11: Teaching Styles That Support Lateral Thinking

Why Heavy Teacher Intervention Isn’t Ideal in Early Childhood Art

Heavily guided, teacher-directed instruction—where the adult models every step, offers praise or stickers, and expects children to produce specific, predetermined results—may have its place, but it doesn’t align with developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood. Research suggests that direct instruction often limits creativity and can hinder the early development of critical thinking skills, which serve as a foundation for later academic pursuits (Hattie, 2009).

Critics also argue that this approach overly relies on the teacher as the primary source of knowledge, leaving little room for children to explore or take initiative. It can stifle independent thinking and make the learning environment feel rigid and one-dimensional (Lopez, 2023).

Constructivist Alternatives for Young Learners

By contrast, constructivist and play-based approaches suggest that children learn best when the teacher acts as a facilitator rather than an authoritarian (Vygotsky, 1978). In this model, the teacher provides materials, poses open-ended questions, and steps back to let children discover and experiment. This type of guidance nurtures active engagement, fosters creativity, and supports deeper learning (Newman, Griffin, & Cole, 1989; Rogoff, 1990).

Do Crafts Have a Place in Early Childhood Education?

Not exactly… The Oxford Dictionary defines a craft as “an activity involving skill in making things by hand.” Unlike open-ended art experiences, crafts usually involve specific steps, patterns, or outcomes. They require children to have both familiarity with the materials (such as papier-mâché or weaving) and the fine motor coordination and sustained focus skills to complete them successfully. These skills typically emerge around age seven or eight, when children enter Jean Piaget’s concrete operational stage of cognitive development and Erik Erikson’s stage of initiative versus guilt in the psychosocial domain.

Before these more mature skills are in place, children under eight benefit most from open-ended exploration with a wide variety of materials: crayons, markers, paint, glue, collage items, clay, and more. Developmental science supports the practice of offering such exploratory art experiences in early childhood. These experiences help build foundational skills—physical, emotional, and cognitive— through play and creative discovery, rather than structured, product-driven tasks.

There may be times when a teacher feels the urge to have children “make something”—perhaps for a holiday or special calendar occasion. But in truth, these kinds of crafts are often more meaningful to the adults who receive them than to the children creating them. While it may be difficult to completely avoid these moments in early childhood education, it’s wise to minimize them. A better approach is to create a classroom environment rich in open-ended art materials and experiences, where the focus is on the process rather than the product.

Craft projects can also raise other concerns. For example, when teachers display identical finished products on a bulletin board, it can unintentionally set up a sense of visual comparison or competition. In other cases, a child may want to add personal touches (such as extra beads, tissue paper, or paint) but feel restricted because the craft is pre-planned and deviations aren't allowed. These moments send the message: art is not for the artist, but rather something done to please adults. Over time, this may cause a child to hesitate or even avoid engaging in artistic expression and creative thinking altogether.

However… There is Value in Craftwork

In many contexts, crafts hold deep artistic and cultural value. Skilled craftspeople devote time, practice, and patience to their work, often creating items that are both beautiful and functional. Traditional crafts, such as candle-making, jewelry, weaving, pottery, and wind chimes, reflect cultural heritage and personal expression. These art forms are passed down through generations and are often embedded in meaningful rituals, storytelling, and everyday life (Edwards, 2006).

In early childhood education, the question isn’t whether crafts have value—it’s when and how they are developmentally appropriate. Craft projects can be meaningful for older children who already have a strong foundation in open-ended artistic exploration and who are motivated to learn specific techniques. These children are often ready to follow multi-step processes, appreciate aesthetic details, and take pride in creating a functional or decorative object. Introducing crafts at this stage can support goal-setting, focus, and hand–eye coordination, while also nurturing cultural awareness and appreciation (Schirrmacher & Fox, 2019).

When introducing young children to cultural crafts, the experience should be hands-on, respectful, and adapted to meet their developmental stage. For example, rather than copying an intricate design, children might explore similar materials (like fabric, beads, or clay) in an open-ended way, or contribute to a simplified version of a craft inspired by the cultural form. This allows them to connect with the essence of the cultural tradition without being pressured to replicate a polished product.

Reflecting Thoughts

Teaching young children through creative experiences doesn't rely on a single perfect method or strict formula. Instead, it involves reading the situation and responding appropriately to the children present. Sometimes, children need an invitation, new materials, a thoughtful question, or gentle guidance to deepen their thinking. At other times, we should step back to let their ideas develop freely. The most effective teachers skillfully navigate this spectrum, providing structure without control and offering freedom without leaving children to figure everything out alone. By trusting children's ability to think, imagine, and create, we shift from directing them on what to produce to creating environments where they can explore and discover on their own. Ultimately, the goal may not be to choose between teacher-led and child-centered methods, but to develop the wisdom to support them when needed and give space for their budding leadership.