Young at Art: Teaching Toddlers Self-Expression, Problem-Solving Skills, and an Appreciation for Art - Softcover

Striker, Susan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0805066977 ISBN 13: 9780805066975

Publisher: Holt Paperbacks, 2001

Synopsis

From the creator of the bestselling Anti-Coloring Book series with more than 600,000 copies sold, a new parenting guide to encouraging creativity in preschool-age children

Young at Art is the first and only comprehensive book for the general audience about the nature, value and impact of art on very young children. Directed towards parents and educators of one to five year olds, Susan Striker explains why children's art is not a frill, but the very foundation upon which all later fundamental skills are built. She drives home the idea that encouraging children's artistic growth will have beneficial effects on all other aspects of their emotional and intellectual development.

At the core of this practical guide is the understanding that art is an important tool in teaching young children crucial concepts related to self-expression, reading and writing. As opposed to more structured exercises, such as coloring on dittos and underlining pictures in workbooks, Striker stresses that scribbling and free drawing experiments are the most important art activities a child can engage in; they better prepare children to read independently as they grow.

Young at Art provides descriptions for age-appropriate art activities, tips for carrying them out safely, and helps parents recognize what a child's art work should look like at each stage of development. With Young at Art, parents will develop realistic expectations of their children's work, learn how to speak to their children about their art, and facilitate skills well beyond their creativity that will benefit children.

About this title

Review:

Filled with great ideas and enthralling art activities, Young at Art introduces parents and caregivers to a fascinating world that Montessori teachers will find wonderfully familiar. Author Susan Striker created the delightfully different Anti-Coloring Book series and now turns her considerable talents to explaining concepts of child development in a manner that all of us can enjoy. She passionately believes that children can use artistic tools and methods as gateways to all forms of learning, from vocabulary building to early math skills and improved dexterity, and cautions parents to rethink the way we look at art materials. Pipe cleaners form wire sculptures far more detailed than their typical role as bug antenna, and toddlers can have a better experience painting with only one or two colors than they would with an entire palette that instantly turns a muddy brown. Including a wide range of group and individual activities for all age ranges (and even songs to sing during cleanup time), this book is a priceless addition to an art-loving family. Jill Lightner

About the Author:

Susan Striker has been an art educator for more than twenty-five yearsand currently teaches elementary school art in Greenwich, Connecticut. She is the recipient of Connecticut's Celebration of Excellence Award for Creativity in the Classroom and has been named a Distinguished teacher by the Greenwich public schools. In addition to the Anti-Coloring Book series, she is the author of Please Touch. She lives in Easton, Connecticut.

About this edition

• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0805066977
• ISBN 13: 9780805066975
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304