Painting for me was always very therapeutic and I see no difference with the tamariki. It is a great way to get out aggression, unhappiness or delight while also helping children who cannot communicate well to get their feelings across (Somerset, 2000). It helps to develop a child emotionally and is a great release of tension (Somerset, 2000). Teachers are able to use painting time to observe interactions between the children, or use the time to question them to help deepen the experience through recall (MacNaughton & Williams, 2009).
I also observed how the activity morphed into painting the railing on the side of the rock garden and how two girls in particular wanted more paint and water to rinse the colours. I enjoyed watching the social play between the peers (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 2007) and how they held both the brush and a rather full bucket of paint up to their chest like some professionals do. The children were developing skills in measuring, mixing, fine motor skills, balancing buckets and learning textures. What I found most revealing was how well the tamariki worked as a team and were building relationships (Ministry of Education, 1996).
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| Painting the fence. |
The children have done traditional painting as well with smaller paintbrushes and have used dye instead of paint. We have also experimented with paint droppers which look a little like eye droppers. This gives the tamariki a variety of experiences with the similar materials but still giving them opportunities to be artistic. Children love to be messy and enjoy using their hands so sometimes the technology of the paintbrush is surplus to requirements and the child’s experience becomes more enriched because they can feel the paint between their fingers. We have already done this and have given the children rocks from the garden and asked them to paint their name on it with a picture they design, which helps to increase the child’s feeling of belonging (Ministry of Education, 1996). To me the word paintbrush also includes things like fingers, sponges, stamps, droppers and even cotton buds. We use so many different types of things to paint with that paintbrushes are not just the conventional style. On our many excursions we have bought back to the centre things we could paint with which have included sticks, fallen leaves, shells and pinecones. This helps to give the tamariki a sense of their natural environment and can recycle things which would otherwise not be used (Warden, 2010).
I would like to try an activity where the children are left to paint on the easel but have music playing in the background. I think this could change what the children design and encourage deep thinking (Brownlee, 2007). I believe it would work best if I asked them what they would like to listen to and even suggest they bring in their own compact disc.
References
Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S. & Farmer, S,. (2007). Programming & planning in early childhood settings. (4th ed.). New South Wales, Australia: Cengage Learning.
Brownlee, P. (2007). Magic places. Waitakere, Auckland: New Zealand Playcentre Federation.
MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice. New South Wales, Australia: Pearson Prentice Media.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, he Whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Somerset, G. (2000). Work and play in the early years. Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand Playcentre Federation.
Warden, C. (2010). Nature kindergartens. Perthshire, Scotland: Mindstretchers.
Picture Reference
Google Images. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.google.co.nz/imgres?q=children+painting+fences+with+brushes&hl=en&sa=X&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4ADFA_enNZ459NZ464&biw=1132&bih=589&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnsb&tbnid=ZHrOzglxSvroPM:&imgrefurl=http://clownandpoodle.com/%3Fp%3D2821&docid=WL1bUTlfYmpZ2M&imgurl=http://clownandpoodle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Painting-the-deck.jpg&w=690&h=528&ei=mSRoT6nYHu7qmAW6wrD6CA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=757&vpy=217&dur=3946&hovh=196&hovw=257&tx=114&ty=115&sig=116767025731763282204&page=3&tbnh=129&tbnw=173&start=43&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:43
Kiaora Rache.
ReplyDeleteI love this activity you did with the children, sounded like fun and the children learnt a lot from it. The children got to use all kind off tools for painting which gives them an opportunity to explore to what make sense to them. Therefore I know the children loved it when you provided them with different tools which it was a bonus for their exploration.
Yes painting is a very good activity for the children to express their feelings which it can be relieving for them. Painting also helps the children to be creative in their own unique way, painting also give the children opportunity to play around with ideas and develop their own ideas as well.
Your suggestion at the end is a very good idea because the children will love it. I know this because when we play with the children on the sandpit we have music playing at the background, the children love it, they dance, and sing and it just make them energized. You should go ahead with that idea because it also provides children with different learning experience for the children.
Kia Ora Rachael
ReplyDeleteI can tell by your reflection that the children really enjoyed themselves. Adding to their own learning and development by enhancing different skills such as developing skills in measuring, mixing just to name a few.
What a great way of allowing the children to express their feelings through painting. I thought how well you mentioned about not only using paintbrushes but also fingers, sponges, stamps, droppers and even cotton buds.
Seeing you reflect on your own progress made me realise that you are not only looking at what you are doing now, but also what you would like to do with the children later on.
Well done Rachael.
Hi Rachael
ReplyDeleteGreat to see your center using a range of paintbrushes for the children to use, this allows the children to experience different types of strokes to their art work. I liked how they were learning to balance the buckets and having fun together. Painting allows children to be expressive and encourages communication with their friends.
I also liked the aspect of the children using their hands to experience the texture of the paint being squeeze through their hands. How fun would that be!! I feel that your reflection was supportive in regards to meeting the children's well being in a sense of their emotional well being. Music is another good way of encouraging children to being creative and productive. Great to see that your reflecting on this and looking at ways of extending this activity.
Tumeke Rachael!!
Kia Ora
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this and I bet all the children were so curious about everything. The painting and using the paint brush and just being able to paint the fence, this would off been such a fun learning activities. Just reading your blog and trying to picture everything in my mind I could just see the children being really proud of their art work on the fence.
I find that when children paint they seems to express their ideas in such a different way we look at their paint and we make our own understanding to what it mean, but when you ask the child they have a different description of what it mean. Children in the centre use the small paint brush all the time, but allowing them to use the actual paint brush it would have been fun and exciting.
I read through your blog and notice that children were mixing own colour and staying close to one another, maybe this is not a bad idea to empower them to do so. Sometime it can cause conflict but sometime it can bring all the children together and build relationship. Adult’s involvement in the activity can also extend the children thinking skills and also develop language and reasoning skills. I really like this idea and just empowering them to explore that also was great.
Ka pae