Raising Creative Thinkers with Process Art

Here at the Children's Garden we love creative art projects - especially process art experiences where the emphasis is on the process of creating, not on the end result.  In process art we set up creative invitations where the children can explore the materials and create freely.  Check out our fun projects with tips to raise creative thinkers and positive ways to respond to children's art!

Plastic Bag Monoprints

This printmaking project was really exciting for the kids as they made several copies of their original painting.

Step 1: Create a painting on a plastic sandwich bag.

Step 2: Place a piece of paper on top of the painting and roll over it to transfer the painting.

Step 3: Carefully peel off the paper.

Step 4: Do it again and again to make copies of the original piece.

"This one's for my mommy and this one's for my daddy!"

Positive Ways to Respond to Children's Art

As adults we have been led to believe that praise is a motivator and a way to support a child's accomplishments with saying things like ' I love...' or 'That is so great'. These are all comments that can hold judgement and can turn into empty praise. 

Check out this article 'Preschoolers and Praise, What Kinds of Messages Help Kids Grow' for more info on how to create a growth mind-set by choosing process praise instead of generic praise.

To support the creative process we try to make comments that are provocations to open the door for more conversation:

"Tell me about what you've done."
"What are you thinking?"
"I notice that you have used a lot of red and yellow."
"In this part of the picture your lines go round and round and round."

One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is to take the time to reflect, notice, and share a thoughtful response with our full attention. 

(Betsy McKenna M.Ed.)

Many of our projects this month were inspired by Barbara Rucci's wonderful book 'Art Workshop for Children'.

It's an amazing resource, filled with innovative ideas and suggestions.

Crayon Resist Watercolors

Through this drawing and painting experience, children discover how the unique qualities of waxy crayons and watery paint can create an interesting effect.

Step 1: Draw a picture with waxy crayons.

Step 2: Watercolor on top of the crayon drawing.

Step 3: Notice how the crayon reappears!

"My pink is coming back!  I love pink!"

"This paint is like magic!"

"It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child."
PABLO PICASSO

Circle Designs

Art projects are a fun way to integrate early math concepts.  In this project we explored counting, matching and sorting, patterns and sequence, and spatial relationships.

"I'm making my circles dance!"
"I'm going to make my circles dance too!"

Cotton Swab Mini Watercolors

Cotton swabs are a fun invitation for children.  They are little and fit right into their fingers!  Great for fine motor skills too!

"The most beautiful world is always entered through the imagination."
HELEN KELLER

7 Tips for Raising Creative Thinkers

1.  Let go and get messy!
Trust that children are capable and can create their own path. 
Nurturing creativity can get messy sometimes :)

2. Let them play.
Unstructured play supports a lifelong love of learning.

3. Create a maker space.
Carve out a place in your home where kids are free to create and explore on their own terms.

4. Ask questions.
When we ask open-ended questions we are helping our child use language to elaborate an idea, and we are showing interest in their play and work.

5. Visit Museums.
Museums  expose children to unknown worlds, can provoke imagination, and are a place where art appreciation begins. A great trick to make them fun is to start at the Gift Shop, have the child pick some postcards they are excited about, and then go on a search to find the real art that matches the postcard!

6. Let them decorate their rooms.
When children are in charge of their own space it gives them a sense of autonomy, motivates them to keep things tidy, teaches them to respect other people's spaces, and helps them develop a sense of style.

7. Model Imperfection.
When we make mistakes (as we all do!) if we apologize, clean up, laugh at our mishaps and find creative solutions we are modeling for our children how to fix and learn from mistakes.

Landscape Painting

We took our canvases and paints out to the garden!

"Creativity take courage."
HENRI MATISSE

Building Creative Confidence

Here are some powerful prompts that can influence a child's positive mind-set and creative confidence:

I see that you...
"I see that you used red swirly lines."

Remind me how you...
"Remind me how you made the paper stand straight up this way."

I know you can...
"I know you can figure this out.  You have done it before."

Try it!
"Try it - you never know what might happen."

Take a chance...
"Take a chance see what happens."

What do you think?
What do you think about how to make your sculpture bigger?"

Give it a go.
"Give it a go.  That's the only way forward."

Tell me how...
"Tell me how you built such a tall sturdy structure."

You remembered how...
"You remembered how to close the glue jar so it won't dry up."

I noticed that...
"I notices that you started folding the paper but then changed your mind and began to cut the paper instead."

Just try it and see how your child responds!

(Betsy McKenna)

Mask-making!

Art City

Here's a process art collaborative experience where anything is possible!  All made with recycled and found objects.

Wonderful things can happen when children work together: greater energy, words of encouragement, consideration of equality, thinking out loud, taking leadership roles, listening to other opinions, and generating new ideas.

"It's through others that we develop into ourselves."
LEV VYGOTSKY

We got up to a lot of activities besides just process art this month.  Check out our cool bridge we made!

That's one tough bridge!

Taking care of our garden :)

Play-dough family!

We love our new kayak!  So far we have been on adventures to the jungle, the ocean, and grandma's house.

"Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."
KENNETH GRAHAME, THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS

Learning Locks and Latches!

Geometry Puzzles!

Water Play!

Sweet Friends!

The kids love to make our delicious guacamole!  Check out our previous blog for the recipe.

See you next time!