I'm in the process of weeding out my packaged curriculum. I started using MGT this Fall and although I enjoy the cds and books and some of the themes I'm not a big fan of cookie cutter crafts and I end up doing 80% of the crafts anyway .

I want to break it to the parents that we're going to, over the next few months, stop the packaged curriculum and instead have more of a child-driven curriculum and we'll work on subjects they seem most interested in at the time. We'll also move to more free art supply access during the day for the kids and that I'll be sending home some of those free art projects and some will be placed on the walls for display.

Here are a few reasons I'm going to give for the move. Can anyone help me with some more for my email to the parents??

- Doesn't really allow for free expression
- I'm doing a good portion of the projects
- Limited supplies for each craft
- Requires everyone to do the craft at the same time (even the ones that aren't really interested) as opposed to choosing to art when they really are interested

I definitely have some parents that enjoy the cookie cutter crafts but they must know that I'm doing a majority of the projects.

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I just did the same exact thing.... I really dislike MGT crafts.... What I did was just stretch out the box over 2.5 months instead of one month. I plan other things for the rest of our day and the kids seem to like it better too.

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i basically told the parents that i wanted to encourage the children to do things more for themselves, and for them to feel capable and proud of what they can create. when i give them a "model" to copy, they feel they have to live up to "my" expectations, and are disappointed in themselves when they don't "do it right". art isnt supposed to be about "doing it right", its about freedom of expression...to me anyway.

and that is, of course, JMO

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I tried Carol's Curriculum for 2 months before finding out how mundane and "cookie cutter" as you call it the projects were. Plus I was finding out that I really enjoyed putting together my own lessons and projects. Both the kids and I are having more fun coming up with stuff on our own.

On short weeks, I have a break in the letters/numbers/shapes lessons and have a "creative week" where I put out certain art supplies and let the kids enjoy. I don't tell them what to make (which has been difficult for some, but they're getting the hang of it). I find that they're much more proud of those projects than the ones where I tell them what to do.

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I dont know I dont think they they all have to be identical, I have done a few different pakaged curriculums, and the crafts are really designed for kids 3 and up, and my 3 and 4 year olds all look different, they are all unique to themselves, we do plenty of "heres a bunch of stuff, do what you like" but the "cookie cutter ones are nice to tie into a theme, if were doing a bird and an egg, yes they get the cut outs, but they paint it and decorate it however they want, I don't think just because you have a cut out shape, it doesn';t leave any room for imagination, its just a bird craft, and not even I am talented enough to draw and cut my own bird out.........I always add my own stuff in, glitter, sequins, pom poms....I'm all for creating your own, but I think its not right to say, they have no room for unique expression .with the pakaged, I believe all through school they are going to be doing the exact same thing. Like I said I am all for making you own child driven curriculum, I think thats great, so I'm not trying to start an argument, I just disagree that theres no creativity involved, just today my son spent 1 1/2 hours decorating his cookie cutter craft, and it sure doesn't look like the kids next to him. But I do, do my own days, where like I said I just put a ton of stuff out, and let them do whatever they want, I think its a good combo of the two, I think they like making their own things, but also thoroughly enjoy, having an actual xmas tree they decorated to bring home(for example)

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i'm not one to debate on this forum, and we are all entitled to our own opinion. and i love everyone here for the simple fact that we all do have different opinions.

that being said....and please dont take offense.....

even if they are allowed to decorate the bird cut out their own way, you are still giving them a "bird" and telling them it is a "bird". creative expression is about allowing them to create what they want to, how they want to, and when they want to .

personally, and this is just me....if we were learning about birds, i would put pictures and books out that had birds in them for the chidren to reference. then all of the mediums would be out for the children to explore and create a bird with, if they so choose. (paint, crayon/paper, clay, etc.)

no two projects on the wall should look the same. when the parents come in and look at my bulletin board and go "huh?", then i know i did my job

i am also not 100% against "cookie cutter" crafts. but thats just it, they are "crafts", not "Art". there is a difference.

JMO, of course

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I discontinued MGT for the same reasons you are stating. I just let them know that I thought that some of concepts were too difficult...for example, I think we were on the bug theme and MGT was discussing the thorax...uhhh really? I'm pretty happy when they come up with bug! LOL!

I also let them know that I would prefer it if the kids did more open ended projects that were a reflection of their creativity rather than the product of my "help."

Everyone understood and appreciated my opinion...

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I do both, when we don't do a cookie craft, the kids have free rein to the art caddy. Today they were into cutting paper with my decorative siccors and gluing puff balls. I also took out these sun visors and let them decorate them with the peel puffy things. I usually let the kids do what they want, but then we do things that are cookie cutter. I think kids need variety.

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Today was my first day with MGT. My 2.5 yo and I both loved it. If I showed then pictures of birds and gave them art supplies they would do nothing. The fact that there are "cookie cutter" projects is great for me because I am not creative and love instructions. But although it has been awesome for me I can see how it would not be great for some.

