Beyond the Fridge Door: Rethinking Children's Art

Children’s art is more than just something to hang on the fridge. It is a window into their thinking, creativity, and sense of self. In this eye-opening and interactive workshop, educators will dive into the key differences between art and product art, exploring how each approach shapes a child’s experience, confidence, and development.

In this presentation, participants will learn:

• Differentiate between process art and product art, recognizing how each approach impacts children’s creativity, confidence, and developmental outcomes.
• Reflect on their own beliefs and practices around art in early childhood settings, identifying opportunities to shift toward more open-ended, child-led experiences.
• Design and facilitate process-based art invitations.
• Understand the developmental benefits of process art.
• Evaluate the role of the educator as a facilitator.
• Communicate the value of process art to families.
• Connect art practices to the principles of emergent curriculum