| As your child scribbles with crayons, makes collages with buttons and feathers, and builods with blocks, she is developing ideas about the world and learning a new way to communicate her thoughts and feelings. As she grows, so does her ability to think creatively and express her ideas and feelings visually. There is a wide range of normal when it comes to children's creative expression. The best way you can support your young child in this arena is to foster and encourage her as she develops her own sense of creativity. And when it comes to praise, focus on complimenting the process over the finished prloduct. Here's a look at how creative-thinking skills generally develop. |
| YOUR CHILD MAY .... YOU CAN .... 0-2 Notice light and dark, colors, shapes, Point out visually interesting movemont, textures, and patterns. sights--a sunset, a reflection in a puddle--and talk about them. Use her senses--and feelings--to interpret the world around her. Share books that have aesthetically pleasing illustrations. Communicate through gestures, facial expressions, and cries; after Encourage your child to observe the first year, uses words and phrases. carefully. Begin to scribble after 15 months or so. ______________________________________________________________________ 3-4 Discover that she can place blocks Offer crayons, markers, and or make marks on paper in a way pencils; paint and brushes; that represents an object's features. sticks and fingerpaints; and big blocks or Legos. Draw recognizable shapes and combinations of these shapes. Avoic making suggestions ("Shouldn't the grass be Begin creating with a specific green?") that can imply that intention--wanting to draw a man there is a correct way to or build a firehouse. express herself. Explore blocks and other Be enthusiastic! Your interest concstruction materials. and respect greatly enfluence your child's confidence. ______________________________________________________________________ 5-6 Attempt to use graphic symbols Celebrate your child's to represent objects. accomplishments--mount her painting on construction Develop a personal style in her paper and display it drawings and other creations. prominently. Visually represent emotions such Listen to your child's stories as joy, sadness, and anger. and help her expand them. Ask, 'What happened next?" Create more complex pictures--a sun in the sky above two girls--and Accept your child's stories as she builds or acts out scenes. preferences of self-expression--some prefer block play, where as others will more happily draw or paint. ______________________________________________________________________ |
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| CREATIVE MILESTONES |
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