Welcome to the Creative World of Play in Early Childhood Education
At the heart of young learning and development, play is essential, universal, and intrinsically valuable. Our website is dedicated to educators, parents, and communities, providing deep insights and resources to foster creativity and play in the lives of children from birth through eight years, extending to twelve in Outside School Hours Care (OSHC).
Empowering Early Childhood Educators
We emphasize the critical role of educators in nurturing children’s engagement with play, ensuring that they can develop creatively, socially, and emotionally. This platform supports educators and teachers to integrate play effectively into daily practices, enriching the Learn to communicate the value of play to families and other stakeholders.
Exploring Curriculum Areas
- Art: Discover the colors of imagination.
- Drama and Puppetry: Unleash stories through play.
- Movement and Music: Move and groove to the rhythm of creativity.
- Language and Literacy: Craft stories and scripts from young minds.
- Science: Experiment with curiosity.
- Engineering: Build solutions from the blocks of creativity.
- Technologies: Navigate the digital landscape with innovative thinking.
- Mathematics and Numeracy: Calculate possibilities.
- Humanities and Social Sciences: Understand the world through diverse lenses.
- Integrated Curriculum (STEM, STEAM, STREAM & STEMIE): Connect the dots across disciplines for holistic learning.
Each section of our website delves into these areas, highlighting how early childhood educators can integrate creative practices into everyday learning environments. We provide a blend of theoretical background, practical resources, and real-world applications to help you foster an educational atmosphere that celebrates and encourages creative thinking.
- Join Our Mission:
- Engage with us to spread the significance of play. Participate in forums, attend workshops, and become a champion for children’s right to play.
Explore, Learn, and Advocate for Play
Dive into our resources, enrich your practices, and help shape environments where play is cherished as the cornerstone of early childhood education.
[Explore Resources] [Learn About Advocacy] [Contact Us
Curriculum Section
Art Curriculum Page for Early Childhood Education
1. Introduction and Importance of the Art Curriculum
Art plays a crucial role in the developmental journey of young children by offering them varied opportunities to express themselves creatively. Engaging in art activities helps children explore their imagination, enhances their sensory experiences, and fosters a sense of achievement and self-expression. This curriculum area supports not only creativity but also cognitive and emotional development, helping young learners interpret and interact with the world around them in vibrant and meaningful ways.
2. Theoretical Perspectives and Creativity Theories
- Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory emphasizes the social context of learning, proposing that children learn creatively through meaningful interactions within their social environment. Art, as a social activity, supports this by facilitating shared experiences and collaborative creativity.
- Lowenfeld’s Stages of Artistic Development offers insight into the evolution of artistic skills from scribbling to detailed drawings. This theory underscores the importance of nurturing each developmental stage to foster artistic expression and cognitive growth through art.
3. Resources
- Books: “Drawing with Children” by Mona Brookes, “Art Lab for Kids” by Susan Schwake
- Materials: Watercolors, crayons, clay, fabric scraps, glue, safety scissors
- Digital Technologies: Drawing tablets, interactive art apps like “Doodle Buddy”
- Loose Parts: Buttons, beads, yarn, wooden sticks
- Pictures/Photos:
- [Example of organized art materials on a shelf]
- [Digital drawing tablet with a child’s artwork displayed]
4. Learning Experiences
- Age 0-2: Sensory Art Exploration
- Goal: Enhance fine motor skills and sensory awareness through tactile experiences.
- Process:
- Spread a large sheet of paper on the floor.
- Provide edible paints and let children use hands to create patterns.