I hope some of you have some ideas, because I am so beyond frustrated!

I have posted about DCB before. I still think he has some issues, but he has learned all of his uppercase and lowercase letters (by sight), and can now say the alphabet. He has learned his numbers (by sight) to 20 and can now count to 40.

What he can't do is follow directions in any setting. He also can't seem to play by himself without talking to me constantly about what he is doing. Sending him to play in the playroom is like torture to him.

But art seriously has me about to throw in the towel. I have finally got him taught how to hold scissors, he still doesn't use them well, but he hasn't been exposed before coming here. Following directions... Not happening. Today we did the paper plate where you cut the center out, cut ears from the center and glue them on and the whiskers. I practically have to hold his hand and help him glue anything. You tell him "glue that on" and he looks at you like you have six eyes. All he needs to do is push it on the glue sponge and put it on his art, but unless you tell him with every piece and sometimes take his hand and help him, he won't (or can't?) do it?

He needs to be doing the art as far as I am concerned to help him learn some independence I think? But I am so frustrated by it. Every. single. art. project. goes this way. He is my only all day kiddo right now, the rest are before and after school so the only one doing art. It is so frustrating to prep art projects and then practically have to do it for him. Ideas? Thoughts? Advice?

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Maybe doing some open ended things with him.

Glue on paper and then scrunching up tissue paper squares to put on. You can help him with the glue or just get him to do it however he wants.

I did mosaics this way, too. Precut shapes in lots of different colours. Put gluestick all over the paper and then stuck them on.

Cut out shapes for the mosaics. Get some scissor practice in but it doesn't have to be a set design or cut.

How are his fine motor skills? I had a little guy start with not a lot of experience with any art stuff and we did a lot of playdough to build up strength. Still do a lot of playdough. It's his favourite thing. He struggled at the beginning with getting any movement with the dough at all and over the past year has progressed to making tiny balls, rolling out skinny snakes, etc.

Blank paper and crayons/markers.

Blank paper, paint, and different utensils to paint with (we use everything but paint brushes).

Hope that gives you some ideas.

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I would give instruction. Provide some reminding and let it end up how it ends up. Smile big, put it w everyone elses and call it a day.
Art isn't about making a paper plate cat. It's about experiencing different media and placing that media how or where it feels right. And not everyone can do a craft. Nor should they be expected to.
Maybe he has a different expression for his talents.
If it's scissor control you're working on maybe a different type of practice would be better. Letting him go hog wild w an old magazine. Experiencing the way the paper feels between the fingers, scissors, fists.
If he chooses to not use scissors the world won't end.

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I agree with the others. Maybe finding something artsy that he wants to do would help? I have had kids like this who just cannot do art. I usually start really small and with zero direction. Paint is a big draw for most kids so how about letting him loose with some paint? Then maybe markers and crayons? Then graduate to glue. I always start glue projects by putting the glue on for them and then giving them a bunch of collage materials to put on the paper with lots of encouragement. The next step is putting glue in a little container with a coffee stir stick so they can glue themselves how they want. Be patient about gow much glue they use because they usually go crazy at first

As for scissors can you get a pair of those scissors that only need to be squeezed without having to put thumbs and fingers in? That might be a good start and start small with him cutting strips of paper making little squares. Most kids find that fun and it is pretty easy to do.

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The thing is I give instruction, and then he sits there and looks at me or the art, won't touch it. He will use scissors, but as far as picking something up and gluing it, nope! Doing something with what he cut? He acts like he has no clue what the instruction was. He will cut it out and say "now am I done?" and sit there and stare at me.

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I would smile and say. Ok. I hope you liked it. Would you like to watch the others finish or go read a book.
I would stop giving so much extra attention. He's choosing to not participate. And getting extra attention for it.
Maybe making it a non issue will encourage him to do more?

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You might be onto something. Since he is the only one he can't watch the others. But I could just put art away. He does have some attention seeking behaviors so maybe that is what this is. His sister is the same way has to constantly be talking to me, or making noises so I notice them. I am wondering if they get any attention at home.

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Agree. Don't let it frustrate you! Just let it go... lol

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I'll try! I guess the reason it frustrates is me is because when he starts kindy in the fall, I know they will expect him to follow directions and work somewhat independently. I so want him to be ready to succeed in kindy. But I guess I have to accept that I can't do it all. I know parents don't work with him at all, or big sis for that matter. She is in first grade and doesn't even recognize all the letters yet. It made me so mad one night when dad said "I have been working hard with him in the evenings". When mom told me "we haven't worked with him at all" and the kids say "mom and dad don't want to do learning with us".

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Give him opportunities to hone is emerging skills verses expecting something concrete.

Give him scissors and a bunch of scrap paper. Tell him to cut until he can't cut the paper any smaller. Give him squiggly lines to try and follow with the scissors...(Pinterest is great for scissor practice sheets...)

Give him a single instruction.
Work on mastering that.
Give him 2 step instructions.
Work on mastering that.

Etc etc...

Knowing the skills you have completed is good but being HIGHLY skilled in those areas is better.

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Here are some great tips and information from the Ooey gooey lady

http://www.ooeygooey.com/handouts/art.pdf

Great info from NAEYC about process art:

http://www.naeyc.org/tyc/article/pro...rt-experiences

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I say open ended art too. Let him just do whatever he wants. Maybe it's just not his thing. Maybe he doesn't care about doing it. You could sit side-by-side with him and just happily create and see if he models you. Maybe it would take the pressure off him and he'd start having fun creating along side of you.

He is certainly old enough. Maybe it's because he's the only one. I've taught 4k and I never saw a child his age that couldn't do the type of things you are asking but some who were not all that interested.

