Art is for Babies!

This lunchtime session was led by Christina VanOsdol and covered art activities that can be done by babies and toddlers. We often think of babies and toddlers as incapable of participating in art, but they need it to start exploring different materials and using different senses. Christina now works for IAEYC but has been a classroom teacher.

Christina noted that while we usually think of the visual arts when we think of art, we need to remember music and drama as well. They are equally creative and important. She suggested that with very young children we plan on doing art one-on-one to avoid ingestion of the materials (with the visual arts in particular).

I really wish I could put her handouts up here, because they are a very useful listing of things to do with babies and toddlers. If you already do art with that age group, as I do, it's mostly variations on what you're probably already doing. Even so, new ideas are always welcome.

Christina did mention several books she found useful and that she pulled from for her presentation. They are:

• First Art : Art Experiences for Toddlers and Twos
• Mudworks: Creative Clay, Dough, and Modeling Experiences (Bright Ideas for Learning)
• FOUNDATIONS to the Indiana Academic Standards for Young Children from Birth to Age 5

While my notes from the session are a bit lackluster, I have been inspired to get even more creative with my toddlers. They are already comfortable with all your standard basic art activities, so it's time to up the excitement a bit.