It is your business and you can pick how you do the curriculum. Just write what you told us. The only thing is, if I were a parent and my child had art projects and fun facts to share when I picked up and then all of a sudden I hadnt seen a project in a few weeks I would start to think you just didnt want the work of a curriculum. Not saying this is what you want just saying what I would assume if I were a parent.

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Some art should be crafted to look like something, alot of these cookie cutter crafts are fun, and they end up being things they can play with, last month we made finger puppet little pigs, they got to cut them, and decorate them, and then put them on their fingers to sing the little pig nursery rhyme, they played with those all day, and they are still on my sons bed, open ended art is great, and all children need it, freedom of expression, but doing A craft and following the directions is also learning, and its still fun for them, my kids think the crafts are so fun, and whenever we have a painting craft for instance when they are done, the older kids continue onto something else, they lovwe doing both, they love showing mom their pigs and their own painting, I can remember being a child, and I was never a creative person, so I always loved the crafted projects my whole childhood. all through school. They are not bad,

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for most kids, art is the process, not the product... they couldnt care less what their project looked like when it is done. what matters is the process of doing it.

my son is a perfect example of a child who does not do well with the cookie cutter projects... we did the little pigs.... however, he cut them up into pieces, glued them to paper, painted every color of paint until it turned black and then put some cotton balls, glittler and beads on it... he called it a pig rolling in the mud... but it looked like a pile of scrap pieces... this is his vision, his idea and he is very proud of it, just like I am..

Now on the otherhand, there are a few kids tha I have that look at the craft and say I want the pig to look just like the instructions.. they play with it for the moment, but soon to lose interest in it... they never really get their creative side out like my son did... i dont like cookie cutter projects..

we still use mother goose time, but we dont follow the instructions most of the time and make our own art out of it...

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could you imagine telling this to Picasso or Da Vinci?

"crafts" are not bad, of course. yes, they get fine motor skills and learn from following directions, and they are fun. my SA love the craft sets from oriental trading, and they sure help keep them busy!!!! i love making crafts myself, to give as gifts and sell at craft fairs. my 8 yr old sons' favorite gifts are craft kits from Michaels.

all i'm saying is there is a difference between crafts and creative process-art.

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Oh and I said the same thing, there is a difference, I was just arguing the point that cookie cutter crafts are not bad. But I will always add free art into my pakaged curriculum, I do not follow my curriculum to a T, I add and take away quite a bit of stuff.

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I have never laid the instructions for MGT out for the children, I have children that cut the projects into pieces, generally my 2 year olds, and I don't care what they do with their projects, I just give them the stuff, and I give them and example of what it could be, and then let them have fun, the 4 year old I have, love to make the actual projects, the 2 year old, just cut a glue, and make a mess, they are free to do what they like with their materials, and theres always a pile of paper next to the table to take and draw or add in,but the 4 year old, love doing whats meant to be done. thats why I think these crafts are more for 3-4 and up. the three and unders I don't even explain things, I guide their scissors, and help only if they need help, and I never do anyones project for them.

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This is how I feel too. We did a bird week here and we painted using feathers instead of brushes, we made bird feeders, we had bird seed in the sensory table, we made "dirt and worms" for snack. All of these were hands on experiences that put the emphasis on process, not product. I do a daily blog so my parents can see pictures of their kids doing the activities and I always label the art they take home. I think this helps.

We do make more cookie cutter crafts around holidays and when we are making Christmas/Mother's Day/Father's Day gifts. I thin these are the times parents want to see a little more of a finished product. There are some days when I don't think the kids gain a darn thing from those projects though, but for whatever reason the parents love it.

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I agree on the parents part... i actually had a parent tell me. I want to see more worksheets from my 2 year old as this is what I feel I am paying your for....

uuugghhh huh what???

So yes I did give the child he silly worksheets and he scribbled on every single one of them.... mom says nothing...lol

I think alot of this is also about the parent, as parents really have no idea of ages and stages or age appropiate art activities for their child.

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I think when this happens, then it's our job to educate the parents on what is appropriate for 2-year olds. Worksheets (and cookie cutter crafts) are not appropriate for 2-year olds. I wouldn't do something that I felt was inappropriate with children. But then, parents are paying me to be their preschool teacher, so they expect and appreciate that guidance from me. If a parent was unhappy that their child was not doing worksheets or cookie cutter art in my program I would do my best to explain to them why those aren't appropriate for young children and the benefits of how I do things and all the things that they are learning. If the parent was still not happy, then my program is not for them.

With cookie cutter crafts, ok...so maybe they are learning how to follow directions. But, we do that all day long! I tell them when to get their coat on, I tell them how to wash their hands, I tell them that they have to eat all their lunch before they get seconds...young children do not need directions when it comes to art time as well.

