10.2: Understanding the Process
- Page ID
- 225461
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- Describe how early childhood professionals can support and nurture the creative process.
Creativity Anywhere, Anytime
Creativity can happen anywhere, anytime. Creativity is often a part of play in all areas of the classroom. Here are several examples:
- blocks and building structures,
- constructing with open-ended manipulatives like Zoobs, Magnatiles, Squiz, etc.,
- science and experimentation, such as arranging magnetic tubes to create a ramp system,
- tinkering with technology to develop "improvements", or
- using loose parts to tell a story.
Why the Creative Process is Important...
"Creativity becomes more visible when adults try to be more attentive to the cognitive processes of children than to the results they achieve in various fields of doing and understanding" (Edwards et.al, 1998, p.77). Creativity involves complex ways of thinking, yielding diverse pathways that sometimes lead to similar and sometimes different results. This process can be difficult to study or measure (Isbell & Yoshizawa, 2016).
Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\). "Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties is a quote by Erich Fromin. Image is licensed by Denise Krebs CC-BY 2.0
Yet, the process is the underlying foundation for much of children's and humans' development and learning. For example, even the simple task of kicking a ball in the direction you want it to go requires analyzing body movements and types of contact with the ball, as well as assessing the amount of power applied to the ball. As one practices, one becomes more aware of and in tune with one's body, allowing for the refinement of how one moves in relation to the ball's resulting position after the kick is made. Repeating the process over and over, and making small adjustments, helps one learn how to kick a ball in the direction you want it to go.
Not every process lends itself to an enduring product (Isbell & Yoshizawa, 2016), sometimes because of the nature of the project, as is the case with the art of kicking a ball. Sometimes it is because the child dismantles their efforts because he/she is finished playing. At other times, it's because the product naturally evolves during the process and loses its effectiveness.
What children think and what they do as they engage in an activity- and how their thinking develops and matures as a result- are the most important aspects of the experience. Some creative activities, however, do result in a product. The distinction is that children select the materials, tools, and techniques to produce their own unique results. The final product is not predetermined by the teacher or copied from another's work, but is instead one of a kind... (Isbell & Yoshizawa, 2016, p. 21)
The Value of Open-Ended Creative Endeavors
How do open-ended art experiences offer so many opportunities for learning? Consider the difference between open-ended and closed-ended questions. Close-ended questions tend to result in one-word answers and limit children's thinking, such as "Did you have a good day?". However, open-ended questions and prompts challenge children to use creative and critical thinking skills (NAEYC, 2015). For example, "How was your day?".
Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\). Art gallery that includes 2-D and 3-D pieces. Image by Heather Carter is licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0.
This same concept applies to closed vs. open-ended art. Closed-ended projects, such as coloring in a coloring book or gluing pre-cut pieces to make a craft, may support fine motor skills, but open-ended art builds these skills while challenging children's creativity and critical thinking.
References, Contributors and Attributions
Edwards, C.P., Gandini, L., & Forman, G. (2nd Eds.). (1998). The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia Approach-advanced reflections. Ablex.
Isbell, R. & Yoshizawa, S.A. (2016). Nurturing creativity: An essential mindset for young children's learning. National Association for the Education of Young Children.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). (2015). Expressing creativity in preschool. NAEYC.