Children are able to develop their creativity and in turn, build their self-esteem when they are able to create their own works of art. They can feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when they have completed an art project. As teachers, we want to foster this creativity and give children a variety of opportunities to express themselves. Each child is unique and while some children can easily express themselves verbally, others may find it difficult. Providing art as a form of expression in the classroom helps those children that find it difficult to express themselves in other ways. Consider providing children with a variety of art supplies and give them the freedom to use whichever they choose. Suggestions for art supplies in the classroom:
Markers, crayons, finger paint, watercolors, oil pastels, clay, recycled materials, colored pencils, pencils, scissors, glue, feathers, sequins, colored paper, textured paper
My Personal Shield Activity.
Objective: To express or represent a feeling or value in a drawing.
Have children draw a picture or symbol in each section of the shield to represent:
- one of my goals.
- something that makes me happy.
- one of my strengths.
- something that represents me.
Interested in learning more ways to support children's self-esteem, art, and creativity?
ChildCareEd offers several training courses that provide strategies for early childhood educators in their work with young children.