Creativity and Learning

I am so excited about creativity and learning. I can’t read enough or learn enough about how students learn and what creativity has to do with it. (Speaking of reading and learning about creativity and learning: I’m just finishing up The Element by Sir Ken Robinson for #geniushour chat on Wednesday, January 2, at 8:00 p.m.)

Tonight my husband and I had three little girls come over for some fun, food, and fellowship while their parents went out to eat and to a movie. They brought a bunch of new toys and fun things to do, and we did almost all of what they brought. There was one thing we didn’t do, though. Here are some things the four-year-old said, which will show why…

“I brought all these coloring books, but I don’t want to use them.”
“Do you have any plain white paper?”
“Can we hang them up?”
“Doesn’t our art museum look nice?

I was tickled that she was so creative and had so much fun. Her two sisters (ages 1 and 2) and my husband and I were creating up a storm too. I was impressed that Keith just kept going in and getting more paper whenever they ran out.

One of the things I did on my paper was to make dots and connect them, and Miss A asked me what I was doing. I told her about the video I watched yesterday where Vi Hart connected dots and made really beautiful mathematical creations. She was curious. I made a graph for her to connect some dots.


We had so much fun! Creativity and learning. It was happening here tonight. And I’m glad the coloring books stayed in the bag.

6 thoughts on “Creativity and Learning

  1. Denise,

    My mom was a K-12 art teacher for 30 years, and she would love this post!! Early drawing skills strengthen pre reading skills. My mom can also use the drawings of young children to diagnose reading difficulties. I think if parents knew the power of the blank page they wouldn’t buy so many coloring books. (However, I must admit I love coloring books, even as an adult. All things in moderation, right.)

    Thanks for a great post!

    Laura

    1. Laura,
      How exciting that sounds! Maybe I’ll teach preschool someday. Hmmm! I’m always open to what’s next for me. Thanks for sharing with me, and sharing my post with Jessica too.

      Denise

  2. Denise,
    Most of my life has been spent in the K-2 world. My favorite kids were the ones who were imagining, dreaming, and creating. The ones who took shoe boxes and made dragons, cities, and whatever else that would come up in conversations.
    Those were the same kids who dove into books and fearlessly wrote their own which I would publish.
    Thanks for bringing back some great memories!
    Happy New Year my friend!
    JoAnn

    1. JoAnn,
      I didn’t realize that about you. Most of my experience has been in grades 2-3. We have both been ‘promoted,’ haven’t we?

      I do love and miss the abandon with which the young children create and learn. That’s why genius hour is so important for older kids. I’m on a mission to re-teach them what they used to know when they were little.

      Thanks to you! And Happy New Year to you too.
      I’ll look forward to when you get back to blogging.
      Denise

  3. This is why I can NEVER print out my newsletters…the preschoolers use every last piece of printer paper:) They also love construction paper, and the old rolls of adding machine paper someone gave me! Blank paper, please! Great post.
    Jessica

    1. Jessica,
      Thanks so much for visiting my preschool post!

      When do you think children quit the “blank paper” mantra, and start coloring in the lines, afraid to make a mistake? Their creativity goes slightly dormant, I believe.

      Thanks again,
      Denise

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