This document discusses art activities for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. It outlines appropriate art for different age groups, including simple materials that allow toddlers to explore textures. Adaptations for children with special needs include adjusting materials based on abilities. The teacher's role is to support self-expression through open-ended themes and displaying children's art. Art activities help develop fine motor skills and self-expression by experimenting with materials.

1. Environments Project –
ART
By India McAdaragh
CHD 120

2. Infant and Toddlers
• Infants are not required to participate in art as their hand eye
coordination and self- control has not fully developed yet (Cryer, D, Harms
and Riley, C. p 227.)
• “Young toddlers are more interested in exploring and manipulating art
materials than in creating works of art” (p 227.)
• For infant and toddlers, art should be supervised at all times and be done a
couple at a time or small groups.
• According to All About the ITERS, “Simple art materials, such as crayons
and paper, give toddlers opportunities to use their arms and hands in new
ways” (p 227.)
• Art for toddlers should be simple. For example, large crayons, large paper
taped down, finger paints, pre-cut pieces of construction paper, shapes and
glue etc.
• Another key factor for toddlers, is keeping art simple but fun and allow
the children to explore new materials and textures.

3. Children with Special
Needs and Cultural
Differences
• Children with special needs may need special
access to the art supplies. Adapt art
martials to the child’s ability. For example,
if a child struggles to hold a paint brush,
have the child finger paint instead. “Provide
children with open-ended art martials that
can be used in many ways and encourage all
children to use their abilities to create their
own art” Childcare. (2019, August 15).
• Children of cultural differences can
experiences art through different pictures
bright colored art from around the world
and other countries or artists. Art can also
include colors of different flags that
represent other countries Foust, K. (2019,
September 27).
• Picture # 1 source: Copyright ©
2020 Masters in Special
Education Degree Program
Guide
• Picture # 2 source:
https://www.worldatlas.com/ar
ticles/where-to-see-the-10-
most-famous-painting-of-the-
world.html

4. Art Materials
Art materials include the following categories: Drawing materials, Paints, Three-
dimensional materials, Collage materials, and Tools.
• Drawing materials: things used to draw/scribble- crayons, water color markers, felt-tip markers,
pens, pencils, colored pencils, chalk; things to draw/ scribble on – various types, shapes, and sizes of
paper, chalk boards, paper plates, and dry-erase boards.
• Paint materials: finger paints, tempera paints, water-color paint set with appropriate brushes and
paper.
• Three-dimensional materials: play dough, clay, wood for gluing or for carpentry, pipe cleaners, and
modeling compound.
• Source: Cryer, D, Harms, T, and Riley, C. (2003). All about the ECERS-R. New York, NY:
Teacher’s College Press p200.

5. Art Materials Continued.
• Collage materials: past or glue, various times of, colors, and shapes of
paper, cardboard shapes and pieces, felt remnants, magazine pictures,
yarn/ string, cotton balls, pom-poms, feathers, natural objects, varied
safe “junk” such as cardboard tubes and egg cartons.
• Tools: safe scissors, tools to use with play dough, stencils, sponge painters,
rollers, brush of various shapes and sizes.
– Source: Cryer, D, Harms, T, and Riley, C. (2003). All about the ECERS-R. New York, NY: Teacher’s
College Press p200.

6. Skills and Abilities
• Children will develop skills using various materials
to express themselves through their artwork.
• Children will learn to use different materials that
they have not used before.
• Children have the ability to practice holding
markers, crayons, and pencils and learn how to
draw different objects or shapes.
• Children will also be able to feel successful and
competent. (Whitener, C. (n.d.). Activities. [PowerPoint
slide 16].

7. Teacher’s Role in Art
• The main role for a teacher is to be there to support and
guide the children if they need it.
• Another role of a teacher is to display the child’s art work
at eye level and somewhere in the classroom where the
children can touch their art (Whitener, C.
(n.d.). Activities. [PowerPoint slides 17].
• The last role is for teacher’s to use open-ended themes for
the art work so children can express themselves.

8. Milestones
1. The fine motor domain milestone that is supported by using art materials
is to use strength and control to perform simple tasks. Teachers can
support and help by demonstrating and providing opportunities for
children to use scissors safely (Milestones of Development document-
page 42.)
2. The other fine motor domain milestone that is supported by art is the
abilities to use writing, drawing, and art tools and various types. Teachers
can support and help by providing daily opportunities to use art supplies
that support fine motor skills (page 127.)
3. The visual arts domain milestone that is supported by using art is the
ability to create art to express and represent what they know, think,
believe or feel. Teachers can support children by engaging children to
express feelings by painting to music and engaging in conversations by
asking open-ended questions (page 119.)
4. The other visual arts domain milestone that is supported by using art is
the ability to experiment with a variety of art materials. Teachers can
support children by encouraging them to pinch, pull, squeeze twist, pound,
roll, cut, pat and model play dough (page 118.)

9. References
• Childcare. (2019, August 15). Creative Art Activities for Children with Special Needs. Retrieved
from https://childcare.extension.org/creative-art-activities-for-children-with-special-
needs/
• Cryer, D, Harms, T, and Riley, C. (2003). All about the ECERS-R. New York, NY: Teacher’s College
Press.
• Cryer, D, Harms, T, and Riley, C. (2004). All about the ITERS-R. New York, NY: Teacher’s College
Press.
• Foust, K. (2019, September 27). Cultural Activities for Toddlers: Celebrate Culture Day!
Retrieved from https://www.brighthubeducation.com/toddler-activities-
learning/34899-fun-and-easy-activities-to-teach-toddlers-about-culture/
• Harms, T, Clifford, R, and Cryer, D. (2003). Infant toddler environmental rating scale. New York,
NY: Teacher’s College Press.
• Harms, T, Clifford, R, and Cryer, D. (2005). Early childhood environmental rating scale. New York,
NY: Teacher’s College Press.
• Virginia Department of Social Services. Milestones of Child Development. Retrieved from
http://va.gapitc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Milestones_Revised2014.pdf
• Whitener, C. (n.d.). Activities. [PowerPoint slides].