“A child’s mind is not a container to be filled but rather a fire to be kindled.” – Dorothea Brande, author and editor.
Every child is born with unique abilities, vivid imagination and an open mind and heart to new things and experiences. Hence, introducing art and creativity right from the early stages of childhood, has a tremendous impact on their overall development. They only need opportunities and materials to play, experiment, learn, and create something new.
Read the blog What is a playgroup, and why you should send your child to a playgroup?
Let us look at some playgroup activities to bring about art and creativity in playgroups and the benefits.
Messy play
Messy playgroup activities include finger painting, watercolour splatter, and playdough sculpting. These allow kids to bring imagination into colourful drawings, create shapes, and reshape materials. Collectively, they improve sensory development in addition to creativity.
Nature play
Outdoor activities allow children to explore nature and its elements. The facilitator or caregiver can pick up an object such as leaves, twigs, flowers, pebbles, etc. and the children can study the object by sensing, playing, and experimenting with them.
Please read our blog on Nature-based learning to understand how children can benefit from outdoor activities.
Themed art days
Art days can be orbased on specific themes, such as colours, animals, seasons, cartoon characters, etc. Children can wear theme-based costumes and discuss what their costumes represent. It can also create a joyful setting where the children can play act the character of the costumes and bond among themselves.
Music
Playgroups incorporate music in different forms, either recorded music or involve children in singing rhymes and poems.
Singing rhymes helps them develop vocal skills, repetitions help improve memory, and singing together with others helps them develop the ability to coordinate with others.
Dance
It is one of the best playgroup activities to entertain and keeping them engaged. Children develop gross motor skills as they shake and jump to the music in sync with beats and rhythms. Dancing with other children can be a fun physical activity.
Storytelling
Playgroup activities may also include storytelling that engages children with interesting tales that take them through a journey of imagination, trigger new thoughts, and give them new perspectives.
Please read our blog on the impacts of storytelling on your child’s life to understand the benefits of storytelling.
Collage making
Teaching collage-making using pictures from magazines, newspapers, and colourful papers helps children to articulate ideas using different images.
Benefits of art and creativity in playgroup activities
1. Observation
Creative activities promote children’s observation skills. As they pay attention to every detail while creating pieces of their artwork, they can focus better on things around them and process their thoughts about them.
2. Motor skills
Children develop fine motor skills as they engage in artistic activities over time. They involve drawing dots and lines, mixing colours, cutting paper with scissors, controlling glue sticks, and gripping paintbrushes. These tasks help them improve their movements, laying a foundation to acquire complex skills as they grow.
3. Problem-solving skills.
Creating pieces of Art work involves making choices, coming to conclusions, second-guessing decisions, and evaluating results. Through art, children learn to try new combinations and develop new ideas.
Conclusion
Incorporating art and creativity in playgroup activities is essential for children’s overall development as they provide opportunities to explore, experiment, and express themselves. Hence making it imperative to find top playschool near me.
At Kids Castle playgroup, one of the best playschool in bangalore, children have ample opportunities to explore their creative side through various playgroup activities.
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