“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on” –Albert Einstein.
The Early Childhood Curriculum (Ministry of
Education, 1996) states that “children experience an environment where they
discover and develop different ways to be creative and expressive” (p.80). Some
learning outcomes for this goal involves and ability to be creative through a
range of activities, familiarity with arts, crafts, songs, music and stories
valued by cultures and communities, skills and confidence with arts and crafts
such as drawing, painting, collage and constructing and a belief that music,
dance, drama and art will delight, comfort and excite.
Early Childhood programmes should provide children
with experience to be creative with a range of materials such as clay, fibre,
fabric, pencils, brushes, rollers, dress ups, stamp pads, scissors, computers,
musical instruments, sticky tape, glue, a variety of paper including different
types and carpentry tools. Creativity should not be restrained to activities
using these materials but also widens to challenges and changes to rules, ideas
and environments that include humour, fun and enjoyment (Ministry of Education,
1996).
To me being creative is to have freedom to make
something out of endless possibilities. It is never wrong or structured by one
thing we have complete control over what is being created. Creativity is about
seeing something and making it into something else and connecting things
together. So be original and imaginative and let your mind run free!
Having a creative mind makes life more fun and
interesting. To conclude this blog, I will leave you with another quote to THINK about from one of my
favourite children’s authors:
“Think left and think right and think low and think
high. Only the thinks you can think up if only you try!” –Dr. Seuss.
References:
Ministry of Education.
(1996). Te Whāriki. He Whāriki matauranga
mo ngā mokopuna o
Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington:
Learning Media.
Picuture:
Google images. Retrieved from http://www.zippykidstore.com/global/upload/content/201105/be1d58cf-8e62-46f3-9cbc-927cafe8dde4_iTt_XqvW_contentimage.jpg
Google images. Retrieved from http://www.inspiresy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/cute_colorful_kids-1920x1200-570x350.jpg