They need to be able to freely explore materials. To see what happens when they mix playdough colors together and feel paint in their fingers and notice how they can make their letters in shaving cream.

I, myself enjoy crafts very much. I like having a finished product and I very much look forward to doing these kinds of things with my daughter when she's older. But, I would never ask a 2-3-4 or even 5 or 6 year old to make something that looks like a model. I wouldn't want her growing up thinking that that was how we do art. The main way that we should be doing art with children is allowing them to explore.

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To OP:

One thing I used to do with parents during parent orientation (when I worked at a center) was to have them imagine that they were preschoolers learning about apples.

With half of the parents I would hand them a drawn apple on red construction paper and scissors. I would ask them to cut out their apple and glue it on paper.

The other half of parents got a tray of apples. Some red apples, some green or yellow apples. Some were cut up. The parents got little plastic knives to cut up pieces of apples. They got magnifying glasses to look at the seeds. They were given dirt to plant their seeds. They were allowed to taste, touch, smell the apples.i

I would then ask the parents what they thought of their activities and what did they learn. Obviously, the parents that got to touch and taste the apples said they learned way more about apples and this moved into a great discussion of hands on active learning.

My parents have always known to not expect cookie cutter projects coming home. Instead, when we do activities like this I take tons of pics, post them on my website and document what they children were saying about it. I think the parents appreciated being informed about how young children learn best.

That said, you obviously aren't going to call all of your parents in for this activity, but you can write it up as part of your handout. A lightbulb will go off, they'll get it and probably appreciate it.

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very well said Kendallina!!!!

i have heard the reference to apples before, at a training, and it really does open your eyes to the difference between art, and crafts. the group with the picture sat quietly through the whole thing. the group with the real apples were talking and engaged, and the trainer had to actually take the apples away, so we could get back on track. it was so funny!

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So you guys think that if a kid does a cookie cutter craft, that must be all they do? like you cant cut up the apple taste look at it, examine it, and then do a craft afterwards? Like today we did eggs, and I brought out eggs during circle time, we passed them around felt how hard they were, how eggs have baby birds in them, everyone got to crack one open into a bowl, we played an egg sorting game, and then they all got a "cookie cutter" Egg shape, and watercolor painted it. It has never been, do a craft and thats it, Play doh, doesn't even come into our art time, Playdoh comes into game time, to totally seperate times during my day, when you do some sort of art every single day, having a couple days be "cookie cutter" and a couple be "free art" Is awesome for the kids, good variety..........and even like today when we painted the eggs, the kids then all got plain paper to paint anything, as long as the paint is already out, go crazy. We have dance time, circle time, Art time, story time and game time, during most days through the school year.

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No, i personally dont think that, of course not. I think the discussion was about using open ended art, what it means, and how it is different from pre-packaged crafts.

We all have different ways of doing things, and offer different programs.

For me personally, i feel that open ended art is more appropriate for young children, and choose to practice that in my program.

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I do not allow any pre-printed papers of any kind. Blank paper and any kind of medium or supply you can think of, no color pages, no cut outs, no coloring books. Plain paper only.

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I agree about open ended art, but I also agree with the posters who said why not do both and switch it up a little. I have a pre-packaged curriculum and love having something to base my lessons on, without spending hours trying to think up and find stuff for them to do. I'm not the most creative person and am always afraid I'm going to miss something important they need, so I found a curriculum that follows NAEYC guidelines (National Association for the Education of Young Children). They include art ideas (open ended, by the way, that could go along with the theme) but they also include "cookie cutter" crafts. So my preschoolers get to do creative "open ended" art AND cookie cutter crafts. I was one who always enjoyed crafts more than art activities, so I think it's good to offer both to the children. All of my preschoolers LOVE doing the crafts. One is a little young to understand, I think, but the others love it and the first thing they ask when we start preschool is "Do we get to make anything today?" When I tell them we'll be doing x craft, they all get so excited and spend awhile doing their craft. Then they go around showing the others and the owner what they made and playing with it. Then when their parents come, they grab their craft out of their cubby and tell them all about it. I haven't seen the same amount of enthusiasm over their art projects yet, and they're soon onto something else, not even bothering to put their art in their cubby so the younger ones don't mess it up. I still say it's important to offer both, rather than one or the other, but with my particular group they seem to enjoy the crafts more. That doesn't mean I'm going to quit offering art for them, or even lessen the number of art things they do in a week's time, but I wouldn't end my curriculum because of the crafts. That's just how I feel about it for my particular group of preschoolers. Next year may be a whole other story with a different group, but since most pre-packaged curriculums come with so many ideas for hand's on learning, I plan to stick to it, even if we don't do all of the crafts (if there's a lack of interest). I would just add more art for that group if that's what they they enjoyed more.

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Of course I don't think that's all they do. I don't see the point in cookie cutter crafts and don't see what children get from them, so they are not for me and my program.

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