Visual arts play an important role in early childhood education as they encourage the development of fine motor skills, creative thinking, spatial awareness, and aesthetic expression. In my thesis, I initially focused on interdisciplinary integration between visual arts and natural sciences in preschool, as well as on art as a field of activity. I then explored painting and sculpture in greater detail, with a particular emphasis on the characteristics of collage and relief.
In the empirical part, I conducted a study in which I analysed children's creative works and examined the differences between the techniques of collage and relief made from natural materials. The results indicate that children more frequently used stones in collages, whereas reliefs featured a greater emphasis on sticks and leaves. Despite these differences, the findings suggest that variations in material use are not significant, as children create according to their individual preferences and the availability of materials.
When working with natural materials, children did not distinguish between collage and relief, as the final products were quite similar. They primarily focused on the creative process and used materials according to their personal inclinations. In the end, they were unable to articulate the reasoning behind their material choices, but the results suggest that certain pieces were likely selected based on their shape. This leads to the conclusion that it is crucial for educators to have a solid understanding of the topic they wish to introduce to children — in this case, collage and relief — and to carefully select appropriate materials that will facilitate children's comprehension of new knowledge.
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