Why is craft so important?

Craft time is a very important part of most toddler groups, for both the children and the adults.

First and foremost, children love creating things - even if they appear to simply be experts in the art of 'mess'!

Craft, however, isn't just about entertaining the children in your group. It's a 'first-hand learning experience,' which is part of their early education and development. Seen in this way, it fulfils some, if not all, of the criteria in the Foundation Stage Curriculum. Here are the criteria:

• Personal, social and emotional development (PSE)
• Communication, language and literacy
• Problem solving, numeracy and reasoning
• Knowledge and understanding of the world
• Physical development
• Creative development

Creative development goes without saying, but the others perhaps require a little more thought. Toddlers will develop their fine motor skills through crayoning, cutting and sticking. Experiencing a range of materials expands their 'knowledge and understanding of the world'. Sharing the equipment or working on a single project together will involve PSE skills, whilst discussing their work requires communication and language. Finally, it is possible to include numeracy if you encourage them to count the items they have used or the patterns they have made.

Maximise the educational value by giving the children a chance to develop their imaginations. Some crafts may look beautiful when assembled 'properly', but a well-designed craft will also allow the child their own choices, e.g. of colours and patterns.

Here are 4 ways in which craft time can also be important for the adults:

• Many parents shy away from making crafts at home because they don't feel artistic enough or they dislike the mess. They do, however, appreciate the opportunity to experiment with glitter, paint and playdough outside their own home!
• Encourage the parents to help with the preparation and cutting out. As well as involving them in the group, this shows them that doing craft at home doesn't need to be complicated.
• Use craft time to develop communication. Try to ask open-ended questions: for example, don't ask "What is it?" but say, "Tell me about your picture" and encourage the parents to do the same.
• Finally, craft time can even provide quieter moments to chat to the parents in an otherwise busy and noisy toddler group.

Fiona Burt

Last Updated 18 December 2009