14 Hbec2203 10

Topic Connecting
10 Curriculum
for Aesthetic
and Creative
Development
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1. Explain the aspects of music, creative movement, creative expression,
art, role play and drama activities;
2. Analyse the value of music, development and activities in early
childhood education;
3. Explain how children express themselves through creative
movements;
4. Describe suitable environment for creative expression in facilitating
creative thinking development among young children; and
5. Identify play activities and role play that can be embedded during a
childs development stage.
Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

TOPIC 10 CONNECTING CURRICULUM FOR AESTHETIC AND CREATIVE 165
DEVELOPMENT
INTRODUCTION
This topic addresses the aesthetic development of young children highlighting
the sensitivity of a child towards music and art. Arts allows the opportunity for
children to think creatively while enjoying and experimenting with words, paint
and music. Music and creative arts activities provide opportunities for problem
solving and creative thinking and helps to reduce stress, enhance development,
facilitate learning and bring balance in a childs life.
A teachers technique, approach and activity needs to be open-ended giving

children the opportunity to stimulate their creative imagination. Children can be
taught to use their creativity and imagination expression through aesthetic
awareness to attain educational competencies.
ACTIVITY 10.1
1. List and discuss at least three songs that suits an early childhood
learner aged between four to six years old that would spark a
childs creative movement.
2. Plan an art activity for young children using crayons.
10.1 MUSIC AND MOVEMENT EDUCATION

FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
According to Judi Bosco, Board Certified Music Therapist (2014), music brings
people together. Through music, children share their creative expressions while
in a group, music releases energy which can be channelled creatively. Playing
and listening to music with one another helps children to learn more about
themselves. Susan Hallam from Institute of Education, University of London says
that Speech and music have a number of shared processing systems. Musical
experiences which enhance processing can therefore impact the perception of
language which in turn impacts on a childs reading ability. Evidently, it is
important for us to know the reasons for implementing music in early childhood
education.

166 TOPIC 10 CONNECTING CURRICULUM FOR AESTHETIC AND CREATIVE
DEVELOPMENT
10.1.1 Why Music in Early Childhood Programmes is

Vital
Music comes naturally to children. From hand clapping, humming to singing, it
seems that music is so well ingrained in a childs life. There are reasons as to why
music is vital to early childhood learners and should be included into their
curriculum for the reasons listed below:
(a) Music helps in the development of a childs language learning capabilities.

Through singing, children will be able to help children acquire new
vocabulary and the correct use of language.
(b) Music evokes physical movement and soothes the body and mind.
(c) Music can trigger the brain while stimulating neural pathways associated
with higher forms of intelligence to increase a childs productivity in
abstract thinking, empathy and mathematics.
(d) Most of us learned our ABCs by singing the ABC song. Musics melodic
and rhythmic patterns helps to develop memory and make it easier for
children to remember factual information.
(e) Music is an art of listening and young children are good aural learners.
Infants begin learning from the sounds of their environment before birth.
Listening to songs that tell a story provide an excellent opportunity for a
child to strengthen his or her concentration and attention. Music is even
perfectly designed for training children's listening skills.
(f) Music activities involve the coordination of the whole body system. The
bodys urge to move, the brains attention to patterns, the ears initiating
communication, the voices response to sounds, as well as the eye-hand
coordination associated with playing musical instruments.
(g) Music is a creative experience which involves expression of feelings, moods

and emotions. Children often do not have the words to express themselves
and need positive ways to release their emotions. Music is able to facilitate
the development of desirable emotions while dissolving the undesirable
emotions.
(h) Music can foster appreciation of culture and is an avenue by which songs,
rhymes, and dances can be passed down from one generation to another.
Every culture is unique and children love to participate in the various
cultural songs and dancing across the nation.

DEVELOPMENT
(i) Music is a social activity which involves family and community

participation. Through music, children experience joy, pleasure, creative
expression and various emotional responses.
(j) Music has therapeutic value that can enhance a childs feelings of self-
worth. Children should be allowed to interpret music in their own way, by
learning new words, melodies, gestures and movements.
10.1.2 A Teachers Role in Music Education

As mentioned earlier, teachers play an important role in stimulating creativity,
imagination and aesthetic development in young children. The teacher must be
aware of a childs musical skill and interest. The following is a list of roles that
can guide a teacher to develop a music and creative movement curriculum:
(a) Show interest in whatever that a child is doing or creating.
(b) Do not only listen to music but participate in music.
(c) As a musicianship, be confident in guiding children.
(d) Use music to support other parts of curriculum to create variety and so
provide transitions to activities.
(e) Allow freedom of expression and movement for children to express their
feelings, moods and interpretations.
(f) Do not critic and expect perfection in performing skills from the children.
(g) Plan activities that will encourage music participation and expression as
well as providing materials that will help stimulate creative thinking and
actions.
(h) Plan for field trips to see various musical performances.
(i) The teacher should further motivate the children by praising their musical
performances.

