From the creator of the bestselling Anti-Coloring Book series with more than 600,000 copies sold, a new parenting guide to encouraging creativity in preschool-age children Young at Art is the first and only comprehensive book for the general audience about the nature, value and impact of art on very young children. Directed towards parents and educators of one to five year olds, Susan Striker explains why children's art is not a frill, but the very foundation upon which all later fundamental skills are built. She drives home the idea that encouraging children's artistic growth will have beneficial effects on all other aspects of their emotional and intellectual development. At the core of this practical guide is the understanding that art is an important tool in teaching young children crucial concepts related to self-expression, reading and writing. As opposed to more structured exercises, such as coloring on dittos and underlining pictures in workbooks, Striker stresses that scribbling and free drawing experiments are the most important art activities a child can engage in; they better prepare children to read independently as they grow. Young at Art provides descriptions for age-appropriate art activities, tips for carrying them out safely, and helps parents recognize what a child's art work should look like at each stage of development. With Young at Art , parents will develop realistic expectations of their children's work, learn how to speak to their children about their art, and facilitate skills well beyond their creativity that will benefit children. Filled with great ideas and enthralling art activities, Young at Art introduces parents and caregivers to a fascinating world that Montessori teachers will find wonderfully familiar. Author Susan Striker created the delightfully different Anti-Coloring Book series and now turns her considerable talents to explaining concepts of child development in a manner that all of us can enjoy. She passionately believes that children can use artistic tools and methods as gateways to all forms of learning, from vocabulary building to early math skills and improved dexterity, and cautions parents to rethink the way we look at art materials. Pipe cleaners form wire sculptures far more detailed than their typical role as bug antenna, and toddlers can have a better experience painting with only one or two colors than they would with an entire palette that instantly turns a muddy brown. Including a wide range of group and individual activities for all age ranges (and even songs to sing during cleanup time), this book is a priceless addition to an art-loving family. Jill Lightner Art educator Striker, best known for her popular "Anti-Coloring Book" series, here outlines numerous ways to help toddlers experience art. Interestingly, while she stresses thinking "outside of the box," Striker still offers "Ten Cardinal Rules for Teaching Creative Art." These generally conflict with our societal norms (e.g., Rule No. 6 says, "Never give a child coloring books. There is no value for a child completing something another person created"), so they may be hard for some parents to swallow. She also provides suggestions on how to comment encouragingly on children's artwork, but they seem oddly neutral. Rather than saying how pretty a cloud is, for instance, the author proposes remarking on the sketch's color and shape because the child may not have drawn a cloud at all. Striker, too, is opposed to the use of safety scissors, which may make some preschool teachers uncomfortable. This work would have also benefited from more defined and colorful illustrations and photographs (only black-and-white pencil sketches are present). But while the author's progressivism can be off-putting, Young at Art will give larger public libraries and those supporting childhood educators an important alternative to the many "copycat" pattern books on the market. Readers will indeed find value in Striker's comprehensive bibliography of art books and resources for young children, charts for educators about artistic concepts, and ideas on making art connections. Recommended. Lisa Powell Williams, Moline P.L., IL Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. Susan Striker is the author of the best-selling Anti-Coloring Book series. In 1984, she founded Young at Art, a private art school in Manhattan. Ms. Striker teaches elementary school art in Greenwich, Connecticut. Young at Art Teaching Toddlers Self-Expression, Problem-Solving Skills, and an Appreciation for Art By Susan Striker Henry Holt and Company Copyright © 2001 Susan Glaser Striker All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-8050-6697-5 Contents Title Page, Epigraph, Introduction, CHAPTER 1 - Drawing, CHAPTER 2 - Painting, CHAPTER 3 - Printing, CHAPTER 4 - Paper, CHAPTER 5 - Sculpture, CHAPTER 6 - Exploring Color, CHAPTER 7 - Exploring Shapes and Art Concepts, CHAPTER 8 - Birthday Parties and Group Activities, CHAPT