Art-Creative Arts: Ages 3-5

Widely Held Expectations

• Child progresses in exploration and experimentation with new materials
• Uses materials to make a simple representation and describes or demonstrates how it was made
• Child gains experience in making shapes and linear patterns
• Draws or paints images with a few details
• Child broadens artistic exploration
• Develops confidence in own creative expression through process-oriented experiences
• Child uses materials to build and create a structure to represent another item (blocks become a castle, clay becomes a snake, etc.)

Learning in Action: Examples

The Child

• Participates in individual and group art activities
• Uses new materials to paint pictures (cotton swabs, straws, twigs, marbles, etc.)
• Tries a variety of materials and ways of using the materials (using a big brush to paint broad strokes, combining colors, etc.)
• Attaches materials using tape, stapler, string, etc.

The Adult

• Provides opportunities to discuss art that the child has created
• Provides opportunities for exploration of the relationship of space and objects as well as color, balance, texture and design
• Points out various forms of media found in books, photographs/ prints in a wide variety of settings
• Provides opportunity to observe various artists who use different techniques and art media

The Environment Includes

• A variety of art materials (paint, crayons, markers, watercolors,collage materials, paper, scissors, glue, stamp pads, templates,
  stencils, clay, playdough computer paint programs, etc.) that are easily accessible to children
• Space to display children’s artwork, and works by various artists
  both in the program and the community
• Children’s art displayed at child’s eye level