“When
we provide materials and experiences for children we need to just let them be.
Let them explore, create, discover……let them just play.” (Inspired EC Early
Childhood Consultancy, 2016)
I would like to write about the
benefits of painting, which extend beyond the creation of a piece of work.
Have you ever observed your
child just stirring paints, or using a paint brush to paint another paint brush?
Have you ever felt the urge to say, “Paint something!”?
“I like stirring this, but I don’t want to put it on
paper.” (Mincemoyer, C., 2014)
“We need to encourage the
experience where it interests THE CHILD, not the adult.” (Mincemoyer, C., 2014)
Let’s take a step back and
truly look at painting as a PROCESS.
Some benefits of paint exploration:
1) Physical Development
-grasping a paintbrush (palmar
grasp, pincer grasp)
-movement of hand, wrist and
arm
-fine motor strength (squeezing
a paint bottle)
-hand-eye coordination (brush/finger
to paint and maybe to paper)
-large muscles/whole body coordination
(painting on large surfaces)
2) Sensory Exploration
“sensory experiences provide open-ended opportunities
where the process is more important than the product- how children use the
materials is much more important than what he makes with them.” (Borrell, A.,
2008)
-the opportunity for multisensory experiences involving sight,
touch, smell and sometimes taste
-exploration and appreciation
of colour
-opportunities to squish,
splat, poke, rub…….
-tactile learning:
“When a child
touches an object, messages of information are sent through sensory nerves to
the brain. Tactile sensory sensations can help young children learn and
understand ideas. Visual art learning can happen from direct sensory touching
by hands... For a developing child, tactile exploring can also lead to better
fine motor function and control. Tactile learning is recommended for
highly active children or kinesthetic learning styles.” (Spramani,E., 2013)
3) Cognitive Development
-exploration of process +
product, cause + effect
e.g. making the connection that when I press down
harder on my brush I can create a larger dot or a thicker line..
if I mix water into the paint
it becomes more drippy/runny
-stimulating both sides of
the brain (creativity and logic)
“Sensory ability,
cognition and fine motor control are all linked together. Our sensory system
includes vision, touch, scent, hearing and taste. This system plays a vital
role how we gather information from our environment around. Collected sensory
information is transmitted neutrally to our brain networks. Our different
networks are always communicating; this can also be explained as cognitive
processing. This type of cognitive processing is beneficial for deep learning
and comprehending.” (Spramani, E., 2013)
4) Expression
-the opportunity to convey
ideas
-the opportunity to express
emotions
-to build language skills
-for self-relaxation,
soothing
-to build confidence (there
is not right or wrong way to paint)
.
.
.
.
.
.
With a deeper understanding
of the benefits of painting, and to ‘let them be’, how can we encourage
children to paint?
I would like to end by sharing
two excerpts from the article:
‘Painting with Young
Children: There’s more to the Picture’, (Mincemoyer, C. 2014)
“When we listen and observe, we may begin to
understand the way a child perceives his world, his developmental abilities,
and his needs or interests”
“Responding to and encouraging children’s painting is
important. SEE IF THE INVITATION IS OPEN FOR CONVERSATION FIRST. A good way to
start may be to describe what you see; “Your painting has long blue lines and
orange circles.” Wait to see if the child responds; she may want to share more
with you or just want to return to her painting.”
Credits:
Inspired EC Early Childhood
Consultancy, 2016
Painting with Young Children:
There’s more to the picture, The Pennsylvania State University, Mincemoyer, C.,
2014
Early Childhood News,
Dorrell, A. 2008
Nurturing
Children in the Visual Arts Naturally, Spramani E., 2013
