1. The importance of early art
早期艺术培养的重要性
Toddlerhood provides a valuable window of opportunity for kids to learn and develop the skills they need to succeed in life. Early literacy doesn’t just revolve around teaching children how to recite letters, read, and count – art can have a profound affect on their literacy, and development as well.
小朋友在蹒跚学步期学习和培养的技能，为成就生活提供了一个富有价值的机会之窗。 为了培养儿童早期的读写能力，我们不仅仅要以教会儿童如何朗诵，阅读和数数为中 心，还要注重艺术在其中的深刻影响。
The importance of exposing kids to art early in life is often undervalued. But giving young children an appreciation for art encourages exploration, self expression, logical thinking, self-esteem, imagination, and creativity. Early art experiences also teach kids to think openly, create new meaning, be more tolerant of others’ differences, and gives them the courage to take risks. Here’s how to encourage art appreciation in your young child, and make the most out of those crucial learning years. 早期艺术在儿童生命中的重要性常常被低估。但对艺术的热爱有助于激发儿童的探索 欲，自我表达，逻辑思维，自尊自信，想象力和创造力。早期艺术体验也能教会儿童开 放性思维，创造新的意义，容人之不同，有勇气去冒险。这里有关于如何充分利用关键 学习年龄段，激发儿童在早期艺术鉴赏的方法。
2. Provide Creative Materials 提供创造性的材料
“Toddlers thrive when they create, experiment, and discover things they enjoy,” says daycare owner Camilla Brown. This is why giving them access to open-ended art materials is important. Art materials in the home shouldbe varied and abundant. Some of these materials can include:
“当学步儿童在创造和体验以及发现他们喜欢的东西时，他们正茁壮成长”，日托管理 者Camila Brown说。这就是为什么提供开放式的艺术材料非常重要。在家的艺术材料 应该丰富多样。这样的材料应该包括：
• washable paints 可水洗颜料
• markers 马克笔
• crayons 蜡笔
• paintbrushes 画刷
• modeling clay 粘土
• construction paper 卡纸
• glue 胶水
• colored tissue paper 彩色面巾纸
• shoe boxes 鞋盒
• paper towel tubes 纸巾筒
• sponges 海绵
• empty water bottles 空水杯
• chalk粉笔
• paper plate纸盘
• scrap paper 纸条
• collage materials 拼贴材料
3. Open-ended comments 开放性评论
After each art project, encourage your toddler to explore his creation in depth by making open-ended comments such as, “Tell me about your painting.” Remember, it’s the process of creating art that young children learn from, not the end product. So no matter how tempting, never criticize or judge your toddler’s artwork.
在每次艺术活动之后，你都可以使用开放性的评论，鼓励儿童去探索他的创意深度，例 如：“说说你的作品”，记住，儿童需要从创作艺术作品的过程中学习，而不是结果。因 此，无论多么诱惑，决不要批评或判断你的儿童的作品的好坏。
4. Creation environment and supervise 创作环境及监督
Toddler art creations are messy. So to make cleanup easier, put his work area in a place such as the kitchen, or a non-carpeted area of the playroom. Cover the workspace with newspaper, or a vinyl tablecloth. And provide your child with old clothes that you don’t mind him messing up.
学步儿童的作品创作得很凌乱。因此把他的作品放在类似厨房和非毛毯的玩具室等地 方，在创作区域铺上报纸或乙烯桌布，给儿童提供你不介意他弄脏的衣服，都会让清理 变得更容易。
Since toddlers are prone to putting things in their mouths, always sit with your child so you can supervise closely during art projects and use nontoxic materials. When your toddler completes his masterpieces, hang them around the house at his eye level for him to enjoy.
