There is something special about the uniqueness of a child's artwork

Each week in preschool, we work on various areas of development.  One area that is extremely important for the preschoolers to practice is that of fine motor control.  Fine motor control is imperative for accomplishing self care skills independently.  (Some examples of self care skills are:  opening a lunch box, zipping/unzipping a coats, buttoning buttons, tying shoe laces, holding eating utensils or writing utensils independently, etc.) 

While we work on these skills in a variety of ways around the classroom, we always work on these skills when completing our weekly, visual arts projects.  In preschool, we choose our art projects based on the students' language targets.  We model and use appropriate language structures during our visual arts lessons.  However, we are also working on important, functional communication skills and social skills during this time.  Additionally, the visual arts lessons give us the opportunity to expose the preschoolers to variety of art materials, textures and smells that they might come across in their environment. 

After the art projects are completed, we encourage the preschoolers to give their friends positive feedback or compliments.  We try to focus on the efforts of each child, not necessarily on the finished product.  However, this is a learning process that takes time to master.  Lastly, we hang their artwork around the classroom to show that we appreciate their efforts, their uniqueness and to give them another reason to talk to one another.  Don't worry, at the end of the month, you will receive your child's original works of art to display at home.  :)

In the end, I truly love looking at the artwork of young children.  A child's artwork can highlight their uniqueness, their strengths, their emotions and it can also tell you a lot about their overall development.  While the preschoolers may not paint like Monet at this point in their lives, we can encourage them to do their best & to work on their fine motor control in the process.