Wonder Art Workshop: Creative Child-Led Experiences for Nurturing Imagination, Curiosity, and a Love of Learning

by Sally Haughey

In Wonder Art Workshop, educator and educational development expert Sally Haughey shares her approach to hands-on, play-based learning with parents, teachers, and other facilitators, offering 25 activities that let your child take the lead in developing their own sense of intrinsic motivation to imagine, experiment, and discover.

The author's wonder-based approach reflects and synthesizes several child-centered educational movements, including Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, and Montessori. 

Become a catalyst for cultivating your child’s curious mind through these steps and activities, which start with art and apply to other subjects, including science and literacy:

• Take stock for your wonder journey with helpful guidance on collecting materials, preparing a space, and nurturing the process while allowing children to make independent choices.
• Harness curiosity through a collection of sensory-based activities that use a variety of loose parts and other creative materials for open-ended play.
• Encourage experimentation by unleashing your child’s inner alchemist with “potion trays” they can use to mix color, create fizzing concoctions, make play dough, and more.
• Unlock literacy play with activities that inspire children to imagine and create their own characters, structures, and landscapes.

Give your children the precious gifts of wonder and curiosity and help them become the best they can be with Wonder Art Workshop.

• ISBN13: 9781631597732
• Publish Date: 12 November 2019
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 10 May 2022
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Quarry Books
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 160
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Wonder Art Workshop is a tutorial and resource guide aimed at children and their parents/teachers/caregivers. Due out 12th Nov 2019 from Quarto on their Quarry imprint, it's 160 pages and will be available in flexibound and ebook formats.

This book is full of child led creative experimentation and learning activities. The introduction gives a short overview and definitions of child led learning, the benefits of the methodology, and some practical tips for implementation and guidance.

The following chapters describe how to set up a creative space, tools, supplies, safety, observation and objectivity, giving guidance, collecting materials (parts, as the book refers to them), and other background info aimed at the adult facilitators. The next three chapters include 25 workshop tutorial projects such as making (and using) chalk paints, spaceships from old CDs, magic lanterns, lots of painting projects, etc. Interwoven in the tutorials are good solid pieces of advice for helping children unlock and access their creativity, problem-solving, and more. The book also includes an abbreviated links and resources list as well as art display tips, a short author bio and a good index.

The photography is abundant, clear, illustrative, and attractive. The typesetting is easy-to-read and the graphics are attention grabbing and colorful and suit the projects well.

This would make a great book for parents, caregivers, library activity coordinators, teachers, and such. I can also see this book being a good support text and resource guide for students majoring in teaching/art/therapy fields.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.