1. Nurturing Creative Communicators Ruth Churchill Dower, Earlyarts

2. How is Creativity Important? It involves taking risks and making connections, leading to confidence and good mental health It enhances imaginative and collaborative play Its about being absorbed in action and explorations of their own ideas, expressing and transforming these It involves children initiating their own learning, developing a critical sense, questioning, making choices It enables them to respond to what they see, hear and experience through their senses and bodies Its about them as an individual, the unique way they represent their experiences, skills and knowledge 3. Only through the arts and by being creative can children explore the inner world of their imagination and feeling the world that is uniquely them Sir Ken Robinson 4. Playful or Creative? 5. Your babys amazing brain 6. Creative environments and activities lead to a blooming of synapses 7. Creativity Matters across the whole EYFS Very young children who are given rich opportunities to explore making marks within an encouraging emotional environment will become confident and competent communicators, both orally and on paper, in all areas of learning and development. National Strategies, Mark Making Matters, 2008 8. Expressive Arts & Design 9. Focusing on specific learning objectives: 1. Development of the Imagination and Comms in Expressive Arts and Design exploring mark making, writing and symbolic language by drawing, rubbing and making marks on a big scale; using music, movement and stories to stimulate personal / cultural communication. 10. Physical Development 11. Focusing on specific learning objectives: 2. Physical Development fine motor skills in handling the charcoal and experimenting with different holding techniques making connections between body and brain through mark making in response to movement. 12. Music helps understanding of pattern, rhythm, space - Mathematical Development 13. 3. Mathematical Development recognising patterns and shapes in the immediate environment, and connecting / describing / making sense of them by mapping their lines and shapes. developing spatial awareness and a sense of proportion. Focusing on specific learning objectives: 14. Language Development 15. 4. Language Development esp. phonic skills describing the different marks (circles, zigzags, waves, dots, lines) describing kinaesthetic movements (whizzing, spinning, hopping) articulating stories that are being made in a safe and interesting way. Focusing on specific learning objectives: 16. Drawing helps create and share meaning, fine motor development, articulation 17. Making meaning with increasing sophistication 18. Why do children make marks what are we looking for when we interpret them? When they realise that symbols carry meaning, they make marks to make their thinking visible Make sense of maths, cultures and language in play Pure, physical enjoyment of the activity (process) Fulfilment of exploring through the senses Developing confidence & dexterity Tell stories & express feelings that are valued Solve problems & discover solutions 19. Our role and responsibility take time to observe, listen and analyse childrens mark making to understand its context and purpose enrich or extend their thinking offer opportunities to celebrate their own and each others mark making successes use childrens interests to plan for meaningful mark-making opportunities document childrens learning to enable them to revisit and reflect on their achievements 20. Earlyarts Creative EYFS Teaching Packs Helping you put it into everyday practice 21. Creativity is not solely about the new, it also involves opening ourselves out to ideas, influences and resources that are all around us, that we cannot control totally, yet that can be harnessed to making our lives richer and more sustainable Charles Handy 22. www.earlyarts.co.uk nurturing childrens creativity And now for a bit of fun!