Taking Stock for the Wonder Journey

There is something mysterious about art and young children. As an early childhood educator and a practicing watercolor artist, I noticed something very interesting. The art processes that I brought to the children that involved some form of creating a new mixture or transformation (i.e., mixing, scooping, crushing, stirring, pinching, pulling, etc.) were the most engaging!

The first time I set out a “make your own paints” invitation in my classroom, I was taken aback by how deeply the children were focused on the activity. At first, they explored by dumping the chalk powders into the paint containers and adding water. They could not get enough of this and continued adding more chalk powder and more water. They were not making paint, though. They were exploring the materials. It was messy. But wow! The children were mesmerized by the Wonder of mixing the chalk and water together.

Preparing Your Wonder–Based Art Space

Preparing your space for Wonder-Based Art making is an act of reflection and intention. Think of your space as a laboratory for children to explore and interact with materials as if they’re researchers. As you set up the Wonder-Based Art activities, think about how the activity can inspire creative, innovative thinking. Remember, the goal is not to produce an art object. Rather, we’re facilitating and providing materials for exploration.

Watching for Wonder

Inside of Wonder-Based Art making, we’re witnessing Wonder! At the most basic level, we’re listening and observing wonder.

I want to share a warning about a hidden danger in watching children’s Wonder. You need to guard against your own hidden agenda. (Keyword: hidden) These are ideas and directions we feel compelled to tell children that undermine their capacities, abilities, and ideas. Often our own agendas rise out of our personal experience in art-making or what we think art-making should be like. We are all guilty of this at one time or another. I call it the “product hook.” It’s when you’re more interested in the outcome or results than the process. Wonder lives in the process, not the product. To truly honor the process for the child we have to check our expectations at the door.

Let’s take a closer look at Wonder. I want to share the Wonder-Based Art making cycle as a guidance tool.

Building Wonder Lands

Storytelling is one of the most important tools parents and educators can use in art making, as it deeply engages children in the process. Using story as a background to art making can help motivate children who are not inclined to make art.

There’s research that points to a child’s ability to tell their own narratives and stories as an indicator of later literacy performance. When we ask children to create their own narratives, we’re accommodating not only different learning styles but also honoring each child’s unique point of view.

Noticing Wonder

It’s important to think about whether the materials and projects we provide children ask them to think for themselves. Take a look at a child who’s painting a cutout of a butterfly. Is there any need for the child to think beyond the butterfly’s predetermined form?

The cutout offers a child one idea of “butterfly.” It doesn’t give room for the child to alter or change the idea. It has a very specific form. The thinking has been done for the child. There’s no flexibility. The cutout has taken away the possibility for a child to build their own idea of what a butterfly is, or to expand the idea of a butterfly into something new and original.

I like to call these kinds of materials and projects “closed materials.” There’s a predetermined function and purpose. These kinds of materials nurture “fixed” art making. There’s a predetermined route in how the child typically will think as they create.

Stirring Up Wonder

After twenty years of teaching young children, I’m convinced there’s an inner alchemist in every child. What child doesn’t love magical processes? From fizzing and bubbling to stirring and measuring . . . making magic potions satisfies the mad scientist in us all.

In this chapter, I share four art experiences that capture some aspect of creating a concoction. These types of art experiences encourage children’s experimentation. It’s important not to “manage” or “direct” children during these experiences. It will get messy.