You may have noticed handfuls of papers coming home with your child. They are probably not labeled with names, or they may be drawn by another child other than your own. These projects and papers are all a part of the "Art of Coloring and Coloring and Coloring" that occurs in our PreK classroom. As the children become more confident in their skills and autonomous in their choices, they begin to color. A lot. Coloring in our room is a social, talkative, project based event, as in making books, or creating projects with other children, or creating pictures or tickets for others. OR coloring is a quiet, focused activity, solitary and peaceful, wherein a child creates a color filled paper or project and shows it proudly to us when it is completed.
We provide coloring opportunities for the children every day. There is always a bin of markers, tape, scissors, crayons, and a supply of plain white paper given as a choice at one of the tables. Unlike any art projects that might be provided, the marker table is completely autonomous and self-directed. We never know what each child might create! Sometimes the projects are imitative, as in a "bag" project that has been happening. Sometimes they are completely original, as in a framed portrait of a colorful creature. Sometimes the projects are a scribble, with lots of energy and focus and motion but more about the process than the project.
We know that coloring develops fine motor skills:
When your child colors in they develop a better grip on the pens or pencils they’re using. This action and precise grip aids in the development of the muscles in the fingers, hands and wrist. Handwriting comes more easily and naturally for children when they are encouraged to color more. This is down to the hand strength, dexterity and attention to detail that are all developed when coloring in, and go hand-in-hand with what’s needed when they learn to write.
Encourages patience and relaxation
Helps with concentration
Over time your child’s concentration levels will expand.Concentration is required to focus on a single activity for a period, so coloring activities can help to develop this further. Also, because the coloring projects your child is accomplishing are self directed, they are motivated to work through whatever they are doing to completion. Their project has a definite beginning and ending.
Assists with language development
It helps your child with language development if they are given the space to talk about their work. Using words such as "So many details!" and "How many colors did you use?" helps your child find new ways to talk about their drawings. When they learn these skills from a young age, they’ll feel more confident using them in different situations too. There are a lot of letters and pictures happening in journals these days, all a part of learning that letters together make up words, and words make up a story. When we provide stapled together small books, the children fill them in with pictures and ask us to write the words that they dictate.
When a child colors in a picture to completion they’re bound to feel confident in their ability. When they see that their picture has come to life it’s going to give them a sense of pride and achievement. We also find that socially, the children encourage each other by admiring the drawings that they see, giving them as gifts, and even being asked to complete a drawing by another child.
No comments:
Post a Comment