Invitation to Paint Easels Galore

The book Ish, by Peter H. Reynolds is about a little boy named Ramon who loves to draw, but loses his confidence when his picture is laughed at by his older brother. Over & over he crumples his drawings & tosses them on the floor and is ready to give up on art. But, his younger sister has been secretly gathering the crumpled drawings & displaying them. She teaches Ramon that art isn’t about being perfect, but about thinking more -ishly! 

We wanted to inspire the children to find their inner artists just like the book, so we invited them to paint on easels galore. We covered the fence with butcher paper & made frames from recycled cardboard boxes. On the tables we put up easels with poster board & had our outdoor easels out as well. We provided Colorations Tempera Paint in the primary colors (red, yellow, blue) to explore color theories as well.

Vertical painting whether it is indoors or outdoors, is as important & essential as building, reading books, dramatic play, science, sensory, playing or any other aspect of #earlychildhooddevelopment. It provides endless rich opportunities to develop so many skills during the most formative years. Painting or writing on vertical surfaces, such as an easel or butcher paper will help a child develop the tools they will need later on when learning how to write or draw. When a child paints on a vertical surface, they are naturally encouraged to hold the brush in a more efficient & ergonomically appropriate manner. Standing @ these spaces is great for upper arm & shoulder strength, which in turn provides the wrist with more stable support. By practicing these movements, children will develop a dynamic tripod grip. This grip allows for precise finger movements, which will provide the child with more control & less fatigue/frustration during writing/drawing when they are ready to do so.

Painting vertically has a fluidity that is different from other art media. The vertical surfaces help children develop the appropriate amount of writing pressure. When painting on a vertical surface, children must apply more pressure than they would on a horizontal surface, which helps them better calibrate their grip strength & the pressure they need to apply when writing on paper. Overall, vertical surfaces like this easel provide a natural setting for children to improve their pencil grip, which will contribute significantly to their handwriting skills.

Shoulder stability is crucial in their gross motor development as it provides a solid base for the coordinated movements of the arm, forearm, & hand. When it comes to writing or any activity requiring fine motor skills, shoulder stability plays an essential role. When a child paints on an easel, their arm works against gravity. This naturally strengthens the muscles around the shoulder, promoting stability. Over time, these repeated #grossmotor movements & exposure, can contribute to enhanced shoulder stability. Integrating a vertical painting regularly into a child’s environment overall will provide an endless FUN & effective way to enhance overall #motordevelopment, all while letting children experiment & be creative through the arts.