"The act of creating for young children is about the process, not the outcome. Children need to explore, take risks, make their own choices. This is creativity. This is the groundwork for future problem solvers"
- Meri Cherry
Process Art is making art for the pure joy of it - no end result in mind. Its playing, experimenting, exploring making art without concern of how it will look. Process art is open ended and engages children in the experience, not the end product.
Process art is an actual movement that arose in the 1960s and 1970s. It was a philosophical approach to making art that placed emphasis on the process of artistic creation rather than the finished work that comes out of the process.
Process art provides children with the most powerful access to the benefits of art making.
THE BENEFITS ...
HELPS CHILDREN PREPARE FOR READING AND WRITING
Many people do not realise that the physical development of the eyes plays a crucial role in reading readiness. The eye contains several muscles that must develop in order for a child to read. Therefore its important for children to develop their visual tracking in order to read and process information efficiently.
Process art is a great way to support this development as it requires children to track the visual information as they work with materials.
HELPS CHILDREN SELF-REGULATE
Art can be a wonderful tool to help children develop self-regulation skills. When children engage in process art, they have the freedom to create without any expectations or pressure to produce a specific outcome.
Process art can also help children to regulate their emotions by providing them with a safe and non judgmental outlet for their feelings. Through art children can explore and express their emotions in a healthy way , which can help them to better understand and manage their feelings.
HELPS CHILDREN DEVELOP THEIR FINE MOTOR SKILLS
Fine motor skills are essential for many daily activities such as, writing, drawing, cutting and manipulating small objects. Fine motor skills involve the small muscles in the hands and fingers, and developing these can be particularly important for young children who are still learning to control their movements.
Process art provides children with opportunities to engage in a wide range of fine motor activities , such as using scissors, manipulating clay, painting with brushes and threading beads. These activities can help children develop the hand-eye coordination, dexterity and strength necessary to perform a variety of tasks.
Process art can also help a child to develop creativity, engage in play, practice literacy skills, develop decision making skills and improve their confidence.
Do you allow children the time to explore and get really engaged in the process of art?
Do you offer a wide variety of process art resources in your setting ?
If not, what changes could you make?
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