Graphics in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

The article presents the assumptions and results of a natural pedagogical quasi-experiment which was carried out with children in grades 1–3 of primary school. The aim of the transverse research was to present a method that was to arouse the interest of the children in graphics and its means of artistic expression (line, blotch, black and white). The experimental factor was using the method of didactic play of a creative nature which consisted of an illustrative story developed by the author entitled “Black and White” and the content of the poem “Black Line.” The final stage of the experiment was the children’s work in the graphic technique of linocut. A quantitative analysis of the test results obtained by individual groups of children from grades 1, 2 and 3 (percentage distribution of the obtained test results in the experimental and control groups) was performed. The obtained results confirmed the assumptions and hypothesis of the research because the introduction of the creative play incited children’s interest in graphics. On the other hand, in grade 3, the children from the experimental group obtained a slightly (by 2%) lower result than the control group. This may indicate the need to change the method of art education for children in this age group and the beginning of a crisis in the development of their artistic creativity.