DEVELOPMENT
ACTIVITY 10.2
1. Select a song for an early childhood learner that can be sung using
hand gestures and expressions.
2. Plan an activity that allows children to participate in music

curriculum, either indoor or outdoor activity.
SELF-CHECK 10.1
1. Why is music so important in the early life of children?
2. How can music and movement be integrated in a pre-school

curriculum?
10.2 CHILDRENS DEVELOPMENT STAGES IN

ARTS
There are five stages for a childs development in art. Each of these stages are a
combination of visual characteristics seen in a childs art work but little attempt
has been made to relate age with the growth stages of art. It is normal for a
childs creativity and mental growth to develop differently. The five stages of art
are:
(a) The Scribble Stage

The first stage occurs when a child manipulates the drawing tool by making
random dots, marks and lines on any drawing surface. The child will
scribble using the drawing tool with little or no concern for the appearance
of the marks he makes. The three types of scribblings are random
scribbling, controlled scribbling and naming of scribbling.
Children aged two to four years old like to scribble because it gives them a
chance to move their arms around freely. Figure 10.1 and Figure 10.2 shows
random scribbling and controlled scribbling.

DEVELOPMENT
Figure 10.1: Random scribbling

Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=pictures+of+The+Scribble+Stage+in+art
Figure 10.2: Controlled scribbling

(b) The Pre-Schematic Stage

The pre-schematic stage begins when a child learns to form symbols such
as circles, squares and lines. The symbols change frequently and the paper
may be turned several times while drawing. The pre-schematic stage
generally refers to drawings from three to seven years of age where a
schema has not yet been developed in a child. Figure 10.3 shows a pre-
schematic stage where a child has drawn a person with few features using
his or her favourite colour. At this stage, the objects drawn are floating in
space and not anchored.

DEVELOPMENT
Figure 10.3: Pre-schematic stage

(c) The Schematic Stage

At five to eight years old, most children would have arrived at the
schema stage demonstrating a specific type of drawing such as the
lollipop tree, the stiff scarecrow-type drawings of people or a series of
homes all identical to one another. The schema represents a childs
current knowledge of the subject that he draws. A child will start using
realistic colours. Sometimes the drawings are a reflection of what that can
create. Figure 10.4 shows a childs schema stage drawing of his or her
self-expression using their active form of imagination.
Figure 10.4: Schematic stage


DEVELOPMENT
(d) The Transitional Stage

At this stage, a maturing child usually nine years old or older puts an
attempt to produce art work that meets adult standards yet still contains
characteristics of the schematic stage. Much attention is given to details,
gender roles and clothing differences.
(e) The Realism Stage

In general, when the child reaches the age of 12 or older, he or she enters a
stage of realism where his or her paintings and drawings are in the manner
of adult artists. The figures become natural in appearance. The child now
becomes most critical and self-conscious about their ability to produce a
more realistic artwork.
ACTIVITY 10.3
Collect samples of art paintings from early childhood learners aged

between two to six years old. Identify and categorise the paintings
according to Scribble Stage, Pre-Schematic Stage, Schematic Stage,
Transitional Stage and the Realism Stage and explain its characteristics.
10.3 ESTABLISHING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR

CREATIVE EXPRESSION AND
EXPERIMENTATION
Creativity is a phenomenon whereby something new and valuable is formed.
The created item may be intangible (such as an idea, a scientific theory, a musical
composition or a joke) or a physical object (such as an invention, a literary work
or a painting). Children are encouraged to explore their creative expression in the
form of art or in other similar fields of study as it provides an avenue for
learning. Teachers and educators might undermine a childs creativity if they are
not appreciative of the creative efforts put together by a child whose only form of
expression is through art.
An environment created for learning should welcome exploration and

experimentation of art by eliminating elements that may cause distress and time
restrictions. There is a need to provide value to a childs creative work by
providing the relevant art centre for all children.