因为学步儿童倾向于把东西放在他们嘴里，因此你可以坐在旁边密切监督艺术物品，同 时使用无毒的材料。当完成了他的杰作，把它们悬挂在他们视线水平以内，以便他欣 赏。
5. Visit Art Museums 参观艺术博物馆
Art museums not only help kids appreciate the visual aspect of art, it helps them develop emotional, verbal, and social skills. Art museums also improve children’s understanding of shapes, textures, and dimensions. You can opt for a traditional art museum, or you can take your toddler to one that caters to children. During your visit, encourage critical thinking in your little one by asking him to discuss what he observes during his visit to the museum. You can ask, “What do you think the artist was thinking about when he painted this picture?” Or “Why do you think the artist selectedthese colors?”
艺术博物馆不仅能帮助儿童亲身欣赏艺术作品，而且帮助他们发展情绪管理，口头表达 以及社交能力。艺术博物馆也能提高孩子对形状，质地和尺寸的理解。你能可以选择传 统的艺术馆，或者你能带上学步儿童去那些儿童专区。在参观过程中，你可以通过与他 讨论他在参观过程中所观察到的东西进行提问，来发展儿童的批判性思维。你可以提 问，“你觉得艺术家在创作这个作品时是怎样想的？”或者“你觉得艺术家为什么会选择这 些颜色？”
6. Read Wordless Picture Books 看无字的图画书
“Pictures can interpret stories, convey meaning, communicate ideas, and express emotion without the use of words,” says early childhood teacher Amanda Harris. And there’s no better way to reinforce this than to make wordless picture books a part of your toddler’s book collection. When you’re introducing wordless books to your toddler, allow him to examine the pictures and come to his own conclusion about the story being told.
“插图能解释故事，传达含义，沟通想法和用非语言表达情感。”早教老师Amanda Harris说。而且对于加强这点，没有比把无字的图书作为学步儿童的收藏书更好的方 式。当你在讲故事时，应当允许他自己查证并得出自己的结论。
Providing plenty of art materials, taking your youngster to art museums, and reading books without words are all ways to give your child the early art experiences he needs to grow into a well-rounded individual.
提供大量的艺术材料，带儿童去艺术馆，读无字的图书都是很好的给儿童提供早期艺术 体验的方式，而这些体验可以帮助儿童全面发展。
7. Other Activities to Encourage Early Art in Toddlers 其他培养儿童早期艺术素养的活动
Personal Wordless Picture Book: 属于儿童个人的无字图书：
- Let your toddler draw some pictures, collect them in a binder, and encourage him to make up stories about the pictures. 让儿童自己画一些图，用粘胶收集起来，并鼓励他为这些画编故事。
Hands or Feet Painting: 手印或脚印画：
- Spread butcher paper on the floor. Put some washable paint in a shallow pan, and let your toddler use his feet to paint with. 把牛皮纸铺在地上。在画盘上放些可水洗的颜料，让儿童用脚画。
Musical Painting: 音乐绘画：
- Turn on some classical grooves, and let your toddlers paint to the beat of the music. 放一些经典的旋律，并让儿童根据音乐节拍画画。
Non-Traditional Painting: 非传统绘画：
- Give your toddler a few non-traditional items such as a clean deodorant roller bottle, toothbrush, Q-tip, and a flyswatter, and let him paint with each one of the items. 给儿童一些非传统的物品，例如干净无臭的滚瓶，棉签，一个苍蝇拍，并给他用其中一 些材料去绘画。
Toddler Mural: 儿童壁画：
- Line an entire wall with butcher paper and tape it securely in place. Give your toddler a crayon, and let him draw to his heart’s content. 在某个地方把整堵墙涂上漆或贴上牛皮纸，固定好，给儿童一支笔，并让他们随心所 画。
Food Collage: 食物拼贴画：
- Gather dry food items such as cereal, popcorn, and macaroni noodles. Let your toddler glue the food on a piece of card stock to create a masterpiece. 收集干燥的食物，如谷物，玉米和通心粉。让儿童将那些食物放在一张卡片纸上创作属 于自己的杰作。