January 29, 2020
Contact with different forms of art can begin very early. Adults can introduce young children to a wide range of possibilities, such as: listening to music, singing, playing instruments or making sounds with objects, drawing, painting, cutting and pasting, listening to poems and stories, interacting with sculptures, paintings or installations displayed in museums or public spaces, watching films and plays – to name a few examples. These moments of appreciating, experimenting and making art are very important for children’s development and learning.
Through interaction with art, they learn about different forms of artistic expression created and produced by humanity throughout the ages and by different cultures. This contact also allows them to develop a sensitive perspective and discover different ways of understanding and representing the world. Learning from a cognitive, emotional and cultural perspective is at stake. After all, all forms of art seek to sharpen our senses, provoke emotions and thoughts and tell us about habits, beliefs, traditions, stories, games and the imagination present in our culture.
Provide materials and opportunities
Children learn a lot when they create their own paintings, collages, songs, drawings or dance movements. In addition to finding their own way of representing what they feel, think or imagine, they develop motor coordination by moving their bodies and manipulating objects and materials to create what they imagined. That is why it is important to let them create their creations freely and to have access to materials for these aesthetic experiences, such as crayons or colored pencils, paper and clay. It is essential that adults value children's creations, praising them and talking about how they made them or what movements they used in the drawing, for example. By creating and appreciating works of art, children become capable of inventing the most beautiful stories, thoughts and hypotheses.
Enjoy different forms of art with children
Adults do not need to have extensive knowledge about art to encourage children to get involved in artistic expression. It is through contact with works of art or through simple homemade creations that children may feel curious to seek out more information together with their elders. Taking children to a museum, for example, can spark their interest in learning more about an artist and their work, or even in trying to create like them. Reading a book of a certain genre (a short story, a poem, etc.) or author can generate a desire to read other similar books. In other words, it is through interaction with the arts that children can expand their knowledge about them.
When adults are interested in art, are available to talk about the subject, attend places with exhibitions or cultural activities with children and provide conditions for them to create their productions and experiences, there is a great chance that children will develop a special taste for artistic and cultural expressions.
When visiting museums and other cultural spaces, it is a good idea to take photos or give the child the opportunity to take their own photos. This is another way for them to think about the trip and express what they felt or learned in their own way.
It is therefore important to incorporate activities like these into your child's daily routine, making it possible to take advantage of programs that are often free.
For us adults, it is important to ensure that play is part of children's daily routine, not just at home, but in any space, including outdoors, such as parks and squares. It is through play that many fundamental and irreplaceable learning experiences occur.
Experience and appreciate different forms of art at different ages
Up to 2 years
At this stage of life, little ones love listening to songs. Little by little, they try to accompany them with gestures, babbling and words. They also love experimenting with materials with their hands. They start trying to model different shapes with clay and play dough, feel the contact of different fabrics, and get messy with paint. They also like listening to short stories and poems, exploring books and illustrations.
Up to 4 years
Children at this age love to experiment with the effects of different materials. They can try drawing with chalk, pencil, paint or charcoal, both on paper and on other objects, such as rocks and walls. They enjoy listening to and singing songs and are already following poems and longer stories, exploring books and illustrations. They are also interested in plays, musical performances and can visit short exhibitions, talking about what they observe and noticing colors and shapes in works of art.
Up to 6 years
At this age, children can already make more complex movements with their hands, which makes it easier to cut, glue, sew, draw, paint and model. They think more about what they produce and can start to plan what they will compose. They can make drawings that are better distributed on paper and with clearer shapes, for example. They can also listen to stories, plays, musical performances and exhibitions for longer, getting involved in these activities, asking questions and making comments.
Let's look at some situations in which children experience and appreciate art forms and adults contribute to this?