DEVELOPMENT
10.3.1 Establishing an Art Environment

A conducive environment suitable for enhancing a childs creativity should be
equipped with all the basic necessary essentials such as papers, crayons, paints
and brushes. Besides that, here are some of the additional points to consider
when establishing an art environment:
(a) The process of creative thinking is a complex process; therefore all

educators must be prepared and aware of the consequences.
(b) There is no right or wrong way of doing things everything is based on

ones creativity.
(c) Not all children are creative and some children are more creative than
another.
(d) There should be some leeway in a classroom for a childs unfinished work
to be continued the next day.
(e) Children should be encouraged to engage their creative process while

playing and experimenting with objects but teachers should continue to
assure them that any work might not result in a finished product.
(f) Help parents to appreciate their childs creativity even though it is not a
finished work.
(g) Be ready to accept certain level of messiness, noise and freedom during
class.
(h) Continue experimenting and testing for alternatives in determining the best
for children and their classroom atmosphere.
(i) Remember that creative experiment should flow through the entire
curriculum.
10.3.2 Ways to Support a Childs Creativity

Children are born to be creative. It is the duty of each teacher and parent to
nurture a childs creativity while allowing it to flourish. Educators need to be
creative thinkers who innovate, value originality and use their imagination in
establishing an environment for creative expression and experimentation among
the young learners.

DEVELOPMENT
In a physical environment, there are various ways which can help children in
their creativity such as:
(a) Providing a surplus of open-ended, natural and found materials.
(b) Preparing materials that encourage creative expression such as paint,

blocks, paper, glue, texts, pencils and crayons.
(c) Including objects such as stones, shells, flowers, art prints, fabric and
baskets.
(d) Improvising materials and equipment.
(e) Advising children to be responsible for the materials and equipment by

letting them choose and help them learn to care for things.
Some of the learning opportunities that could be offered to a child are:
(a) Teaching techniques such as wiping a brush on the side of the paint pot to
prevent dripping or using the right amount of glue.
(b) Giving opportunities to babies and toddlers to explore and experiment with
materials.
(c) Introducing children to a variety of creative expressions in the form of art,

architecture, inventions, music and dancing.
(d) Using books, stories and other media as a powerful text.
(e) Allowing ample time for children to learn and grow over days or weeks by
encouraging their effort.
(f) Integrating multiple types of music into the curriculum.
(g) Collaborating with children to adopt a creative approach in their routine.
(h) Encouraging children to collaborate with each other and to be open to

others perspectives.
ACTIVITY 10.4
Prepare materials such as paint, blocks, paper, glue, pencils, crayons,

match sticks and round rubber bands. Create four activities using any
two items for each activity. Describe the activity chosen.

DEVELOPMENT
10.4 SAND AND MUD, WATER, BLOCKS

WOODWORKING, COOKING AND
CREATIVE FOOD MATERIALS
Children will play and create activities either individually or in groups as long as
there are objects that interest them to play with. Sand, mud and water play is an
activity that can be conducted either indoors or outdoors. There are many
different ways that the children can play and create activities with these items.
Children love the idea of play when it involves splashing, pouring, squishing
and mixing water.
10.4.1 Benefits of Sand Play for Children

Figure 10.5 shows children who are engrossed in playing with sand, building
castles and fulfilling their imagination in an outdoor setting.
Figure 10.5: Sand play activities

Source:
(a) http://www.kimscounselingcorner.com/2014/05/05/using-sand-encourage-childs-
wellness-development/
(b) http://www.kimscounselingcorner.com/2014/05/05/using-sand-encourage-childs-
wellness-development/

DEVELOPMENT
Playing with sand either by the seaside, in the backyard or in the classroom (sand
placed in a large tray) allows children to:
(a) Feel the texture of different types of sand using their bare hands and
fingers.
(b) Imagine building structures or building castles as commonly known by the

children when playing with sand. With the use of scoops, shovels, baskets
and rake, little stones and seashells, children will be able to express their
creative expression.
(c) Socialise with their peers and friends while playing sand. Sand play activity
also allows children to communicate with one another while they try to
complete their project.
(d) Learn through sand play by giving them freedom to create and foster
learning through reflection, tracking and questioning. For example, finding
and counting the marbles in the sand.
(e) Use sand as a therapeutic tool. This is a popular form of therapy. Some
therapists seek certification in sand tray therapy. Figure 10.6 is a sand
therapy tray which is used by a child to express his or her feelings.
Figure 10.6: Sand tray therapy

