This book collects the thoughts of some of the world's most astute observers of child art. Essays in the book include: (1) "Art as a Unifying Principle in Education" (Sir Herbert Read); (2) "Stages of Development in Preschool Art" (Rhoda Kellogg); (3) "Child Art and Visual Thinking" (Rudolf Arnheim); (4) "The Mental Foundation of Art Education in…

Children take enormous pride in their drawing abilities. They like bringing to life a specific object whether it is a star or a cat or a tree, and they will likely be frustrated until they can get it just right. Drawing is a way of thinking in motion, the brain guiding the hand, and it demonstrates strongly another type of intelligence. As a…

These learning activities are designed for use in the classroom or at home when activities for special moments are needed. They can be introduced with a minimum amount of preparation and materials and a maximum amount of success. They are intended to give children a learning experience that is fun while developing imagination and creative…

This booklet offers learning activities for children with disabilities grouped into art activities, activities that encourage interaction, and activities that encourage movement. The activities emphasize touch, smell, sight, and hearing to allow children to utilize their strongest senses. Each activity is presented with possible goals, materials,…

Understanding and creating art can teach students to work cooperatively and strive to achieve goals. Parents can encourage students' participation in art by supporting community art programs and helping to decide how art will be taught in school. The paper describes how to plan and conduct art education PTA meetings. (SM)

Afterschool and weekend activities to promote understanding and supplement a multicultural curriculum are suggested. Home activities include making musical instruments and puppets, while other suggestions involve visits to museums, city neighborhood festivals, and international restaurants. (MT)

Babies respond to bright colors and shapes, rhythms and sounds of music, and actions and words of others. These first learning experiences are strengthened when parents and other adults interact with babies. This booklet offers ideas for giving infants and toddlers a start in learning through the arts. To facilitate age-appropriate learning, the…

The Illinois Early Learning Project (IEL) is funded by the Illinois State Board of Education to provide information resources on early learning and training related to implementing the Illinois Early Learning Standards for parents and for early childhood personnel in all settings. The IEL tip sheets offer suggestions to parents and early childhood…

Children are born artists, and artistic talent emerges from the interplay of proclivity, cultural enrichment, and nurturance. Intended to demystify art for parents and teachers and to help them understand what the art experience is like for the child or adolescent, this book discusses visual art concepts in simple terms and presents art as a…

This game, designed for use in the Snite Museum of Art, Knott Beckman Gallery, Indiana, focuses on some of the different types of travel depicted in gallery paintings from 16th and 17th century Europe. The questions, with multiple choice answers, encourage viewers to find details of every day life, and to consider whether their meaning is…

By studying the lives, important achievements, and works of famous artists, students may come to understand what those artists hoped to communicate to the world. By participating in art activities that are related to these artists' styles, students practice skills of observing, analyzing, and creating. This instructional guide provides…

By studying the lives, important achievements, and works of famous artists, students may come to understand what those artists hoped to communicate to the world. By participating in art activities that are related to these artists' styles, students practice skills of observing, analyzing, and creating. This instructional guide provides…

Based on the premise that teachers everywhere have found that bookmaking has the power to motivate even the most reluctant writers, this book suggests that by combining illustrations and texts, children engage in a kind of communication that transcends the sum of its parts--their pictures and words interact to convey a new level of meaning. The…

This bulletin has been prepared to help teachers and parents understand the contribution of creative expression in the all-around development of children. In order to achieve balance among the various learning activities, a school program needs to give appropriate emphasis to the creative arts. Because all the arts are closely related, a broader,…

Recognizing that creativity facilitates children's learning and development, the Head Start Program Performance Standards require Head Start programs to include opportunities for creative self-expression. This guide with accompanying videotape, both in English- and Spanish- language versions, encourages and assists adults to support children's…