Kids here are in full time public 4k at his age. I know they would think he has a delay if he can't do those types of things. There's a difference between can't and won't.

I see posts of what their 3k kids are doing. Cutting all these pieces out and placing them just so. I always wonder where is the creativity. They push those kids hard!

Good luck!

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I do believe in open ended art and we do it often. But I guess I am somewhat caving to parents and I shouldn't I guess. It seems the parents want to see all these great things their kids are doing. I guess to me it doesn't really matter as long as they are learning the skills that art teaches.

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How old is he? Does he follow other instructions such as 'Put the block on the shelf. Sit in the chair. Pick the book up off of the floor.? Is it that he truly does not understand simple commands or that either he has no clue what art project commands such as 'Put glue on this.' means or that he just doesn't like doing art projects and just wants to go play with toys.

By you saying that he didn't do art projects before coming to your daycare and that all the other children in your care are at school all day, it might just be that he hasn't obtained an understanding or interest in art and doesn't see the 'fun' of it yet. He might be more -so thinking, "Why are you telling me to do this weird stuff (art) that I've never done before and when can I just go play because I understand and enjoy playing."

Since there are no other children showing off their art projects to get him excited about showing his 'friends' his art project, maybe while you are helping him to make his project, you can make your art project alongside him as if you were another child. While you are making your project, show him how excited and how neat it is to make your project (like a child would) to try to get him to feel that doing his project is interesting, fun, and exciting.

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I would do open art almost exclusively but would do things like you are describing simply to teach following directions, so I get what you are saying.

Do you have one made ahead that he can reference? At first I didn't do that and then realized that the picture in my head of how it was supposed to look wasn't helping the children visualize it unless they were mind readers, lol.

So I always had one made ahead or made my own alongside them so they would get what I was asking them to do. That could be the problem. I think one made ahead is best so they get that the circle you are pasting is an eye and should go where an eye normally goes on a face.

I am also curious as to whether he can follow directions if they don't relate to art.

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Sometimes he can follow directions, other times he can't. I know something is off with him, but his parents are in denial and refuse to take him to the doctor. I haven't done one made ahead, but will consider doing that in the future.

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I actually believe that making a finished product for him to copy and try to imitate is going in the opposite direction of what you where you want to be going. I would not model (no sitting beside and making something he could never replicate and therefore be made to feel inadequate) and I would not make a finished product with step by step instructions on how to get there. That isn't art. That isn't creative. I don't want to offend- I'm just being honest. Art and creativity is using items however your mind chooses and doing what you want. This will be so beneficial in many areas- and doing the opposite (directing the art) is detrimental in so many ways, it seems clear what is the better choice. If he is able to use his own ideas without any hopes of any final product (on your end), he will develop creativity, decision making, and problem solving. He will hypothesize, test, experiment. He will take pride in using his own ideas and seeing his own work- self confidence and self esteem boosted. All he will get out of a directed project is how to follow your directions, and the fine motor he will get either way; but also from the directed art he will have diminished self confidence because he will definitely not make his as good as yours. Also he'll miss out on all the decisions, testing, experiments, self expression, FUN, etc. Art should be done only for the process, not the product.

If the parents want viewable evidence of his artistic development, take photos while he plays with real art materials: paint, play doh, shaving cream, water with cornflour, scissors cutting strips. These artistic processes will provide nothing to keep, but take pictures. You can frame them and hang them or email, text or print and give the photos to parents. If you really want to teach following directions, try giving directions at other, non-creative times. For example: "Put your shoes on the bottom shelf and hang your hat on the peg there, thanks!" Etc...

I wanted to add that if he is alone with no other kids and you say 'go do art' or 'go do toys', I think, it makes sense that he doesn't want to do anything. It would be super lonely and boring. Granted children need to develop a sense of Independence and need some time to be on their own, not entertained by others. But, they also really need to be interacting a lot more than they need time alone. A lot more. I don't think you are ignoring him or leaving him alone all day, but I can see why he isn't doing anything. Children always want a toy that is 'in play', right? As you have it now, there is never a toy 'in play'. They don't care about the baby stroller that's been sitting there all morning until someone makes it interesting by playing with it, then EVERYBODY wants that stroller! Then they have conflict, communication, problem solving, resolving, turn taking, waiting a turn, etc. That's how they develop in all the ways they need to. And when they do develop all those ways thru organic interactions, they learn the cognitive skills necessary to follow directions, etc. They don't need instruction, lessons, table time, circle time, group time, yoga, Spanish, crafts or math time to learn it. They learn it from.....play!!!! If you read all that, thank you! Off my 'play' soap box for today Calcare

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YES YES A thousand times YES

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Well this is spring break so the girls are here they are kindy and first grade and crafts if their favorite thing to do here, besides field trips. So we will be doing some art projects. We are doing the toilet paper tube bunnies. I have cut strips of upholstery samples for them to glue around the tubes, I precut some in ear shapes and have goggliy eyes and cotton balls to glue on. So I will show show it to them then tell/show them what I did and let them go to town.


They will want more art time than that. So they will probably get my "creative" box. Which is pipe cleaners, ribbon, stickers, yarn, foam shapes and letters, etc and some paper and glue and tape. That always keeps them happy for awhile also.

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So today we did the two art projects. The one where we made a project. He did do better with the SA kids here, to model the process for him. The afternoon art, I printed off Easter egg shapes for them to decorate and cut out. Gave them all the normal stuff, stickers, pom poms, ribbon, yarn whatever. I was impressed when he cut out the shape of his egg he did great with cutting. I did have to show him again how to hold the scissors properly. And then he wrote his own name on the back. We have worked hard on that! Of course it was written the way a kiddo that turns five tomorrow writes his name, but that is how it is supposed to be!

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