Paper Exploration in The Art Studio

In the Art Studio at Duane Street, Kate has the pleasure of working with each child once a week in small groups. The school year started with an in-depth study of sand. Sand’s fluidity was activated by young hands holding funnels and cups to explore its water-like nature when poured and transferred into different volumed containers. Natural materials collected from the beaches, parks, and forests near and far were also offered to the children to use with sand. The children explored the beautiful browns and textures of natural materials; some children made games of hiding and finding rocks and shells, and others created designs and arrangements or began story-telling play. Materials and their properties lead the children’s explorations and discoveries in the Duane Art Studio. Rich materials captivate young hands, and as they study how something feels they can explore language to describe new textures. These qualities of the materials also ignite the imagination and wonder. The WMS Materials Collection includes natural materials, fabrics, wood, metals, ceramic, plastic, and paper-based materials.

Tools can also help the work of young children as they develop their hand strength and hand-eye coordination. The Art Studio experience at Duane focuses largely on these two elements - tools and materials. Kate can be heard saying that our hands are our first tools - certainly children’s first hammers! 

In December, Kate began to introduce a new material study to the children - Paper! Children were sent home with an empty bag and families were invited to fill it with paper found at home and have the child return it. The Art Studio paper collection quickly grew to include tissue paper, newspaper, kraft paper, recycled artwork, wrapping paper, gift boxes and packaging, paper towel tubes and envelopes, plane tickets, and Broadway playbills. The children were invited to begin testing, deconstructing, and transforming the paper with their hands, hole punchers, scissors, and perforators. Cardboard tubes have become firehouses, canes for walking, chutes for paper straws, and sound makers, offering rich dramatic play opportunities for the children. Kate documents these moments and interests to use for reflection and to guide the preparation of the studio environment - the Reggio Emilia tenet that the environment is the third teacher.

The Reggio Emilia philosophy tenets guide Kate’s role with the children. Her favorite tenet this year has been her belief that each child is capable and strong and an individual with their own unique understanding of how to learn.