Take It to the Page

The early childhood pendulum is currently stuck at quite the extreme. Academics, standardized testing and pressure to conform to developmentally inappropriate 'norms' have challenged our gut feelings to just let kids be kids.

I do, however, have hope that the pendulum is starting to swing back the other way. We have fewer and fewer prospective parents wondering what we're doing academically in our preschool program. Rather, parents are asking about our opportunities for open-ended play and other foundational skills - such as self-regulation, language as a mode of communication, and social/emotional intelligence - as these are the true predictors or success in kindergarten and life.

For young children to thrive, they need social, emotional, and language competence. So what is the most effective way to achieve this? Well, look no further than our school's mission: learning through art and play.

While this may seem pretty simplistic, it is also entirely intentional.

Play

Take a minute to consider this fantastic quote from Mr. Rogers: play is often talked about as it it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.

Play provides a chance for children to make sense of what they're observing in the outside world. It encourages them to practice new concepts over and over and over again as they build confidence and autonomy. Play also offers children a chance to challenge their own thinking. While certain topics of play may seem silly (or downright embarrassing!) to us adults, it often makes perfect sense to a four year old.

Play also offers a fascinating window into where children are developmentally. In our preschool, which serves children ages three to five, we see children playing in a variety of stages but most often in these three:

Symbolic/Solitary Play 

in this stage, the child uses toys for many uses and talks his/her way through this play. For example, a bottle cap is used to keep the liquid in the bottle, but it can also be used as a silly hat or a cup for pretend drinking. Symbolic play, research shows, is one of the most important predictors of language acquisition. Language acquisition is the primary building block for all cognitive and social/emotional development.

Social Play

in this stage, the child begins to play interactively with others. Symbolic play is a prerequisite for this stage because it involves a rudimentary form of back and forth conversational skills and social awareness.

Cooperative Play

in this stage, the child is able to converse back and forth freely with others. Cooperative play requires skills such as the ability to ask/answer questions, act as leader and follower, and extend ones thinking outside of individual ideas and needs. Therefore, a mastery of symbolic and social play is required.

As teachers, we observe children at these different stages to determine what skills they need to move forward on the continuum.

Art

Unfortunately, art is often overlooked as a critical component of childhood development. According to a very well known speech pathologist where we live, art uses the whole brain and, therefore, has the ability to promote critical life skills such as self-regulation, intrinsic motivation, and exploratory imagination.

Not only does art provide a window into a child's development (see previous post on Process and Product), but art provides a positive method for changing undesirable behaviors and uncomfortable emotions.

For the child who is angry or frustrated or sad, providing a chance for them to draw/paint out their emotions can provide a necessary avenue for expression. In other words, let them take it to the page. Depending on where the child is developmentally, this artistic 'release' may be scribbles, symbols, or recognizable shapes or figures. A lot can be learned about a child's feelings by sitting next to them and asking about their drawing - perhaps even scribing his or her words as they talk in order to read back to them later. Some children may also just want to draw in silence and that's okay. Oftentimes, children need these non-verbal means of expression during the busy day.

For the child who shows resistance to drawing, providing an alternative medium - such as clay or play dough - can also provide the same benefits as more traditional forms of art therapy. These alternative forms of artistic therapy can have the same advantages, as well as provide additional fine motor benefits as well.

Art, therefore, provides yet another coping strategy for uncomfortable emotions, while also providing a chance for adults and children to connect without the heavy cognitive load that a one-on-one conversation may require.

See how sitting down and coloring affects your mood! It really is surprisingly calming.

More Reading:
How Process Art Experiences Support Preschoolers

How Art Enhances Childhood Development

Art Therapy for Every Child