As the fall season comes to a near end, the Preschool 1 children took full advantage of the different learning opportunities available during this time. One morning during the week, we went out for a forest walk to go on a leaf hunt. As we walked, the preschoolers used their senses to observe the different changes, sounds, and smells in the forest.
After the walk, we brought a bag full of leaves from our leaf hunt back to the classroom for a process art experience and other more learning opportunities with the leaves. In the first part of our process art, we used paint sticks, glue, and leaves to create artwork. The preschoolers were given the freedom to explore the different art materials with the leaves. They first started colouring on their paper with the paint sticks. One child observed and said, “Look, they have the same colour!” referring to one of the leaves on the table. Some of the preschoolers also coloured on the leaves, using them as their canvas for their art experience. After a while, the preschoolers discovered that when they coloured on a leaf and pressed it onto their paper, it would make leaf imprints. “There’s a leaf on my paper!” exclaimed Jayden to his peers after colouring on a leaf. Using glue was a different process for the preschoolers during this art experience. One child tore a leaf into smaller pieces and glued them onto their paper, while another crunched up the leaves before sticking them down.
The next day, we used water colour paint along with glue sticks to explore a different art medium for our leaf process art experience. The preschoolers observed that when they dipped their paintbrush in water and applied more pressure, the colour became brighter on the paper. One child tried painting on a leaf and stamping it onto their paper. “Look, the paint is now on my paper!” they shared with their peers.
Process art is an essential aspect of early childhood development because it emphasizes the journey of creation over the final product. By engaging in process art, children are encouraged to explore their creativity, make choices, and experiment with different materials and techniques. This type of art allows them to express emotions, develop fine motor skills, and practice problem-solving while also learning about cause and effect. More importantly, process art fosters a sense of ownership and pride in their work, helping to build confidence and a love for learning.
