An inquiry into the purpose of the arts in early childhood by Wei Duan

Connection to unit readings.

weiduan418 — 2020-10-20 11:16:14 UTC

It is believed that sufficient stimulation and exposure to music have a positive influence on children’s development from the earliest of ages. Just like language, music is one of children’s hundred language to express their emotions and feelings.

Musical experiences in childhood is approved to accelerate brain development, because it engages both sides of the brain.

Music also have many short-term benefits. For example, music can soothe a child, it can also make children laugh and joke; music allows children to feel a sense of routine and calm. It is also found that music is a great way to get quieter children involved, because it helps children to connect to their peers and families, and feel a sense of security and belonging.

Reflection and implications for practice: what I have learnt and how it can be applied to ECE.

weiduan418 — 2020-10-20 11:17:24 UTC

From lullabies to nursery rhymes, the incorporation of music in early childhood curriculum enhances the development of musical skills and abilities in children.

Therefore, educators could designate music time in childcare schedule, such as before lunch time. By playing music or singing songs to children that involve counting, spelling, or remembering a sequence of events, such as five little ducks and ABC song, they will develop their musical skills through identifying rhymes and learning through repetition, which enable children to master literacy and numeracy skills in an easy way.

Why Music Is Important for Early Childhood Development

weiduan418 — 2020-10-20 12:12:09 UTC

Divya, 2019, Why music is important for early childhood dvelopment, YouTube, 16 May, viewed 20 October,

Clean Up Song for Children - by ELF Learning

weiduan418 — 2020-10-21 13:10:08 UTC

2014, Clean up song for children - by ELF Learing, YouTube, 28 Nov, viewed 21 Octrober,

ZUMBA KIDS - Electronic Song - Minions / Instagram: @dovydaszumba

weiduan418 — 2020-10-21 13:12:33 UTC

Dovydas, 2019,

ZUMBA KIDS - Electronic Song - Minions / Instagram: @dovydaszumba, YouTube, 26 March, viewed 21 October,

Connection to unit readings.

weiduan418 — 2020-10-21 13:14:17 UTC

The way children respond through movement is viewed as a non-verbal ability. Soothing music makes children feel safe, calm and relax, while lively music makes them sway, dance and jump.

It is believed that music and movement activities support learning outcomes for children, this is because it is a wonderful way to develop children's fine and gross motor muscles; improve body balance and coordination; provide children with opportunities to learn counting and alphabet and overcome cultural and language barriers.

Reflection and implications for practice: what I have learnt and how it can be applied to ECE.

weiduan418 — 2020-10-21 13:14:30 UTC

With so many benefits of music and movement being said, educators need to practice a combined music and movement approach throughout the program.

It is not necessary to be able to play an instrument, educators just need to make conscious choices about which types of musical materials to provide to children, for example listening to CDs, or a pre-recorded playlist by season and holiday, singing a song together, or playing video from YouTube, and then dance with children together.

Connection to unit readings.

weiduan418 — 2020-10-22 12:20:55 UTC

The exploration of clay provides children with opportunities to develop their creative and physical skills through making clay sliced, engraved, washed and shaped. Meanwhile, it also helps children to develop ideas and discover its possibilities by throwing, lifting, pressing and poking it to feel its weight, texture and malleability.

It is important that educators could actively engage in children's exploration of clay and expend their thinking by commenting on their achievements and asking open question, such as what does clay feel like? What happens when you add a little water?

Connection to unit readings.

weiduan418 — 2020-10-22 12:20:56 UTC

Blocks are valuable tools to encourage open ended play, because it offers so many possibilities for play based learning.

From wooden or plastic blocks to Lego, when children play with blocks, they normally could focus on construction for a longer time than other activities. Therefore, their concentration can be increased.

What's more, it also allows children's muscle and hand, fingers to be developed during block play, which are normally called fine motor and gross motor skills.

