Description
We have often found the term creative expression being used in terms of an outcome When we see children create a painting, a story, a sculpture, a song, a dance sequence, a play or even just stick a tangle of string on paper in a craft session we might describe these as the end product of creative expression. Thus, the end result of a creative activity becomes all-important.
But creative expression does not only have to be about the product. It’s more about the process.
Despite what many people think, creativity isn’t limited to artistic endeavours like art, music, craft, writing and drama and it’s definitely not only about a physical outcome. We can be creative with maths, science, politics, building, and business; with anything that we do! Creativity can be a journey through which we use and develop our imaginations, originality, productivity and problem-solving abilities.
The same principle applies to creative expression in early childhood learning.
Every child has creative potential and every child is capable of expressing that creativity but the process, not the quality of the outcome, should be the main focus.
An interesting perspective on this topic came from the founder of highly respected Reggio Emilia educational approach to pre-schooling, Loris Malaguzzi, who said that creativity became more visible when adults were more attentive to the cognitive processes of children than they were to the result. Children need encouragement and support to develop their creativity (and by extension, to develop important life skills like self confidence and relationship building) and the process of creative expression is beneficial to both the child and the educator.
In this resource we will explore “The Project Approach” that has been developed by Dr. Lilian Katz and connect it to creativity and creative expression.
Skills You Gain From Creativity is Everywhere
Skill 1 : exploring creativity in the early years
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