Dear Mom and Dad

Dear Mom and Dad, 

It may not look like much, but my scribbles are very important!  Scribbling is the first step in learning to write, 

and I am developing the muscles I will need to hold a pencil! 

Sometimes a scribble is not just a scribble! 

Love, 

Your Child

*****

Stages of Art Development:

Stage One:  Manipulative 

Random attempts to manipulate various materials – scribbling, thick sweeps of paint strokes, pounding and squeezing of clay.  Typically seen in children under 4 years, with focus on experiential and tactile. 

Stage Two:  Patterning/Design

Typically develops by age 4, experimentation with beginning to master materials. Children discovering lines, shapes, dots, spaces, and patterns. 

Stage Three:  Naming/Symbolic

Children able to make models or pictures representing things, often with object in mind as they begin the process.

Stage Four:  Representation

Develops around age 5 or 6, with children’s art actually resembling objects represented.  Initially many details missing, with more detail as skill level and motor control develop. 

*****

Open-ended Art:
(Open-ended art is about the experience of creating and exploring the material, not just the end product.)

1.   Provides a means of communication and  

     expression 

2.   Serves as an emotional release 

3.   Heightens aesthetic awareness and sensitivity 

4.   Develops and promotes creative thinking 

5.   Develops an appreciation for individuality 

6.   Serves as a balance in classroom activities 

7.   Assists in the development of physical 

     coordination  

8.   Strengthens self-concept and self confidence 

9.   Increases self understanding 

10. Enhances the ability to visualize 

11. Helps develop fine motor skills 

12. Provides opportunities for problem-  

      solving and decision making 

13. Provides insight and assists the adult in  

      understanding the child 

14. Develops self-help skills 

15. Illustrates cause and effect

(taken from http://123child.com/website-share/Open_ended_art.pdf)