Blocks offer a great platform to develop children's problem-solving, counting, communication, creative skills every time they encounter new experiences through block play.

Connection to unit readings.

weiduan418 — 2020-10-22 12:20:57 UTC

Painting can be a significant part in early childhood classrooms. The first reason is that painting activities is approved to support the healthy development of children's right brain, which is different part of the brain than reading or math.

What's more, the material of this activity is easy to be prepared and research shows it provides opportunities to develop potential of children's creativity.

To make it clear, by encountering with painting and drawing, it enriches young children's aesthetic intelligence, and it is also a tool for them to express their emotion without the use of words.

Reflection and implications for practice: what I have learnt and how it can be applied to ECE.

weiduan418 — 2020-10-22 12:21:05 UTC

Clay is a natural material, it comes from the earth and acts as a modelling tool in the classroom. Educators need to design curriculum to encourage children's thinking from the perspective of its ecologic possibilities, because children love natural material, such as water, sand, leaves and bugs.

Based on clay's characteristic that clay is soil, and soil requires fostering, nourishment and care, it will be a good connection between visual art and nature environment.

Reflection and implications for practice: what I have learnt and how it can be applied to ECE.

weiduan418 — 2020-10-22 12:21:06 UTC

Since there are so many educational benefits of block, it should be a regular activity in both indoors and outdoors of the classroom.

It is also important to note that based on different level of maturity, the way babies and young children encounter with blocks are different.

For example, when infants and toddlers are first introduced to blocks, they are only able to hold it, throw it or stack simple tower. While young children will further explore the concept of sorting, counting, balancing of block, and could build more complex building and display much creative thinking of their creations.

Therefore, by observing how children are playing and engaging with the blocks, educators could recognise the growth and development of children, and then support children to develop essential skills of critical thinking, literacy and numeracy, analytical problem solving, communication and collaboration needed for school and life.

Reflection and implications for practice: what I have learnt and how it can be applied to ECE.

weiduan418 — 2020-10-22 12:21:07 UTC

It is fascinating to extend children's imagination through actively communicate with them about lines, shapes, size, and colour during painting. As it brings children's awareness of endless possibilities of mix colour, and different texture and blendability of various materials (waterpaint, oil pastels, chalk pastels).

Moreover, it is suggested to establish environment to keep children's painting and drawing. Since panting is seen as a language to express their thinking, educators need to give children a say to participate in the program, incorporate children’s ideas in curriculum planning and classroom design.

Such as leaving some wall space and keeping some empty cabinets at child height for them to hang up and store works in progress.

Reflection and implications for practice: what I have learnt and how it can be applied to ECE.

weiduan418 — 2020-10-22 12:21:44 UTC

Educators need to guide children to figure out what to do with all the collections. Sorting is the first step, then educators are suggested to design activities based on how does sorting the materials in the classroom support children's learning?

It is believed that collecting junk material could raise children and their families' awareness to protect the environment and reusing materials.

For example, by redecorating toilet paper rolls and egg cartons, it builds children's creativity and imagination skills.

Fostering children's language is another benefits of playing with recycled, open-ended materials as children talk about what they have made and how they made it in words.

Connection to unit readings.

weiduan418 — 2020-10-22 12:21:51 UTC

Collecting and using recycled/junk stuff is a great way to encourage children to view things in many ways while valuing precious resources.

With limited budget of Art Studio, this activity also encourages involvement of children' families, then children bring their junk materials from home and share with us what they had found and collected to stock the studio.

Through listening to the conversations among children, educators could ask questions to guide them expand the possibility of thinking the materials more deeply.

weiduan418 — 2020-10-23 12:10:00 UTC

Although the meaning of arts varies from country to country, I believe it is a medium to express and communicate personal feeling and emotion. Just like language, art enables people to convey valuable information beyond words.

Loris Malaguzzi (founder Reggio Emilia Approach) mentioned The wider the range of possibilities we offer children, the more intense will be their motivations and the richer their experiences.

