When it comes time for parents to look into daycare and preschool for their children, it is important that they seek out a program that addresses a child’s specific needs and provides the best education possible. As a well-rounded curriculum designed to help students grow physically, cognitively and emotionally, we at Pebbles & Piaget have designed age-appropriate curricula that scaffold early childhood development. Besides numeracy, literacy, science & discovery, nutrition, and sports, another important facet of our program is art. Visual arts and other creative outlets are key to early learning balance as they work to develop brain capacity, social-emotional understanding and multi-sensory skills while allowing the opportunity for open-ended exploration.
Daycare Activities for Growth & Development
Art is about communicating visually. Creating art expands a child’s ability to interact with the world around them. When our skilled and fully licensed instructors lead students through activities and classes, little ones can choose from plenty of materials and supplies. They are given free rein over their creativity and allowed to decide when work is complete. As their brains engage with how and why, they learn communication, problem-solving, and self-expression, all while joyfully engaged in multi-sensory activities that encourage imagination.
Boosting Cognitive Skills
Every activity is a learning experience, even if it feels like fun and games. For example, mixing paints to produce different colours is a great way to teach cause and effect. Through age-appropriate projects, students practice planning, experimentation, and problem-solving. Some of the lessons are easy—how do I mix more green? Others are more complex–this tape isn’t holding; what else can I use? From handling materials to navigating challenges, art teaches students to solve challenges and navigate unexpected outcomes.
Emotional Development
As a visual language, art allows little ones to express their feelings, often before language skills fully develop. Working in a visual medium provides an outlet for powerful self-expression, even when words fail. In many cases, art can be a conducive outlet for little ones trying to navigate the stresses of growing up. Seeing a project come together provides a boost of self-esteem. Students learn about their uniqueness while also appreciating the work and creativity of others.
Refining Motor Skills
While it’s not often talked about, art has a role to play in physical development as well. Activities like painting, weaving, cutting, pasting & moulding strengthen and improve muscle control. Regular use of these muscles helps with writing and all kinds of other activities that require fine motor skills later on.
Speaking Points for Parents
For parents looking for ideas to proactively engage little ones after daycare, art can be a great topic. Students tend to be invested in their work. Colours, shapes, and ideas around projects make great talking points when trying to get a child to open up and engage in discussion. Just remember to keep the questions open-ended and simple. Some ideas might include:
- Talk about art to build vocabulary—ex. I just love these wavy lines or the sun looks so big and round!
- Ask about colour decisions—”I love this purple fish—is that your favourite colour?
- Ask about the process—how did you get the paint this colour?
The long-term benefits of art classes in daycare go beyond cultivating skills and emotional development. Art teaches self-expression. Exploration, self-discovery, and creativity have great value for young students still in the process of developing cognitively, emotionally, and physically. As leaders in early childhood education, art class is a vital part of a thematically diverse curriculum that helps scaffold childhood development and allows students to realize their individual potential and unique talents.
We invite you to browse Pebbles & Piaget’s Facebook page to see some creative works from our talented students. To learn more about our programs for daycare in Langley and Vancouver, visit our contact page and reach out directly to your location of choice. We are happy to answer all questions and offer school tours upon request.