In this episode of Illinois STAR NET Regions I&III (http://starnet.org/home/) podcast, Anna Owen ([email protected]), Early Childhood Resource Specialist, discusses the benefits of process art (as compared to product art). TranscriptAs we begin to explore the value of process art for young children, let’s first take a moment to distinguish the difference between process-focused art experiences and product-focused experiences.   So…what is the difference?Let’s start with product-focused experiences.  These typically begin with end-product in mind.  The adult usually chooses an end product and the children use designated materials and follow a specific set of instructions to create the final product.  These experiences tend to be more craft-like in nature and the emphasis is really on achieving the desired end-product. If children are cutting out patterns, coloring in lines or copying a model – it’s likely a product-focused experience.  With these experiences, there is little opportunity for children to make choices or express their creativity.  In fact, children may even have a hard time identifying their own work when it’s on display because all of the finished products are so similar.   Because these experiences are often very adult-directed, you may even find that the children lack motivation to become engaged in the experience.  Because there is typically one “right way” to complete the product, you might see children feeling frustrated or wanting to give up if they can’t seem to get it “just right.”  Process-focused art experiences, on the other hand, are the opposite of product-focused experiences. Process art is child-directed, choice-driven and celebrates the experience of discovery.  In process art, the final product will be unique and the focus is really on the process of creating and not the final outcome. Process art is open-ended and playful in nature.  There is no one right way to do it.  Children can engage with materials at their developmental level and in ways that interest them.  Children are motivated to learn about various materials and to make decisions about how to use them as they explore and discover. A child’s final artwork may not look like anything and that’s okay because it’s really about exploring, experimenting and learning from what they are creating.   It’s all about letting children try out a variety of techniques, tools and processes as they engage in artful experiences and find ways to express their feelings, thoughts and ideas.   Over time, and with experience, children’s artwork will start to evolve from simply exploration to more  to planned expressions to more representation.  As children imagine, experiment and investigate creative materials, they learn how different types of media can be used to communicate.  They should have opportunities to draw, paint, cut, tear, glue, shape, sculpt, mold, and construct.  When we approach art like open-ended play, we can provide a variety of materials and follow children’s lead. These types of experiences support children’s gross-motor and fine-motor development as they use their bodies, their hands and their fingers. Their cognitive development is supported as they plan, predict, observe, problem-solve and think critically about their own work.  Their social-emotional development will flourish as they are able to try new ideas and experience success.  Process art allows children to relax, focus and express their thoughts and feelings.  It also offers many opportunities for children to work together with their peers. Their language development is supported when children talk about their artwork and describe their unique creations.  We can support their literacy development when we write down what they say about their

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