For all of you Mode Moms, here is an article that will bring a different perspective on Art. There are far too many coloring books and craft kits these days that keep children from expressing themselves and their own creativity. If your child is already in school you can see from this article if open-ended art is taking place. If your child is not yet in school, you can create an open-ended art experience for them right at home! May this article inspire you to help make an environment of creativity for your children!

Early Childhood Open Ended Art Projects

Tips for Creating Great Art in Day Cares or Preschools

Jan 16, 2009 Erica Loop

It is common to be somewhat uncertain as to what an open ended art project may look like. Does it mean simply giving the young children crayons, and having them draw with wild abandon? Although this is indeed an open ended art activity, simply putting crayons and paper out day after day can get monotonous for even the most creative of children.

Open ended art, at its most basic, involves materials and processes that are child centered, without a specific adult driven goal. This is not to say that learning or development objectives should be excluded in conducting these activities. It is highly important to be purposeful and have preplanned objectives in mind. These could include general objectives beginning with words or phrases such as explore, discover, or increase awareness of. For example, explore the use of color through mixing and blending paint.

An adult driven goal may be for the children to complete a rainbow painting using a specific set of premixed colors in a specific order. Conversely, an open ended painting project would involve the children exploring the paint and initiating the process. This may mean mixing different colors, applying a variety of textures, or using the paint brush in multiple ways.

Open Ended Art Materials

Open ended art materials allow for child directed exploration. Photocopied teacher or adult made drawings, coloring pages, and paint by numbers are not open ended. Additionally, prepackaged craft kits are generally not open ended.

Basic art materials such as paints, crayons, chalk, clay, glue, and paper can all be used in open ended activities. Try to use a variety in the classroom, and allow the children to experiment with process. Avoid correcting young children for not using materials in the “right” way. If a child chooses to roll a piece of chalk on its side instead of holding it like a pencil, that is fine for this type of activity. It is allowable to save the lesson in proper finger position for another time.

Open Ended Art Process

Classroom process selection can be made based on available materials. It is important to vary process activities on a rotating basis. Painting may seem fun at first, but day after day of only painting will become boring.