Browsing by Subject "taidekasvatuksen integrointi"

Objectives. Previous studies shows that art education has positive effects on children’s development but there is rather little knowledge about how early childhood educators' from kindergarten feel about under three-year-old children’s art education. The main purpose of this study is to describe those early childhood educators’ views on under three-year-old children’s art education. The study observed the importance of art education to under three-year-old children’s development and what kind of characteristics art education has. The study also examined the role of early childhood educators and how art education has been integrated to basic care in kindergarten’s. Methods. This study was conducted as qualitative research. The research materials were collected by using a theme interview. Three early childhood educators from different kindergartens were interviewed. The materials have been analyzed by using content analysis. Results and conclusions. According to the results, art education is important to under three-year-old children’s development because it supports language development, increases psychic well-being, emotional development, and self-esteem, and build identity and produce actor experiences. The characteristics of art education for under three-year-old children were activeness, short ability to concentrate, multisensory experience, creativeness and high motivation. Activity inspired children when there was play, experimentation and concrete matters. Their planning was based on child perspective, small group activities and the creation of aesthetic learning environment. Organizing methods, materials and time use affected the success of activity. Child’s observation and documentation and self-reflection of early childhood educator’s actions were part of the practice. They supported children during art moment by empathizing, creating sensitive interaction, setting an example and encouraging. Children’s needs of different ages were supported by differentiation. Integration of art education to basic care was seen best suitable for songs/singing, books, rhymes, painting/drawing, aesthetic play and decoration of space. Under three-year-old children’s art education requires understanding the importance of art and children’s needs and sensitive approach so that art would become meaningful to children. Results of this study can be put into practice by using it to develop early childhood educators’ art education methods and practices.