Source: http://www.kimscounselingcorner.com/2014/05/
05/using-sand-encourage-childs-wellness-development/

DEVELOPMENT
10.4.2 Benefits of Mud Play for Children

Do you have happy memories of playing outside in the mud and the dirt during
your childhood days? Making mud pies is one of the fondest childhood
memories of every person (see Figure 10.7(a)). Let us be creative and allow
children to do so. Give children the freedom to be creative and imaginative
during their playtime because creativity enhances their learning experience.
Playing in the mud can be beneficial to children because of the following reasons:
(a) Playing in the Mud Can Make a Child Happier

Studies reveal that dirt contains microscopic bacteria which help our mind
to relax, soothe and be calm, thus controlling our mood. Therefore, children
who play in mud will be in a happier mood.
(b) Playing in the Mud Connects Children with Nature

Most children these days are not exposed to a life beyond their school
playground or their own backyards, if they even have one. Getting children
outside to play creates happy memories with the one most primal element
in our world which is nature.
(c) Playing in the Mud Can Make Children Healthier

According to Ruebush (2009), Let your child be a child. Dirt is good. If
your child isnt coming in dirty every day, theyre not doing their job.
Theyre not building their immunological army. So its terribly important.
(d) Playing in the Mud Can Make Children Smarter

Once in a while put aside the flash cards and let a child get messy in the
mud. This will help improve his or her cognitive function.
(e) Playing in the Mud Helps Children to Learn and Develop

Playing with mud involves the use of hands, feet and eyes. Children learn
to enhance their creativity and experiences while playing in the mud.
(f) Playing in the Mud Helps Develop Positive Dispositions

Having mud patch or a mud pie to play with (Figure 10.7(a)) provides
space for children to retreat to for some time alone in a soothing sensorial
experience or to play with peers while learning to cooperate, communicate,
negotiate and share.

DEVELOPMENT
(g) Mud is a Wonderful Art Medium

Mud can be moulded into shapes just as sand and play-dough (refer Figure
10.7(b)).
(h) Mud Play Welcomes All Newcomers

Every child might find different ideas and creativity when playing with
mud. With mud play, there is always something to learn for everyone. See
Figure 10.7(c).
(i) Playing in the Mud Encourages Creative Thinking

Playing with mud stimulate creativity and imagination and an endless
ideas of games to play with.
(j) Childhood Memories

Mud play activities are normally played by children aged between three to
nine years old. As they grow older, they will cherish the memories they
made during their experience in learning how to play with mud.
Figure 10.7: The various mud play activities

Source:
(a) https://www.google.com/search?q=images+mud+play+activities&espv=2&biw=
1280&bih=699&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwin_
(b) https://www.google.com/search?q=images+mud+play+activities&espv=2&biw=
(c) https://www.google.com/search?q=images+mud+play+activities&espv=2&biw=

DEVELOPMENT
10.4.3 Water Play Activity

Playing with water does not only allow children to have the pleasure of
splashing water but with proper guidance from the teacher, a child can be taught
the concept of floating and sinking (buoyancy). Figure 10.8 shows indoor water
play.
Figure 10.8: Indoor water play activity

Source: https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-
instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=images%20of%20water%20play%20activities
10.4.4 Blocks and Woodworking Activities

During blocks and woodworking activities, children should be free to choose
using plastic blocks or Lego or wooden blocks that comes in various shapes and
sizes such as a triangle, square, rectangle, round, thick and thin, and long and
short. Children will creatively build their imagination from these blocks (see
Figure 10.9).

DEVELOPMENT
Figure 10.09: Blocks and woodworking activities

Source:
(a) https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=
UTF-8#q=images+of+BLOCKS+WOODWORKING
(b) https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=
UTF-8#q=images+of+BLOCKS+WOODWORKING
Block and woodworking activities offer many experiences to a child to facilitate

his or her growth and enhance skills in all areas of development such as:
(a) Physical Skills

Helps to develop large muscles as a child lifts heavy blocks from one place
to another, refine small motor skills, eye-hand coordination, restore sense of
balance as they stack and place blocks together.
(b) Social/Emotional Skills

Promotes cooperation among peers, encourages sharing, creates acceptance
of others ideas, builds self-esteem and confidence.
(c) Language Skills

Helps in increasing vocabulary and communication skills such as
conversation, questioning, labelling, crafting stories and using comparative
language such as larger, taller or small.
(d) Intellectual Skills

Helps to develop concepts of number, size, shape, length, height, weight,
area, cause-effect relationships, fractions, adding, subtractions, testing
ideas, estimating and measuring.

