It’s time to cast aside the ideas of colouring inside the lines. It’s time for us to eliminate the traditional cookie-cutter approach to arts and crafts and encourage kids to explore and create on their own. We need to accept when kids think outside the box and understand that their worlds of pink oceans and blue suns are a glimpse into the creative and imaginative world of a child.
When we utilize the open-endedness of art and allow kids the freedom to create without boundaries, we can empower them to express themselves and open their thoughts and feelings to the world. Kids can create tangible, shareable forms of communication while they build lifelong skills. Therefore, it is important to bring art to the classroom, home, and wherever inspiration strikes.
What Is Open-Ended Art?
Open-ended art is anything you can imagine. It’s art without preconceptions or expectations. It offers a way for us to give children a collection of materials and the freedom to create and explore with their own imaginations.
Open-ended art follows a classic adage we all know, it’s about the journey, not the destination. Open-ended art encourages kids to explore the creative process, promoting self-expression and creativity without pushing toward a particular outcome. This strategy helps kids learn about their creative process, preferences, and abilities, instead of keeping in the lines and aiming for a specific result.
It’s important to understand that open-ended art can result in some quirky results. You may not even be able to recognize what has been created with your grown-up, adult eyes. All you need to do is ask, and any child will be thrilled to explain what their arrangements, colour splashes, and collages mean to them!
