Stages of Artistic Development- Preschool

What can you expect when your preschooler picks up crayon or brush? Understanding the stages of artistic development in early childhood is key to enjoying and taking pride in your child's art production from scribbling to making images that tell a story. See key features of children's art work. Learn about the important manipulation stage and how you can encourage, engage, and provide meaningful learning opportunities for the two to five-year-old.

Stages of Ar�s�c Development In art, we can notice , encourage , engage , and provide learning opportunities to expand and strengthen growth and development. Preschool ages 2-4 Your child is ready…to Explore! The art you see at this early stage starts with scribbles as your child’s picture-making is based on exploring the art materials. As skills grow, your child begins to produce images built of lines, circular shapes, dabs, and dots in response to what they see in the world around them.

YOU MAY NOTICE THAT YOUR CHILD: • concentrates on one activity for 5-15 minutes. • follows simple instructions. • learns by putting things into simple categories. • benefits from repetition. • learns through engaging the five senses. • is beginning to see the connection between the lines and shapes that they draw and the physical world they live in. ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD: • when showing them how to use the tools of art. Say things like, “Help the scissors do its best work for you by holding it with your thumb up.” • to let them know they have created something that you value. Say things like, “Your picture makes me happy. Can we hang it on the wall so that we can share it with others?” • by expressing a compliment and inviting your child to tell their story. Say things like, “I love this blue color you chose. Can you tell me more about your picture?” ENGAGE YOUR CHILD BY: • visiting a zoo, museum, aquarium, harvest festival, or construction zone to see big equipment in action. • inviting them to join in a hobby such as gardening, skating, boating, pet grooming, kite-flying, or baking. • taking a short walk to observe one aspect of nature (trees, trucks, houses, leaves). Sharpen visual skills by finding, naming, and comparing. Your child has seen, heard, smelled, and touched a part of their world after an activity, and can bring these experiences to their art. Provide paper and art materials: crayons, markers, or watercolors. Ask your child to make a picture of what they see or remember. Examples: “Mommy and me baking chocolate chip cookies” or “An animal that I saw at the zoo today” or “Cars I saw on my walk.”

“Don’t just tell your children about the world, show them.” – Penny Whitehouse

This is the Manipulation stage. As preschoolers explore art materials and their environment, they connect making art with their experiences. This ability to make marks relating to the things they see is a vital step in learning to communicate their ideas to others. Art activities are most meaningful when connected to your child’s first-hand experiences, which are heightened by exposure to new locations and subjects. Exploring Art Materials 1. Children first explore art materials with random patterns known as random manipulation ; the natural movement of the hand produces “scribbles” or given dough, the child’s movement is to “squeeze”, “pat”, or “roll”. The child enjoys the results obtained by manipulating the art material without thought to representing objects. 2. Next, we notice controlled manipulation of art materials and increased ability to use fine motor skills. The child connects the idea that lines and circles are a means to represent objects such as “person” or “house.” 3. The third developmental leap is described as named manipulation . The child purposefully places lines and marks together with identifying details by varying the height of figures, hair style, or types of clothing in order to represent and name specific objects “my brother on his bike” “me on a swing” “daddy mowing”. can now Children use drawing as a communication skill, far ahead of their ability to use the written word to communicate ideas.

Features of the Named Manipulation Stage

Organiza�on of Space : May use map-like point-of-view (sidewalk, lawn, playground) with front view (houses.) Child o�en draws from memory.

Scribbling : Using rhythmic movement of arm and wrist, the child marks, sees marks, and is aware of ability to alter and add to marks.

Linier and Circular : Scribbles progress to more controlled lines and circular shapes as the child works on placement and size of marks to build an image. (Wolf drawn from photograph)

Sens ory Observa�on : Aware of touch. Mom on couch, scribbles show the carpet texture. Child was looking at mom while lying on the carpet.

ART CLASS OBJECTIVES

PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

ARTistic Pursuits resources are designed specifically for your child’s stage of development. We provide learning opportunities with clear art class objectives that fit your preschooler’s needs as a growing artist and expand their visual experiences.

https://artisticpursuits.com, @artisticpursuitsinc, alltheanswers@artisticpursuits.com, (303)-467-0504, Artistic Pursuits Inc., 2626 East 109 th Ave., Northglenn, CO 80233 COPYRIGHT © 2024 BRENDA ABBEY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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