Article 3
Anticipation and fascination: These are two tools that can inspire creative thought. When children experience some anticipation they get curious and excited, this stimulates the mind and directs it into thoughts and feelings that help develop problem solving skills. Here you see my son and daughter 10 years ago allowing a caterpillar to crawl on them. They are fascinated and they are anticipating the creatures next move while taking in the beauty and feeling of it. They still remember the experience today. Creative and alternative teaching methods seem to reap the greatest rewards. Who doesn’t remember a field trip in elementary school or an excursion with family where they discovered something new and fascinating. When something happens that fascinates a child they express joy or surprise and observe closely. They are taking in this new revelation, this new experience and expanding their thinking and their feelings. These memories tend to become permanent faster than a more mundane experience. Doing anything in a creative way enriches the whole experience.
We can ignite anticipation by suggesting something exciting like building a leaf fort, or making letters out of cookie dough. We can engage in the anticipation while reading stories and pausing to ask “what do you think will happen next?” The response is a wide eyed stare and then suggestions from the mouths of babes.
The fun continues as they engage in the activity and enjoy the creative journey. Fascination arrives as they complete a task and observe your reaction and when they see their cookie letters come out of the oven and they enjoy eating them piece by piece. Some letters will change as they eat them, like a Capital E might become a capital L after two bites. Stories always fascinate especially if we use fun voices and encourage the children to join in here and there.
Janine Georgiou-Zeck
Janine’s school of Fine Arts.
Newmarket, On
905-952-0806
www.jzartstudio.com
