problem solving, planning, and play through art activities. Students will learn to make, collect, and use various materials to develop an understanding of how art expression and skills change as children mature.