Why Each Child Is Encouraged to Make Art That Is Different from Their Peers
Art and art making is an individual creative expression, it is not about churning out the same piece as our peers. Like any language we all start out with the same tools, be it words and sentences, or pencils and paint. The unique beauty of any language is the way in which we use it for self-expression. At Doodlebox we encourage each child to explore what creativity means for themselves. They are taught the tools and techniques and are encouraged to use what they have learned in their own way. We provide them with a huge variety of materials and learning experiences that they can use to express themselves and create something new every time.
As children get older they become more inhibited by their desire to conform, they tend to lose the wonderful wild abandon and confidence that they had in their art making when they were little. Their desire to be ‘like’ or ‘as good as’ another child can be overwhelming and frustrating. The ethos behind Doodlebox is that the art that every child makes is perfect for them because it is by them. It is different because we are all different, we celebrate that difference at Doodlebox.
Encouraging Personal Development Through Creativity
Making any mark on a page or with a lump of clay leaves one open to the risk of failure, however it also leaves the creator open to great enjoyment and success. Through art making and experimenting with conventional and unconventional materials, each child has the opportunity to develop skills and to learn greater resilience in the face of potential adversity. The beauty of art making is that at the end of the day there isn’t really any right or wrong way of doing things, there is convention that teaches us the accepted and perhaps celebrated way to do things. At Doodlebox the children are taught these ways and they are also encouraged to then abandon them and to experiment beyond them. To push the boundaries and ‘see what happens’. This is fun, this is risk taking in a very safe way and it teaches children to allow themselves to open up to adversity and to feel safe in their ability to handle the outcome.
Every Child Has a Different Message to Communicate
The purpose of any language is to communicate a message. Art is no different. It allows a unique and tangible form of communication that has a physical presence which remains long after the message has been created. Encouraging children to create art allows them to develop another mode of self expression, unique to themselves. It also affords children quiet time, time away from screens, time for calm and escape from other distractions.
The Variety of Materials Allows for Experimentation
Encouraging children to use tried and tested materials in different ways, and new, unconventional, and unique materials in any way stimulates creative thinking. Questions arise such as "What if I use this material?", "What can I create with this?", “Will this work?”. This curiosity leads to many exciting results! At Doodlebox we strive to give the children the confidence to try new ideas, to explore new concepts and to be artists by asking questions, making their own decisions and celebrating the results.
Encouraging Their Uniqueness
At Doodlebox we not only encourage the uniqueness of each child we celebrate it. It makes for a much more exciting world when everyone is encouraged to be themselves. All children have different interests, likes and dislikes. We foster an environment that allows all children to be themselves, to bring their ideas to the fore, to be unique.
While the teacher will often use an example to illustrate the goal of the class, the children are actively encouraged not to ‘copy’ this, but to use their own ideas. The teacher is skilled in helping children to draw out their own ideas to create their own language of self expression.