Preschool Art: It's the Process, Not the Product!

I am not an artsy-craftsy person, but I am not going to let that stop me from getting my son's little paws deep in paint or covered in glue. This book is great for a beginner like me, but to say that its usefulness is limited to beginners is to sell it short. There are lots of great ideas here and many variations listed. Each of the almost 250 projects gets its own 8-1/2" by 11" page and has numerous line illustrations to clarify techniques and materials. The page is organized into a Materials list, a Process list, and Variations, and includes hints to make the project easier (such as cleanup tips or materials that can be reused). Icons on each page indicate the suggested age, how much time is needed to prepare ahead of time, whether or not extra assistance may be needed, whether or not caution is required (for sharp, hot or electrical materials), and whether it is one of the author's favorites, based on its being extra fun, extra fascinating, or extra easy and creative. The book would be great if that was all there was to it, but value has been added by the wonderful organization and indexing. First, the Table of Contents is organized into basic projects (like chalk drawing and watercolors), followed by seasonal projects. And the indexes at the back are great: first, the Project Index lists projects alphabetically; next, a Materials Index lists them by -- materials (so if you want to do something with buttermilk, for example, you can find a project easily); finally, an Art Medium Index categorizes projects by medium -- drawing, painting, clay, sculpture, collage, craft or construction. These indexes make it terribly easy to find just the right project you're looking for! In the Introduction the author discusses her philosophy of emphasizing process over product in children's art, and gives some advice on how to talk to your children about their projects. This book is an invaluable resource from cover to cover. I do not think you will ever regret purchasing this book. Very highly recommended.

When I started working with preschoolers in an ESL group, I needed some craft ideas to round out each of my lessons. After doing some research, I chose to buy this book via Amazon. What I appreciate most about this book can be found in the author's Special Note (she even allows you to duplicate it!) Here the foundation is laid...it's the process and not the finished product. You can learn as much through the materials as you can from the art you and the kids create. If I'm teaching an idea, the heart of this book certainly helps me convey my message to my students. The layout of each art experience is presented in a clear way and the use of icons is helpful in deciding which craft is age and time appropriate. Hey, I even taught words and concepts using each "recipe". As a teaching aid, I give this book a definite "thumbs up".

Nice book with great ideas for different ages. I had appreciated some colorful photographs to illustrate the cool projects. That would have been perfect.

I got this book and another book for an early childhood education curriculum class teaching activity for art ideas. I much prefer this book over the other one that I bought at the same time. This book has a ton of ideas and it lists the ages that the children can participate in the various activities. I remember some of these from my childhood as I had forgotten about doing some of these exact projects until reading about them. If you have young children and want something for them to do versus watch tv this book is a must have for your collection. You have a wide range of art projects to chose from and some of them will not cost very much to do. It lets the kids get messy, have a good time and they learn things too in the process. It's a great book to have on hand too as a preschool teacher as it will give you some ideas to do various art projects with your students. This book tells you how much planning will have to go into each activity, the materials you need to do it and if the item requires drying overnight or perhaps several days.

I am a certified P-12 art educator. I got this book because for the first time ever I was going to be teaching preschoolers. To me, most the ideas were.....more complex than my 3-4 year olds could handle, a little bit old school and too crafty. I whole heartedly believe in process art instead of product art (crafts), I just haven't found this book to be all I was hoping for to aid me with my class. That being said, if you are a preschool teacher, or someone not "trained" in art, I do think this book would be helpful to you. Additionally, this book would be a good resource for a homeschool mom, or a mom wishing to do more indepth things than coloring with young children. There are several things that require hot water, or melted crayons. These are things I would do with my own kids, but not so much with my class of 16. So, depending on your needs, this book may or may not be for you.

I like art, but I don't know how to teach it. My preschool daughter LOVES drawing and painting, so I picked this up from the library. If you use it like a curriculum, it does take you through basics (like free painting), but in an organized way. It also builds on basics so kids can learn how to use different materials creatively. We did one or two pages every day, and we both love it. I will definitely buy it, especially if we have more kids!

When my kids were preschoolers we did a project from this book every single day. They learned to love the process of art as opposed to being fixated on the product. As a result, my kids are not afraid to experiment with different media and to take risks with their art, even though they are way past the preschool years. Ms Kohl's books are all superb, but this one is my favorite. I now buy this book as gifts for parents with preschoolers.

Some interesting art projects are found in this book. Some of them I can use in my preschool class others are much more detailed than I prefer to use.

A really useful wee book for art ideas. Mine is second hand and in decent condition. It follows a progression and, usefully, lists what you need for each task so you can be prepared. I use it with my 4 year old granddaughter and we're having great fun!

Great book of craft ideas to keep your offspring entertained. Something for everybody from simple to more complicated. Best to check you have all stuff you need first though, as it can be disappointing if you run out of something half way through your project like I did.

The author has really thought about what practitioners need and what kids enjoy doing. The ideas are arranged by season but can also be searched by type of activity (e.g. malleable) or by material used. Key information for each project is displayed clearly (e.g. suitable ages, time taken, risks). A very useful resource.

Good product, very big, lots of ideas to do with kids. Black and white pictures

This is a must if you have a creative child. I am a retired teacher and I would have loved to have this book for Early Years and Key Stage 1... some bits are adaptable to Key Stage 2 as well. My Grandchildren are going to get spoiled!