This Digital Visual Journal focuses on the inquiry into the purpose of the arts in early childhood through six aspects, as I believe collaborative art making in early childhood settings lays a solid foundation for children’s future success, because it has positive impact on child’s learning, both physically and intellectually.

What Can I Make Out of Clay for Preschoolers? : Crafts for Kids

weiduan418 — 2020-10-23 12:25:40 UTC

2014, What Can I Make Out of Clay for Preschoolers? : Crafts for Kids, Youtube, 18 January, eHowArtsAndCrafts, viewed 23 October,

Exploration with clay

weiduan418 — 2020-10-23 12:30:01 UTC

Foundations of Learning: Teacher's Role in Block Play

weiduan418 — 2020-10-24 06:27:09 UTC

2017, Foundations of Learning: Teacher's Role in Block Play, YouTube, 28 Feburary, Community Playthings, viewed 24 October,

weiduan418 — 2020-10-24 06:58:56 UTC

In conclusion, art practices in early childhood allow children to develop their confidence and recognise their individual achievements and that has a major influence on their self-esteem, identity and well-being.

Given that each form of art involves play, design, exploration, hand-eye coordination, it also a great way to develop young children's aesthetic awareness, artistic skills, and critical, imaginative, and creative thinking, which is fundamental to their transition into formal schooling.

Therefore, service providers are suggested to establish a rich art environment that cater for children's different interests and learning styles.

Finger painting

weiduan418 — 2020-10-24 12:30:06 UTC

2012, Finger painting, YouTube, 7 August, ECA Learning Hub, viewed 25 October,

Painting With Different Objects for Preschoolers : Preschool Teacher Tips

weiduan418 — 2020-10-24 12:32:12 UTC

2013,

Painting With Different Objects for Preschoolers : Preschool Teacher Tips, YouTube, 8 January, eHowEducation,

viewed 25 October,

Prophets Artplay Workshop 2014

weiduan418 — 2020-10-24 13:17:37 UTC

2016,

Prophets Artplay Workshop 2014, YouTube, 25 January,

viewed 24 October,

Sorting of junk stuff

weiduan418 — 2020-10-25 03:00:01 UTC

2013, Beautiful stuff, image, The Curious Kindergarten, viewed 24 October,

weiduan418 — 2020-10-25 03:57:18 UTC

Veronica, P, Sylvia, K & Laurie, L.M.K,2017, Encounters with Materials in Early Childhood Education, Routledge, New York

Alexandra, C &Wendy B 2016, ‘Preschool Children, Painting and Palimpsest: Collaboration as Pedagogy, Practice and Learning’ The International Journal of Art & Design Education, vol. 37, no. 1, pp.53-64

Roy, D, Baker, WJ & Hamilton, A 2015, excerpt from A vision for the arts in education, Teaching the arts: early childhood and primary education, 2nd edn, Cambridge University Press, Port Melbourne, VIC, pp. 11–13.

Music and Movement Activities for Children, the empowered educator, viewed 22 October, <https://www.theempowerededucatoronline.com/2020/02/music-and-movement-activities-for-children.html/>

Authentic art materials for toddlers: introducing clay, Playfull Learning, viewed 17 October 2020, .

2015,Using clay to scaffold and understand children’s exressions, Earlyarts, viewed 20 October 2020, .

Extending Block Play for Early Learning, the empowered educator, viewed 22 October, <https://www.theempowerededucatoronline.com/2017/08/block-play-ideas.html/>

David, R, Karen, W, 2018, The art in early childhood learning, Teacher Magazine, viewed 24 October 2020,

Beautiful stuff, a preschool project, you clever monkey, viewed 23 October 2020, <https://www.youclevermonkey.com/2014/07/beautiful-stuff-project.html>

2018, Children working with recycled materials, my first skool, viewed 24 October 2020, <https://www.myfirstskool.com/article/children-working-with-recycled-materials>