Fcs470

Fcs470

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  Child Development: c r ea t i v i t y i n y o u n g c h i l d r e n Creativity is more than a product — it’s a process. An interesting painting, a thought-provoking writing, a unique comment — these may be examples of creative work, but the decisions people make as they paint, sculpt, write, speak, play, and think are at the core of the creative process. Art and music are common examples of creativity, but creative thought appears in almost all aspects of life — from the way a parent quiets a crying child to the methods a scientist uses to discover a cure for a disease. This publication seeks to broaden understanding about the creative process for parents and others who work with children and youth. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Creativity in mistakes and by respecting their ideas. This happens with greater mobility and use of Young Children language through modeling and being Children who amaze their teachers with allowed to experiment without fearing unusual responses to questions or display a failure. keen sense of humor are thinking creatively. Even children who perhaps are nonconform- To solve a problem creatively, children need ing and unpredictable are thinking creatively. to be able to see a variety of perspectives and to generate several solutions. When Because creative thought often goes working on a problem, adults should teach against the set rules of a strict classroom or young children to examine their surround­ home, adults may be irritated by the ings for “cues” that will help them generate behavior of a creative child. Adults often do a pool of possible solutions. In addition, not recognize the value creative children adults can encourage creative thought bring to families and classrooms. All simply by providing Distributed in furtherance children become adults who will make a of the Acts of Congress of • Choices — Children who are given May 8 and June 30, 1914. difference in our world with their creative Employment and program problem-solving skills. choices show more creativity than do opportunities are offered to children who have all choices made for all people regardless of race, color, national origin, them. sex, age, or disability. North Carolina State University, Encouraging Creativity • Stimulation — Physical environments North Carolina A&T State Teachers and parents can help children learn designed to stimulate the senses can University, U.S. Department to think and solve problems in creative ways enhance creative problem solving. For of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating. by giving them the freedom to make example, when shown an object in the
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  shape of ahalf-moon and asked, “What can we use this Barriers to Creativity for?” children will exhaust their first mental images and Often people are not able to perform at their best because begin developing ideas from what they see in their of outside influences that make them feel pressured or surroundings. Research has found that children who insecure: keep looking around a classroom or playroom for cues are using a creative problem-solving method. An environ­ • Reward — When people do not expect a reward, they ment that provides both novelty and variety will greatly are more creative and enjoy the process more. An aid creativity. unexpected reward that comes after a project is com­ • Time for play and fantasy — Dramatic play just before pleted is valuable but not necessary to the creative engaging in problem-solving tasks can lead to more process. creative thought. • Intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation — As in the case of reward, external motivation (such as money or special privileges) undermines creativity. Artists say that when Leave Reality Behind they are working for the enjoyment of the process, they The joining together of two or more irrelevant elements, are far more effective and productive than when they are called synectics, can lead to creative answers. The process commissioned to create for money. of synectics can take many forms: • Expected external evaluation — Knowing beforehand • Independence (with reasonable limits) — Parents and that a piece of art is going to be graded can lead to a teachers should encourage children to think and act decrease in creativity. without adult direction but within the limits of rules. • Peer pressure — There is some evidence that pressure • Exposure to a diverse community — Give children the to conform can lead to temporary decreases in creativity. opportunity to see and experience other cultures and • Surveillance — Being observed by others while engaged ways of living, acting, and being to teach them how to in a creative process can undermine creativity. respect the choices of other people. • Brainstorming sessions — Encourage children to tackle Creativity Through Art problems as a group by freely expressing their ideas with no fear of a negative response. Brainstorming can take Art is only one way children can express themselves but place between a child and an adult or between two or because it develops before writing, or abstract thinking, more children. adults can see creativity expressed in art more easily with young children. Try these brainstorming activities The following is a brief overview of the developmental Hand a child a piece of modeling clay and ask the child to stages of children’s art. Please keep in mind that the ages imagine that he or she is the modeling clay. given are general guidelines and that children will enter and leave each stage at their own pace. Place a child in a different time and place. For instance, ask a child to describe how he or she would cook a meal Scribbling stage without electricity, silverware, dishes, etc. (approximately 2 to 4 years) Ask a child to describe a problem or an event using pictures In this stage, children instead of words. Are amazed at their ability to make marks. Spend much time practicing motor skills. Ask a child to solve a problem using the most unusual Draw circles first, then squares and other solutions he or she can come up with. geometric shapes. • Encouragement — When children show special apti­ Begin trying to create (draw) their world. tudes, such as an ability to generate many questions, a May want to point to and name parts of their drawings. keen memory, advanced reading or pre-reading skills, artistic skills, or other above-average abilities, adults Pre-schematic stage (late preschool to should encourage them to build on and expand their approximately age 7) skills. At this stage, children Make first attempts to represent people or objects. Efforts • Honest critiques — Evaluate students’ work construc­ are recognizable to adults. tively so they can see ways to improve their work and Are fascinated with the wide variety of colors. still feel positive about themselves and what they have Achieve obvious connections between different parts of a created. drawing. • An environment where there is no one right answer for Value signs of approval from teachers and peers. every problem — Teachers who enthusiastically encour­ Are easily discouraged and fatigued. age children to develop more than one solution to a Are active, hands on, eager to learn, and self-centered. problem see greater creativity in problem solving.
