Draw a circle on a piece of paper, and then ask a young child to describe what she sees. You may be surprised at the response. A preschooler might imagine the circle to be the sun, the moon, an eye, an orange, or a ball. Ask an adult to do the same exercise, and you will likely get a simple answer: It's a circle.

A young child's imagination is astounding. Somewhere along the way as we age, many of us lose the ability to be creative. It is imperative that we, as teachers and caregivers of young children, nurture children's artistic nature.

Studies show that artistic experiences are critical to school success. Through the arts, children explore their surroundings, immerse themselves in thought, and develop cognitive abilities. Artistic activities also foster language, thinking, and fine-motor skills.

Music helps children put thoughts into action. It helps children to develop language and communication skills and to learn to listen and comprehend. Music can also help children who have difficulty focusing. Most teachers have had at least one child whose attention is hard to keep. Start singing or playing an instrument, and, more often than not, that child will stop and listen.

Creative movement is essential for developing coordination, body awareness, and creative expression. Most children love to dance. It gives them the opportunity to move freely without fear of persecution. Ask a child to dance, and he will move however he wishes. It isn't possible to dance "wrong."

Incorporating simple creative activities into your daily schedule can help develop pre-writing, pre-reading, math, and language skills. It fosters social-emotional well-being and self-esteem. Here are some things you can do to help foster young children's creativity:

• Provide children with an environment full of exploration. Children need to have an environment in which to create. Offer a variety of materials in order to promote their creative processes.
• Don't restrict their creative thought process. No idea is a wrong idea when it comes to creating something all their own. Allow the child to do what they want, not what you think is "right."
• Think like a child instead of making the child think like an adult. Looking at the world through a child's eyes can put a whole new perspective on things.
• Focus on the process, not the product. No idea is bad. Painting the sun blue does not mean a child doesn't know what color the sun is. It is the child's prerogative to paint the sun any color she wants. Why shouldn't her sun be blue?
• Encourage perseverance. Many preschool-age children tend to bore easily. Support their creative process and persuade them to finish what they start.
• Promote creativity in all areas of the curriculum. Children create scenarios on the playground, in the housekeeping corner, with puppets, etc. There may not be a product adults can see at the end, but children use their imagination and create something marvelous nonetheless.

By encouraging, supporting, and promoting the artistic nature of young minds, you can help children see endless opportunities in the future. A circle can be so much more than a circle.

Patricia Caskey is a teacher for Head Start in Oklahoma where she has taught both three- and four-year-olds for over 10 years. She currently holds a bachelor of arts in elementary education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, with certification in early childhood and a language arts endorsement. She is a member of both the Oklahoma Head Start Association and the National Head Start Association. Visit her Web site at www.kidschalkboard.com.

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