Creatures in the Wild
"Creatures in the Wild" is an art practice course designed for preschoolers, specifically for the 2021 Senior Class (ages 4–5) at the University City Experimental Kindergarten in Chongqing. Grounded in children’s cognitive development principles, the course uses shapes and colors in imagery to strengthen aesthetic abilities, helping young learners better perceive and understand the world around them.
Theoretical Framework
b. Illustration Examples
The course presents animal illustration case studies, enabling children to learn how to express themselves through drawing by applying simple shapes and color coordination principles.
Table 1-1: Basic Information of the Xingjiaqiao Community Ecological Garden
Jean Piaget suggests that children aged 2–7 are in the preoperational stage of cognitive development. At this stage, children internalize sensory-motor actions into mental representations, developing symbolic functions. They begin to use mental symbols for thinking, often substituting one object for another and personifying things, characterized by animism, egocentrism, irreversible thinking, and relative concreteness.
Drawing on these characteristics, the course uses animals as a theme to guide learning. By engaging with shapes and colors in artistic imagery, it supports and enhances the development of mental symbols at this stage. Through activities like drawing “animal coats,” children deepen their understanding of their surroundings while boosting their aesthetic abilities.
Course Implementation
Preparation
Prepare art materials, including paints, brushes, and paper.
Execution
Shape Analysis: Introduce simple shapes (e.g., squares, triangles, circles) to break down and understand the visual characteristics of animals.
Shape Analysis
Color Principles
Explore color coordination rules (e.g., analogous and contrasting colors) through animal illustration case studies.
Group Art Creation
Divide children into small groups to engage in collaborative art-making, drawing “animal coats” based on learned principles.
Sharing and Display
Encourage groups to present and showcase their artwork, fostering communication and appreciation.
Event Photos
Creative achievements
The children were highly engaged and showed great interest in the course content. However, many struggled to stay focused during the drawing activities, often completing their work hastily. Teachers could consider additional strategies to enhance engagement in this aspect.