DEVELOPMENT
10.4.5 Cooking and Creative Food Experiences

Many children are involved in cooking activities all the time! A child can make
mud pies to bubble cakes in the bath tub. Leave a child in the kitchen and he or
she will be creating their own dish with their own recipe. Figure 10.10 shows
how engrossed a child can be with his or her friends during a cooking lesson.
Figure 10.10: Children participating in a variety of cooking activities

Source:
(a) https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chromeinstant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-
8#q=images+Cooking+and+Creative+Food+Experience+for+young
(b) https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chromeinstant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-
8#q=images+Cooking+and+Creative+Food+Experience+for+young
Food can be used to help children learn about shapes, colours or how fruit is
grown. It will also help develop a childs skills in other areas like literacy, gross
and fine motor and teach good hygiene and social skills. Cooking too needs
creativity. It raises a childs self-esteem, encourage team work and improve their
numeracy skills.
ACTIVITY 10.5
Plan, implement and evaluate at least one creative activity based on

mud and sand play, water play, blocks and woodworking play and a
cooking experience.

DEVELOPMENT
SELF-CHECK 10.2
Children learn through different kinds of play; mud and sand play,
water play, blocks and woodworking play and cooking experiences.
What are the advantages that could be instilled in an early childhood
learner through these activities?
10.5 ROLE PLAY AND DRAMA PLAY

ACTIVITIES IN PRE-SCHOOL
Learning skills and creative child development are some of the activities which
can be acquired by children who actively engage in role play and drama play
activities in school. Where else can you find pilots, police officers, veterinarians,
teachers, doctors, princesses, karate instructors to chefs all happily working side-
by-side? In a dramatic play area of a classroom, of course. Figure 10.11 is an
image of a girl role playing as a hairstylist in a hair salon washing a customers
hair. How and where did she pick up this idea? She may have followed her mum
to the hair salon or picked it up through watching television.
Pretend play or role play is much more than simple play activities but it requires
advanced thinking strategies, communication and social skills. Role play activity
teaches a child how to use language in real life and how to communicate.
Children learn to do things like negotiate, consider peoples perspectives,
transfer knowledge from one situation to another, delay gratification, balance
their own ideas with others, develop a plan and act on it, explore symbolism,
express and listen to thoughts and ideas, assign tasks and roles, and synthesise a
variety of information and ideas during their role play.

DEVELOPMENT
Figure 10.11: Role play activities

Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=role+play+and+
drama+play+activities+in+preschool
Role play and dramatic play is a type of activity where children accept and
assign roles, and then act them out. They will pretend to be another person, and
dramatise situations and actions to go along with the roles they have chosen to
play. Drama play can enhance learning during the early years of a child. In order
to have full benefit from drama play, a suitable space or stage could be set up in
the classroom to represent several props with proper and suitable materials that
can be used by the children. Examples of creative drama play are pantomime,
story drama, readers theatre or puppets.
In performing creative drama play in pre-schools, children should acquire skills

such as:
(a) Problem solving skills;

(b) Ability to read, speak, write and listen;
(c) Communication skills;
(d) Ability to socialise;
(e) Analysing skills and
(f) Planning skills.

DEVELOPMENT
Besides that, the children, should also possess the following qualities:
(a) Self-confidence;
(b) Courage;
(c) Creativity and
(d) Empathy.
ACTIVITY 10.6
You wanted to set up a grocery stall as one of the prop for the early
childhood learners. What are the materials necessary to set up the prop?
Sketch the lay out of the prop.
SELF-CHECK 10.3
List three activities of role play and three activities of creative drama
which are suitable for young children between the ages of two and six
years old. Elaborate how the activities are to be conducted.
Children share their creative experience through music which helps to

enhance a childs development.
The creativity and mental growth of a child grows at different rate. The
progress of art in a child can be defined according to five stages namely: the
scribble stage, the pre-schematic stage, the schematic stage, transition stage
and realism stage.
Besides support from the teachers and parents in childrens art creativity and
expressions, establishing a proper and conducive environment for them to
experience and experiment their creative art is also very important.

