Episode 3 - Art with Preschoolers

This episode was originally recorded a few years ago for my podcast, The Real Kathy Lee. Lesli and I loved this episode so much that we thought it needed to be added here, too. In this episode, Lesli and I talk about the importance of including art in your home. We discuss process driven art instead of product driven art for young children under the age of six. Process-oriented art develops the structure of a child’s brain, releases endorphins, and encourages the child to take risk when creating. Art for young children should be open ended and parents should not have an expected result (eyes in a certain place, looks like a picture, etc…). Parents should invite children to create with a variety of materials, leaving the results up to the child.

Some of our favorite process art books for young children are written by Mary Ann Kohl and can be purchased here.  We also recommend our book, The Homegrown Preschooler for building your own sensory table and Plexiglas easel. Check out our curriculum, A Year of Playing Skillfully and A Summer of Playing Skillfullyfor a year of planned out art ideas (and other developmental areas).

We love buying quality art supplies for young children at Discount School Supply and Lakeshore Learning. We suggest you have the following in your supply closet, so that #saying yes is easier.

1.   Liquid Tempera

2.   Water Color

3.   Chalk Pastels

4.   Markers

5.   Crayons

6.   Colored Pencils

7.   Glue

8.   Large Plain Paper

9.   Roll of Paper

10. Quality Paint Brushes

11. A variety of other painting tools (kitchen gadgets, dog toys, and even plungers make great painters. Qtips make great painters for toddlers.)

12. Smocks or dad’s old work shirts

13. Shower Liner or Picnic Tablecloth to protect spaces

14. Paint cups

15. Collage materials (feathers, shapes, large sequins, fabric squares, tissue paper, string)

16. Scissors

17. Magazines

18. Hole punches

19. Shaving Cream

20. Easel

Lastly, Lesli and I decided to offer two prizes to our listeners.  Post your creativity on our FB or Instagram with the hashtag #THGPmomscreate to enter yourself or #THGPkidscreate to enter your children. We will choose a winner in each category two weeks after this episode airs.

Get out there and create some beauty!!! 

Thanks for listening. If you have topics you would like for us to discuss or people you would like to hear from, let us know. Just email us playskillfully@thehomegrownpreschooler.comor shoot us a message on social media. 

Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast and leave a review on iTunes!!! Also, to thank you for listening, you can receive a 10% discount on any purchase at The Homegrown Preschoolerby using the code, PSPODCAST.