Art is an important aspect of learning in early childhood education and must be carefully designed to promote their artistic development and foster their appreciation of the beauty of the world. Art enriches the lives of all preschoolers and toddlers because it provides them with the experience of finding meaning in themselves and the world around them.
“From the moment a child discovers what it looks like and feels like to write lines on paper, he finds what he will never lose, he finds art” – R. Kellogg 1969.
Rhoda Kellogg has studied 100,000 drawings of young children drawn with pencils, pens, crayons or brushes, an extensive study that greatly contributes to our understanding of children’s artistic development. She is particularly interested in doodles for young children, finding that children progress from doodles to drawing through the use of built-in, spontaneous self-learning methods that continue until the child is 5 years old, and only after adults can instruct and direct children’s art work stage of development.
Kellogg also identified various symbols drawn by children in different cultures. Mandala designs are simple circles or squares divided by intersecting lines, made by children around the world. Kellogg also found that preschoolers and toddlers, unlike older children, don’t care if their artwork looks pretty or resembles the real thing, but they move their hands to express a sense of From what they feel inside and happy with the movements and doodles they produce. With this knowledge in mind, it is important not to force them to look at the real thing and try to replicate it, but to allow them to experiment and create in their own unique way, thus giving them the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings.
The stages of artistic development are graffiti stage, basic form stage and painting stage. Although there is a predictable pattern to their development, preschoolers and toddlers move through levels in different ways and at their own pace. These stages can help parents or teachers work with young children and provide guidance on planning for specific groups of children.
Kellogg’s Stages of Development
1. Graffiti Stage
These are the earliest drawings of young children. They are simple and random markers made for the fun of doodling. At this stage, young children are not concerned with what they are trying to express with their drawings, but enjoy the process of scribbling on paper.
2. Basic Morphological Stage
Children start to draw simple lines and shapes. Kellogg identified several universal symbols used by children around the world. These include mandala, sun, ladder, spiral, wavy line and rainbow. These symbols are used to communicate and are the beginning of writing. Children at this stage continue to draw for fun.
3. Pictorial stage
At this stage, children use Stage 2 shapes to draw symbolic representations of real people and things, such as houses, trees, and windows. They begin to identify their drawings, tell related stories and expand their drawings to include new meanings and understandings.
Positive and appropriate development of preschoolers and young children who begin artistic creation can provide a solid foundation for later development and enjoyment of artistic experiences.