These photos were taken last week while L was painting and really remind me what art for children is all about. She had so much fun playing with the paint and was very focused on what she was doing. There was no chatting – which is unusual for L! – she was really in the moment, enjoying and creating.
Art for children is all about the process. It’s about making your mark, trying new materials, experimenting with the colours, shapes and feel. It’s about gaining confidence and taking risks. It’s about fun and enjoying the moment.
There was no end product in L’s art – she wasn’t interested in keeping the final painting at all. For her it was all about the doing.
We’re resolving to try lots of new art materials this year and to try all sorts of techniques.
Super Sensory Invitations to Play
Ready for a whole year of exploring through the senses? Super Sensory Invitations to Play is a delightful resource that encourages your children to explore the five senses through the year, using a wide variety of sensory materials. It includes 52 invitations to play, linked to the festivals and seasons of the year, and including water, ice, dough, rice, paints, sand, sensory tubs, and more.
They are easy, simple, and fun ideas that you can use right now to give a multi-sensory boost to your play and learning. It comes with a printable recipe book featuring all our favourite recipes for play. Come and see more here.
For me it’s not just about the process. I think the end result can be very important, not just for me, but to my kids too who are often really keen to put their artwork on display or give it to someone as a gift. There can be a tendency to dismiss children’s artwork as being a bit rubbish, and not value it, so while yes, the process is hugely important, we shouldn’t automatically neglect the end result.
Needless to say we’ll be doing lots of experimenting too – for my benefit as much as the kids!
Art as process is creativity at work…the ‘product’ in the doing and experiencing of choice, change and play without striving for outcome. A beautiful post 🙂
Thanks for the reminder to step aside and let JDaniel explore.
(tried to leave a comment twice before – third time lucky?)
Totally agree that the process is very important. Goblin loves the process, even just getting the equipment out. His favourite bit is squeezing the paint bottles. Moving it around the paper is an afterthought.
What paper is L using in the photos? It looks really robust. My paper usually rips if it gets that covered in paint.
I’ve never thought about it that way before. Being a perfectionist I always have an end goal in sight, which probably limits my outcomes. I must try not to instil that in my children. Thanks
I LOVE your slideshow! And I agree that, for children, it’s all about process! I try to remember that for myself, sometimes, too!
Thanks for linking up to Learning Laboratory at Mama Smiles =)
LOL.. I don’t think it’s just children…
around here we make hot chocolate and late on Sunday nights women gather with sleeping babies nearby and we paint with no point other then for the process.. it is beautiful to see what evolves.
I love it.
I love that you are encouraging parents to raise up their children with this.
you are beautiful soul.
T
Great post, I’m actually starting a process art series this week, I’d love to add this post to the page when I get it started!
I LOVE your site. Just found it. This idea of art fits RIGHT into Montessori 🙂
Found this post via Pinterest. I have quietly been advocating for process-oriented art on my blog, trying to provide those opportunities for my older kids as well as for my youngest–it seems it’s more acceptable for art to be all about process for the very youngest of children, but that wanes as they get older. Very often we have beautiful end results, but the start is always in playing around with the materials, or the technique, and having time to experiment and explore. Making this a habit and a priority has changed all of us, my kids and myself, in such positive ways.
Our goal is to do more art for the process as well this year. Sometimes with pinterest and comparing ourselves with other blogs it can get to be more about the product. Thanks for the great reminder and sharing with us at Monday Madness