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  Are highly imaginativeyet tend to focus on one idea at a Tips for parents and teachers to help time. children think creatively Search for ways to represent their ideas. Avoid projects that can be completed in only one way (paint-by-numbers, kits to be assembled, for example). Schematic stage (approximately 7 to 9 years) Do not use art as indoor recess or as a reward for behaving Children at this stage well. Art activities should be well thought out and planned. Increase the use of symbols, such as a heart for love or Make a wide variety of materials available to children. dark colors to represent night. Are less self-centered. Suggest options, but let children make the final decisions Still do not have a realistic understanding of their environ­ for art projects. ment. For example, the sky in a child’s picture may not Ask children about their art while they are creating it, not meet the ground at the horizon. just at the end. Ask children to tell you about the work (as Show improved eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills. opposed to guessing, possibly incorrectly, from an adult’s Have an increased attention span. point of view). Begin developing a sense of humor. Divide by gender in play. Praise the effort, use of color, and uniqueness rather than Represent special characteristics for each person or object just the final product — the trip is more important than the in their drawings. For example, if Mom wears glasses destination. and has curly hair, the child will include these characteris­ Display art at a child’s eye level. tics in the drawing. Encourage individual expression. Realistic stage (9 to 12 years) Children at this stage Avoid the regimented use of materials and adult-directed Are greatly affected by peer influence. projects. A classroom full of samples of individual creative­ Increase the amount of detail and use of symbols in ness (as opposed to 23 identical pieces hanging in a row) drawings. indicates that the teacher has given children choices and Have expanded individual differences. has focused on the process rather than the product. Begin to develop a set of values. Want to do things “right.” Creative Materials Pseudo-naturalistic stage (12-14 years) At this stage, children Clay Are highly critical of the products they make. Clay and play dough offer opportunities for children to be Use a more adult-like mode of expression. creative and to release energy and stresses. Clay and play Experience a period of great individual differences physi­ dough can be pulled, pushed, squeezed, and punched. cally, mentally, emotionally, and socially. Rolling pins, cookie cutters, and various containers will add Have art class available only as an elective in school. For to imaginative play with clay. (A recipe for play dough is many children, this will be the last opportunity to have art listed under “Fun Textures,” next page.) instruction. Experience a period of heightened self-consciousness. Paint Children in this age group often feel a need to conform to Painting is creative play that can be calming for children. It their peers, which can stifle their creativity. allows them to plan and make decisions about color and form, and it provides them an opportunity to work on their Parent and Teacher Pointers own. Children want their art to look like the object they are When planning painting activities for children, alter the looking at. Failing in this attempt can be discouraging. painting position (floor, table, easel) and provide different Children need to be taught that art is not limited to copying paint textures, thicknesses, and colors. Let children try what they see. Adults can show children other styles of art painting with straws, eye droppers, cotton balls, cotton (such as impressionistic or cubist art) to help them see that swabs, sponges, feathers, string, pipe cleaners, styrofoam, the free expression of ideas and emotions is more impor­ and fruits and vegetables cut crosswise. tant than creating a mirror image. Add a bit of powdered soap to the paint to make cleanup Never compare one child’s work to another’s or select one easier. piece to be the “model” or “ideal.” Children will go through these developmental stages in the same order, but the pace Sand at which they enter and leave them will vary. Sand has a wonderful unstructured quality. As children mix, pour, sift, stir, measure and mold sand, they are using pre­ math skills, socializing, and using their imaginations.
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  Working with sandcan be relaxing, and it provides a Procedure: Mix flour, water, cooking oil, salt, and cream of smooth sensory experience. tartar. Heat slowly on low and stir constantly while adding food coloring. Continue heating until the dough forms a ball. Be sure to include digging tools, buckets, molds, trucks, Remove from heat, let cool, then knead the ball. Store in an cars, and figurines in the sand play area. airtight container. Add dry tempera paint to color the sand, and let children create sand paintings by gluing sand to paper or by layering Goop (it seems to melt in your hands) the colored sand in clear containers. Materials: One box of cornstarch Water (start with ½ cup) Chalk and crayons Food coloring Using chalk to draw on large areas such as driveways and Procedure: Combine all ingredients in a shallow pan. Add sidewalks is an activity that generations of children have water until the mixture is firm in the pan yet runny when in enjoyed. Freedom to create on large blank surfaces is far your hand. more stimulating than giving children activity sheets and telling them to “stay in the lines.” Glerch (glue and starch) To get different effects from crayons, cut a “v” shape in the Materials: 1 cup liquid starch side of a crayon or use textured surfaces under paper 1 cup white glue (screens, coins, pegboards). Procedure: Pour the liquid starch in the bowl first. Add the You can also recycle old bits of crayon by melting them white glue. When the glue starts to solidify, pour off the together (at 200oF) in a muffin tin. Let the melted crayon starch. Work the mixture with your hands. Add more starch bits cool and then shape them into writing utensils. if it feels too sticky. Water Water is one of the most exciting and yet soothing play References items for young children. Let children experiment with Amabile, T. 1983. The Social Psychology of Creativity. water by trying to float objects of different weights, pouring New York, N.Y.: Springer-Verlag. and measuring, adding food coloring, adding bubbles, Burrows, D. and Wolf, B. 1983. “Creativity and the washing dolls and toys, and using paint brushes. Dyslexic Child: A Classroom View.” Annals of Dyslexia. 33:260-274. Fun Textures Gehlbach, R. 1991. “Play, Piaget, and Creativity: The Promise of Design.” The Journal of Creative Behavior. Play Dough 25:137-144. Materials: 1 cup flour Lowenfeld, V. and Brittan, W. L. 1987. Creative and 1 cup water Mental Growth. 8th ed. New York, N.Y.: Macmillan. ½ cup salt Mattil, E. and Marzan, B. 1981. Meaning in Children’s 1 tablespoon cooking oil Art. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, Inc. 2 teaspoons cream of tartar Food coloring Wachowiak, F. 1977. Emphasis Art. 3d ed. New York, N.Y.: Harper & Row. Prepared by Karen DeBord, Ph.D., Child Development Specialist. 5,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $340.72 or $.07 per copy. Published by North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service 6/97-5M-JHS FCS-470 E97-31939