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Early childhood educators often face a dilemma鈥攈ow to effectively meet children's interests, strengths, and needs amid competing obligations, such as the responsibility to address program, state, administrator, and family expectations. This struggle is especially prevalent when considering how to integrate the arts into the early childhood curriculum (Russell 2019). Although the benefits of arts integration abound, there is enormous pressure on early childhood professionals to meet standards-based outcomes. In addition, early childhood professionals may feel the need to introduce art projects that create uniform or aesthetically pleasing products to showcase for families, colleagues, and supervisors. Too often, these projects become an exercise in fine motor skills or following directions rather than nurturing a child鈥檚 creativity and curiosity.听听

In the early learning settings where I鈥檝e taught, I have identified and practiced ways to achieve learning goals and outcomes through process-focused, open-ended art experiences. One essential practice that has helped is documentation, which is the process of observing children鈥檚 growth and learning experiences and capturing these events. Documentation involves taking photographs and videos, collecting work samples, making transcripts, and writing observations at various stages of children鈥檚 work and play. After the process is over, it鈥檚 time to share the documentation along with the children鈥檚 work samples.听听

Here, I share three tips so that you can communicate the value and benefits of process art to families, colleagues, and administrators. With each recommendation, I also share a recent experience with a child in my program to illustrate how this works in practice.听听听听

1. Document the process.

During a recent fall afternoon, I sat in the dramatic play area with 4-year-old Kaytee, who was pretending to be a veterinarian. Suddenly she said, 鈥淚 have to paint now,鈥� and headed toward the art center. From my years as an educator, I recognize these familiar moments as opportunities to document a child鈥檚 art-making process. So, I got out my notebook and began to take dictation. I also took images of Kaytee at different points throughout her process as she transitioned from one medium to the next.听

Because engagement with open-ended art can enhance development in multiple domains, there are many opportunities for documentation, so be sure to include various forms. For example, photographing children鈥檚 faces offers a window into their cognitive engagement during the process. You can also include images that show children鈥檚 fingers and hands as they develop fine motor skills. In addition, using a recording device to capture moments of children interacting with one another and with adults as they make art can give insight into their social interactions and communication skills.听听

2. Connect the documentation to learning goals.

As Kaytee spent more time at the art center, she demonstrated numerous skills reflected in , with which my Head Start early education program is aligned. For instance, she transitioned from experimenting with paint colors to forming letters. 鈥淚鈥檓 working hard on this art,鈥� she said, acknowledging her effort, 鈥渁nd now I鈥檒l color my K. Blue for the K.鈥� When Kaytee produced the letter K, she began to integrate letter writing into her art process, reflecting Benchmark 3.2, 鈥淪hows interest and understanding of the basic concepts and conventions of print鈥� (Language Arts 3s and 4s).听

After that, she began to consider the physical properties of the art materials. 鈥淚鈥檒l do an experiment with the water. I need to experiment with ingredients,鈥� she said as she dropped different paint colors in the water and stirred. 鈥淚f we freeze this, it could be a popsicle.鈥� Kaytee鈥檚 understanding that听water could freeze and become solid exhibited aspects of Benchmark 1.1, 鈥淓xplores features of the environment through manipulation鈥� (Science 3s and 4s).听听

Families and administrators can see the value of the open-ended, art-making process if you can draw direct connections to educational goals and expectations. These goals may be tied to a variety of sources, such as a program curriculum and/or state early learning standards, which can cut across the developmental domains.听听

3. Share the听documentation.

We value children鈥檚 creative efforts by displaying their work throughout our setting. You, too, can share documentation and samples informally or formally: you might turn your setting into a gallery of children鈥檚 art, for example, or you could exhibit their work through a digital platform, such as an email newsletter, a secure class blog, or your family communication app. Regardless of how you present their work, it鈥檚 important to be mindful of different ways to make documentation accessible to all families.听

As you think about how to share, consider what to share as well. Positioning information such as learning goals and developmental benchmarks alongside samples and documentation invites families, colleagues, and administrators to see learning and growth reflected in children鈥檚 process-focused art; and including photos or video of capable children deeply engaged in process art communicates the effort and thinking it takes to accomplish their creations.

References听

Russell, C.L. 2019. Integrating Art into the Inclusive Early Childhood Curriculum. Champaign, IL: Common Ground Research Networks.听

The Governor鈥檚 Task Force on Early Childhood Development and Education. 2020. Kentucky鈥檚 Early Childhood Standards. .听

Amanda Messer听is an early childhood professional with more than 25 years in the field. She has听worked as an infant teacher, a toddler teacher, a preschool teacher, a curriculum facilitator, a developmental interventionist, and a center director. She is currently in a preschool classroom at Waynesburg Elementary and is actively听working to align her practices with Reggio Emilia philosophy. She has听undergraduate degrees in English and psychology and a master's听degree in family and consumer sciences.