Best ideas for 3-dimensional art activities
I chose a website Fun a Day. It interested me the most because it has many ideas. The site appears to be a compilation of links to different ideas; it is very convenient and has all kinds of art activities. Moreover, it was created by a preschool teacher who knows how to attract kids’ attention and improve their artistic skills and who uses these ideas in practice.
There are many wonderful ideas on the website, but I chose one that inspired me the most — Paper Mache Dinosaur Cave. It is the first link on the list. However, it is not why it impressed me. To create the Cave, a kid will have to deal with dull brown packing paper, some glue, and plastic bins, nothing of which sounds exciting. Nevertheless, the result looks really beautiful and teaches children that it is possible to create something amazing out of nothing, thus encouraging them to explore and create. Also, the process involves a lot of work with changing materials — turning flexible paper into a fixed construction. Therefore, little artists will learn about shapes and improve their spatial awareness.
Assemblage: Recycling, Recreating
The sentence that stands out for me is: «Introducing reclaimed materials into the early childhood art program provides children with unique opportunities to connect ordinary, discarded objects with unique, personal artistic creations.» A real artist always tries to find a new perspective on ordinary things, which is often believed to be a «God-given talent.» However, according to this sentence, it is possible to train this skill from early childhood by working with reclaimed objects. This technique stands out for me among other 3-dimensional art activities because it encourages children not just to create from scratch but to transform their current reality into something they find more appealing. Thus, improving kids’ problem-solving skills as well as their imagination.
From my perspective, to apply this method in a class, it is better to use something that is easy to find in everyday life. It may be a garbage bin, old ripped clothes, or empty bottles; using wasted paper from the mentioned above garbage bin will also be a good example. It is important to show young children that anything can become an art object and that their perception of art is unique. To transform the reclaimed objects, it is possible to use paint, markers, stamps, clay, plasticine, stickers, glitter, glue, and practically everything children can use. A teacher should not intervene more than needed to provide a space for free creation. However, asking suggestive questions that are mentioned in the article, such as «What story does it tell you? » may be a good encouragement and even a hint for a confused child. By asking such questions, a teacher motivates children to think deeply about the ideas they might use in the process and to imagine more ways in which the material may be transformed.
Overall, I believe that 3-dimensional art activities are very important for the improvement of children’s imagination and spatial awareness skills. Moreover, using reclaimed objects in such activities will help them build an artistic mind. Also, from my perspective, it is essential to remember that the teacher’s role in the process is solely to encourage, provide all the materials and observe.
Work Cited
Catherine, Mary. “3D Art Projects For Kids That Inspire Creativity.” Fun a Day, Web.