clay with young children

I had clay today and I sat down with children to support them. As my kindy puts out play dough often, children know quite well how to create with play dough, but the skills with play dough cannot be transferable to working with clay. So, I decided to work closely with children to share my knowledge, passion and skills.

At times, children need to have the opportunities to explore freely. At other times, children benefit from 'teaching'. While some children just dived into clay right away, others felt uncomfortable and did not like the mess on their fingers and hands. I demonstrated the fun of creating with clay, showing them how to pound, knead, carve...simply getting my hands dirty. I reminded them that I can always wash my hands when I do not want to do any more. Actually, when I started sculpturing with clay, the children realized the potential and possibilities of clay, such as making animals with legs strong enough to stand. It's easy to make three dimensional objects, as clay is firm in texture and the shape can hold together.

The children came up with various imaginative ideas, and I coached the children along their creative process. After we had worked together for a while, when I was happy with what they have learnt and the children have developed some confidence and competence, I left and gave the children opportunities to explore further. My goal was to shift the balance of power back to the children and let them determine where to go next. I believe the strategies of 'hands-on' and 'hands-off' are both valid.

Lisa Terreni, a practicing artist and an ECE lecturer, observes that some children who do not usually draw or paint prefer creating with clay instead. She believes that children need to be offered an array of visual art opportunities so they are able to choose their preferred medium to express and communicate their ideas. I totally agree with her. She shared her experiences and knowledge on http://www.educate.ece.govt.nz/learning/exploringPractice/Literacy/UsingClayToDevelopLearning.aspx. Check it out.