Deals with differences between drawing in art class and in other subjects. Points out that the latter are considered serious learning while learning promoted by art class is often dismissed. Advocates both rational analysis of art and the imaginative extension of such rational art as maps and diagrams to promote visual literacy. (KO)

A review of the research on dramatic play indicates that it provides personal expression and catharsis of inner desires; helps the child to distinguish between reality and fantasy; provides for children's social adaptation; provides a dynamic for learning; and enhances creativity through interaction, transformation, and imagination. (TJQ)

Four articles focus on children's make-believe play: (1) "Make Believe Play: Why Bother?" on the role of pretending in early learning; (2) "Fantasy and Exploration: Two Approaches to Playing" on children's imaginative styles; (3) "Infants Don't Pretend, Do They?" about developing play abilities; and (4) "Problems…

How the essentially imaginative nature of artistic production and appreciation influences the art teacher's role is discussed. Working with six high school art classes, a conceptualization of imaginative art teaching was developed to guide the qualitative investigation of art teaching. A case study illustrates the application of this…

Describes an instructional approach that encourages teachers to guide children in narrating stories based on actual or imagined experiences, particularly those that transpire in the classroom. Discusses ways of incorporating events from dramatic play and everyday occurrences into storytelling activities and offers a story sampler that exemplifies…

Investigated North American children's and adults' familiarity with, and liking for, fairy tales. Results support the hypotheses that children's liking for fairy tales relates significantly to their involvement in imagining activities and that more general imagining involvements are likely to be associated with, or to mediate differences in, the…

Children from South Africa and Sweden were asked to draw their "future family." The drawings were compared to investigate whether or not children's human figure drawings reflect sociocultural variations. Cultural variations were found in terms of spatial relationships (social distance, occlusion, and size scaling). However, cultural…

Maintains that, when children engage in make-believe play, they not only derive enjoyment from it, but they also practice a wide range of basic skills that involve invention, imagination, independence, and language development. (BB)

Presents a set of questions that can be used to (1) assess the classroom or center as a play-promoting environment; (2) set goals for the play portion of the curriculum; (3) begin a discussion of play with other staff members; or (4) help teachers think about the play of particular children. (BB)

Discusses several technical, psychological, and philosophical reasons for the underestimation of reflective teaching that make use of nonrational teacher behavior. Several techniques are described for the promotion of reflection on nonrational processes, such as the use of metaphors, drawing or painting, making photographs, and guided fantasy.…

Discusses how children's picture books can be used by the media specialist and in collaboration with the art teacher to engage children in artistic, imaginative activities. Presents an annotated bibliography of picture books which could be followed up with art activities in the library, classroom, art room, or at home. (AEF)

Explores the concept of "theater of the mind" and discusses design factors in creating audio works that effectively stimulate mental pictures, including: narrative format in audio scripting; qualities of voice; use of concrete language; music; noise versus silence; and the creation of the illusion of space using monaural, stereophonic,…

Playing make believe (metaphoric play) with elementary students can promote very real conversations about art. The paper explains how metaphoric play can help teach art. After collecting familiar art (posters, storybook art, etc.), the teacher creates reality-based scenarios to promote talk, then encourages students on to more far-fetched…

A study investigated the effects of a creative thinking program on Korean gifted and typical preschoolers. Compared to a control group (n=40), the 40 program participants (both gifted and typical) performed significantly higher on tests of cognitive ability and creative abilities of originality, imagination, and fluency. (Contains six references.)…

Encourages child care professionals to encourage creativity in all aspects of their programs including: (1) passion in pursuit of ideas and in hiring staff; (2) nurturing relationships; (3) good role modeling; (4) making the space and time for goal development; (5) focus on values; (6) time for play; and (7) maintaining a balanced life. (SD)