Artistic Expression
Week 51
We can take a pencil, crayons or piece of chalk and copy or create something artistic
Artistic expression is the use of the imagination in the production of objects intended to be thought of or appreciated as beautiful, as in the arrangement of color, forms, sounds, or words. Only man was created by God with the ability to imagine and then express his thoughts in various creative ways. In this block we will discover along with the children some of the ways that we can express ourselves artistically. (Drawing, painting, music, sewing, etc.) Artistic expression is a part of the preciousness of our humanity.
On the other hand, animals are not capable of imagining or creating based on forethought. It is possible to get some animals to make a picture, but only after they have been trained to make certain strokes using certain colors. Any form of art is not inherent in the animal kingdom. You do not see them creating art in their own environment.
Point to emphasize
We have been given the ability to use our imagination to create a drawing.
Sample content and conversation with children
NOTE: Before the meeting starts, contact the parents to make sure that each child has a pencil, crayons or chalk, and some paper before you meet. It would be good if the serving ones have their children make a drawing beforehand so that you can talk about it while other children are drawing during the meeting.
- Today we will learn that we can create something artistic. That means we can share what we are thinking about with others by drawing a picture, painting, craft, music or in many other ways. Today we will do it by drawing. Now, think about what you are going to draw. Now we are all going to draw a picture on the paper with your pencil, crayons or chalk you have been given! Now, think about what you are going to draw. Would you like to draw your family or a pet or your house? [Give them time to draw. Then have all of them show their picture. Talk about a few of them as they show their pictures. What kind of lines did they use (thick or thin), what colors did they use and why did they use them, and how did they decide what to draw (Why an animal, or people or a landscape?)]
- God is so wonderful! He has given each of us the ability to picture something in our mind and then put it down on paper!
- [Show pictures #1-3. Have the children talk about color, lines, design] Can an animal do this? NO!!! But we can easily draw something great on the sidewalk.
- Dogs cannot create a work of art. Even if you tied a pencil, chalk, or brush to its tail and let it wag its tail on paper, it would make a mess but not something planned. There was a dog trainer who tied a pencil to their dog’s favorite toy. The dog would hold the toy in its mouth and then the trainer would hold paper up for it to “draw”. Is this really drawing? NO way!
- I’m so glad I’m a girl (or boy)! God gave me the ability to pick up a marker or pencil or chalk, think about what to draw and what colors to use, and then draw it.
NOTE: [Make this an announcement at the end of the time.] This week I would like you to paint a picture. Maybe your parents would help you get the supplies to do a watercolor, painting, or finger painting. Save it so you can show it to us next week when we meet. [Serving ones – please remind the parents before the next time.]
Songs
God’s design
How about the mountains?
Suggested activities
- Do a fun exercise.
-
- [On Zoom] Pick three to four simple movements and number them, like # 1 run in place, #2 touch your toes, #3 frog jumps, #4 arm circles. Then when you call out a number, all the children need to do that corresponding movement.
- [In personal meeting] Do a jumping activity as the examples shown below.
- Tape Jumping Game—Lay tape strips on the floor, about 1 foot apart. The children will jump between the strips without touching the tape (Picture #4).
- Shape Hopscotch—Cut out different colored shapes and lay them on the floor, mixing colors and shapes. Hop from one side to the other only touching one color/shape. Have one child call out colors or shapes that the others race to find. Jump across the shapes following directions like… “jump 2 shapes to the right” (Pictures 5-6).
- Make a frame for your picture. See a sample idea below. (Pictures #7-10)
Pictures
#1: Children drawing with chalk
#2: Child drawing with crayon
#3: Child drawing with a marker
#4: Tape Jumping Game
#5: Boy playing shape hopscotch
#6: Shapes for hopscotch
#7: Activity for picture frame (1)
#8: Activity for picture frame (2)
#9: Activity for picture frame (3)
#10: Activity for picture frame (4)
