How Finger Painting Weaves Magic For The Preschoolers?

We were acquainted with different forms of painting ages ago. Many studies and researches have recognized the therapeutic prospects of this artistic medium of expression. Applying colors on a plain canvas with fingers, treats the subconscious mind with a healing touch. That’s why activities like finger painting can be considered as a part of progressive education. For the comprehensive development of children, it’s important they give expression to feelings they do not communicate. Pouring within the outlines of imagination, and colors of creativity, finger painting is a perfect medium for free expression of the preschoolers in the following ways:

Teaching Other Content Areas

Finger painting isn't just a tool for artistic exposition. If you think that your child's preschool finger painting activity will only build up his artistic abilities, think again. The early childhood educator, or you as the teacher at home, can use finger painting to teach other content areas. For example, the teaching staff at Williamsburg Northside Preschool suggests that finger painting helps preschoolers to learn about basic math concepts such as shapes. Making use of the subtractive method, the preschooler can make shapes using paints and let the paper underneath show through. Another content area that preschools may encourage through finger painting is science. Preschoolers can experiment with color mixing by blending the primaries -- red, blue and yellow -- with their fingers.

Infusing Creativity

Process-based art activities like finger painting allow preschoolers to explore and experiment, which will help to take their creativity to the next level. The experimental nature of finger painting makes it a more enticing prospect for the preschoolers than the regular coloring sheets and cut-paste activities that don’t push the boundaries of imagination. Finger painting activities allows a child to produce exquisite imageries from abstract expressions and allows him/her to work with the medium, moving it around, blending it and creating anything like a family portrait to explore his own creativity.

Enhancing the Vocabulary

Vocabulary enhancement is a sure shot sign for thriving literary skills. Innovative and all-inclusive ways must be looked after for enriching the vocab instead of looking at it as a separate subject and setting aside special time for it. The preschools in Williamsburg Northside make use of the multisensory activities like the finger painting to help students learn new words. Students are made to trace the word using fingers while a teacher pronounces it loudly. This impart a visual and auditory sense to the learning process which make it easier for students to remember words. The interactive process of finger painting is a great way for the preschoolers to fine tune their color and sensory vocabulary words like slimy, squishy or sticky.