Discussion 1: Amazing Journey
200 - 250 words
Children experience their world through sensing, feeling, and imagining. Because children are tuned in to a sensory exploration of their world, it is important to choose, organize, and use materials in such a way as to provide good aesthetic experiences for young children.
You must first recognize your own aesthetic sensibility before understanding how to support development in young children.
Sometimes we ask children to imagine being a tree, a plane, or a duck. For this Discussion, let's do an adult version of that activity. Think of something that amazes you and share it with classmates.
Describe what it would be like if you were this something.
Write a reflective description of yourself as this something.
Identify which emotions you would feel.
Explain how you are like what really amazes you. How are you unlike it?
Discuss how you would like to change in any way.
When you do a similar activity with children about something they like, why do you think children would enjoy using their imaginations like this?
Describe strategies you could use to help children less willing to participate in this activity. Give a rationale for each.
Discussion 2 : Planning and Implementing Creative Activities
200 - 250 words
Using the information in this unit, plan a creative art activity for toddlers (18-36 months) and then explain how you would modify that same activity for 6-8 year old children. Choose an activity based on a skill which can enhance their ability to express themselves.
Note: Remember that creative expression involves teacher support but is not teacher directed. You do not want all of the children to end up with the same product. You want them to explore a new skill and materials.
In your plans, consider the following for the two age groups:
developmental needs of the children
modifications for children with special needs
attention span
physical ability
activity level
appropriate materials
appropriate motivation
How do these considerations support NAEYC's position on Developmentally Appropriate Practice?