My weekday is spent in the company of 5 and 6 year olds. I plan activities for them so that they can be exposed to as many interests as possible in my kindergarten class. The first step of the Art Inquiry I am currently doing with them is to create a painting using tempura paints.
The majority of children in my class are excited when I bring the paints out. Many of them ask to paint two, three, or even four pictures. I am told one is for me, one is for mom, one is for dad, one is for a sibling.
One mandate given to the children is that they are not to mix the colours. I have found that they are generally good about following this instruction. Those who forget, quickly discover that mixing the colours leads to a painting that is only brown.
Very quickly the paints are used to create beautiful paintings. Colours are chosen , as well as the subject matter of the painting, by each child in order to make a painting that is unique to them.
Beautiful pictures are created. What I enjoy most, however, is the sense of pride each child has as they create something that they have in their minds. As you can imagine, I have many beautiful paintings decorating my classroom 🙂
Have you had any paintings given to you by a 5 year old?
(This post was inspired by the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Threes)
© Colline Kook-Chun, 2014
The very idea of 5-year-olds and paint makes me smile. I once read that we should all create art like toddlers. They are so proud of their work and not self-critical. It is pure joy that they are happy to share. I always try to remember that.
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I love that they do not yet have any inhibitions about their work. They just love holding the paintbrush and letting it do its work.
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We still have paintings my daughter done at this age.. great memory when seeing. 😉
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I have kept my daughters’ favourite paintings in a binder – and of course I have many photographs taken of them too.
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I have loads from the grandkids that I treasure Colline 🙂 Lovely post.
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And they were made with much love, I am sure Madhu.
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Yes, children should be encouraged to paint and draw. I wish I had been. I’m sure you are often pleasantly surprised at how creative your pupils are, Colline. 🙂
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What I have noticed is they draw their favourite things. I have this boy in my class who loves trains – he plays with them, builds them with the blocks, and talks about them. He, of course, painted the trains he loves so much 🙂
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🙂 Interesting, Colline.
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My 5 year olds are adults now and I still have those pride masterpieces.
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The pleasure of looking at them never goes away, does it? I love seeing how over the years their artistry grows and develops.
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Not for a long time, Colline 🙂 But I remember.
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Hopefully there will be a time again when you will receive some paintings as gifts.
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I used to hang pictures by my grandsons, but they have grown to old to make Grammie pictures, but the little girl next door is in Kindergarten and brings me pictures and other art works all of the time. I keep every one of them.
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I think the children like it when you hang up their pictures. And it is nice to be on the receiving end of such gifts.
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Absolutely! I love that she likes to share her work.
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Yes, I still have all my son’s paintings and drawings(he doesn’t know that they were some of the important things I shipped over to NZ)
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The memories brought about by those paintings are definitely precious.
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I love children’s paintings too Colline, in fact we have some from our children, but now the 4yr old paints every time she is here, and hangs them on the walls as her ‘exhibition’ … such a glorious activity!
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She has the signs of an artist willing to display her work for the enjoyment of others 🙂
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What a great activity. 🙂
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This is one activity that should not be missing from a kindergarten class.
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A wonderful post, Colline. I loved the series of photos showing the progression from pristine paints to a what could be considered a work of art, themselves. But you knew that was going to happen, didn’t you? 😉
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I would be disappointed if it didn’t John 🙂
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Beautiful photo memories of fun times Colline. 😀
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The kids certainly enjoy it and love it when I bring out the paints.
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I still have some art that our girls did when they were little. It’s so much fun to look back at it. One of our daughters is now in art school. 🙂
janet
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It must be quite interesting to look back at her art and see how she developed as an artist.
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It really is.
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5-year-olds and paint are a great combination. 🙂
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most definitely. It is a great way for them to direct their energy.
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I had one given by 5-year-old granddaughter this very day. She also did a most impressive mask, which scared the you-know-what out of me when she came up behind me when I was deep in a writing frenzy. (It is a scary part, too.)
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I can imagine the scene. She must have had a kick out of scaring you 🙂
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She giggled for some time!
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My grandnieces, children of friends, and kids I babysat have all be kind enough to share a painting with me.
Thank you for sharing your Art Inquiry class!
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I think I will share more as we progress. It is interesting to see what they come up with and each painting is unique.
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Children and paints, nothing more joyful in this world. I still have all of my granddaughter’s paintings which really warm my heart. Thanks for the reminder.
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They certainly brighten your day when you look at them.
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Love it! Fun, playful, colorful.
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And they create lovey decorations to put up on the wall 🙂
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Looks like you’ve got a fine messying facility there Colline. I bet the kids had a great time 🙂
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They enjoy it when I bring the paints out (which is not everyday).
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A beautiful artistic way to allow the children expression of imagination of the mind Colline.
Lovely to hear they look forward to you bringing the paints out.
Regards
Ian
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They always have fun with the paints. This week I plan to bring out the watercolour paints.
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nice post. and I have one idea to toss your way for times when you do want to let kids mix colors. You can set up stations where they have to use the primary colors to make secondary. If you keep the colors split up – it will not lead to the murky brown.
so on one table have yellow and blue and the kids make green. the other table haas hello and red to make orange -and then a final table can have red and blue to make purple. or you can do one color.
I used to sometimes just make green and then we would read little blue and little yellow – (by leo Lionni) and then the students would make “torn paper” collages.
But it looks like your 5 and 6 year olds are in very good hands in your class!!! 🙂
~y.
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I like your idea. Thank you for sharing. It will be a wonderful way to introduce them to he concept of primary and secondary colours. I will add this activity to my inquiry.
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As you know, I adore children’s art. Your classroom must be beautifully decorated with all your student’s art! How lucky you are to be surrounded by such beauty.
Seeing those little pots of tempura paint reminded me of my childhood when we used to paint freely with wide strokes, big imaginations and wild abandon. What a carefree time that resulted in the loveliest art.
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We are currently doing an art inquiry and, once the pictures are all up, I shall take some pictures to show you.
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