Getting them to engage in activities

[Inspired by Reggio]

IME when 'creative art' is about the PROCESS of exploration for children and not focused on an 'END PRODUCT' of a cute little 'animal' or other theme related thing they will sit for quiet a long time exploring with various mediums ... offering children time to explore creative mediums and just 'create and discover' with them can keep them engaged for a long time ... cause they are learning and discovering and trial and error with it - some kids get frustrated and walk away others are determined to get it to 'do something'.

I have kids who will explore in finger paint on a laminated sheet of paper or a cookie sheet for over 30 minutes or more ... because it is not just paper the long exploration does not cause deterioration' and the paint does not dry up on them and make them frustrated both things that shorten kids desire to play ... than if I add stuff TOO the finger paint like a car or blocks or something else they 'like to explore with' to make different 'marks' with it will extend the exploration ... or let them start off with paint and than add 'sugar' or 'coffee' or some other texture and explore again.

I am a creative soul at heart - my crew can easily spend an hour at the creative table exploring ... I offer a creative medium AT LEAST twice a day - once in the playroom where I set the table up for TWO friends to explore and you can come if you want to or not and again as a 'group activity' before lunch but again if t hey do not want to engage in it they do not have to they can watch TV instead while I get lunch together.

That said while we do ART daily I only ever send home one 'product' a week to parents .... the rest of the time we work on reusable surfaces to explore and when we are done I wash them off for the next day .... because it is about the process for them they do not care about it five minutes after they are done they have moved on - and if someone creates something they are specially proud of and want to show mom and dad we take a picture of it for them to 'see' and than clean it up ... works great and saves some trees too boot!