DEVELOPMENT
Water, mud and sand play, blocks and woodworking, and cooking and
creative food experiences are activities that not only bring joy to the children
but teach them to be creative, imaginative, promote cooperation among
peers, sharing, acceptance of peoples ideas, self-esteem, confidence and
enhance their learning experiences.
Role play and drama play can build-up a childs self-esteem and help them
experience real life through a prop set up in his or her classroom. This
activity helps a child to communicate and speak as well as improve his or her
vocabulary.
Aesthetic Schematic stage

Aural learner Scribble stage
Pre-schematic stage Therapeutic value
Realism stage Transition stage
Rhythmic pattern
Angie Dorrell, M. A. (n.d.). Water play: Wet and wonderful. Retrieved from
http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?
ArticleID=374
Bosco, J. (2014). Benefits of music and movement for children musikgarten.

Retrieved from www.musikgarten.org/music_movement.cfm
Cecchini, M. E. (n.d.). Ms, how dramatic play can enhance learning. Retrieved
from http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.
aspx?ArticleID=751
Jackman, H. (2011). Early education curriculum: A childs connection to the

world (5th ed.). California: Wadsworth Publishing.

DEVELOPMENT
Let the children play in the mud. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.
letthechildrenplay.net/2011/08/10-reasons-why-we-should-let-children.
html
Roland, C. (1990). The early childhood learning environment. Retrieved from

http://sde.ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/EarlyChildLearnEnv.pdf
Ruebush, M. (2009). Why dirt is good: 5 ways to make germs your friends (1st
ed.). United Kingdom: Kaplan Publishing.
Salome, R. A., & Moore, B. E. (n.d.). The 5 stages of development in childrens art,
Retrieved from http://my.ilstu.edu/~eostewa/ART309/Five_Stages.htm

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Topic Connecting

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

A teachers technique, approach and activity needs to be open-ended giving

2. Plan an art activity for young children using crayons.

10.1 MUSIC AND MOVEMENT EDUCATION

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

10.1.1 Why Music in Early Childhood Programmes is

(a) Music helps in the development of a childs language learning capabilities.

(g) Music is a creative experience which involves expression of feelings, moods

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

(i) Music is a social activity which involves family and community

10.1.2 A Teachers Role in Music Education

(a) Show interest in whatever that a child is doing or creating.

(b) Do not only listen to music but participate in music.

(c) As a musicianship, be confident in guiding children.

(h) Plan for field trips to see various musical performances.

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

2. Plan an activity that allows children to participate in music

1. Why is music so important in the early life of children?

2. How can music and movement be integrated in a pre-school

10.2 CHILDRENS DEVELOPMENT STAGES IN

(a) The Scribble Stage

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

Figure 10.1: Random scribbling

Figure 10.2: Controlled scribbling

(b) The Pre-Schematic Stage

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

Figure 10.3: Pre-schematic stage

(c) The Schematic Stage

Figure 10.4: Schematic stage

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

(d) The Transitional Stage

(e) The Realism Stage

Collect samples of art paintings from early childhood learners aged

10.3 ESTABLISHING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR

An environment created for learning should welcome exploration and

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

10.3.1 Establishing an Art Environment

(a) The process of creative thinking is a complex process; therefore all

(b) There is no right or wrong way of doing things everything is based on

(e) Children should be encouraged to engage their creative process while

10.3.2 Ways to Support a Childs Creativity

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

(a) Providing a surplus of open-ended, natural and found materials.

(b) Preparing materials that encourage creative expression such as paint,

(d) Improvising materials and equipment.

(e) Advising children to be responsible for the materials and equipment by

Some of the learning opportunities that could be offered to a child are:

(c) Introducing children to a variety of creative expressions in the form of art,

(d) Using books, stories and other media as a powerful text.

(f) Integrating multiple types of music into the curriculum.

(g) Collaborating with children to adopt a creative approach in their routine.

(h) Encouraging children to collaborate with each other and to be open to

Prepare materials such as paint, blocks, paper, glue, pencils, crayons,

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

10.4 SAND AND MUD, WATER, BLOCKS

10.4.1 Benefits of Sand Play for Children

Figure 10.5: Sand play activities

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(b) Imagine building structures or building castles as commonly known by the

Figure 10.6: Sand tray therapy

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10.4.2 Benefits of Mud Play for Children