SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

ESS20603 | DEVELOPING CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING FOR YOUNG

CHILDREN

SEPT 2024

REPORT ASSIGNMENT

NO NAME MATRIC NO PROGRAM SIGNATURE

1. NUR SYAFWINA BINTI 012024091680 BECE Syafwina

ISYAMSUL

2. NUR’AIN BALQIS BINTI MD 012024092266 BECE balqis

TAYIB

3. NURHANISHA AINA BINTI 012023020589 BPSY Hanisha

MOHAMAD HAIKAL

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 13TH OCTOBER 2024

LECTURER: MADAM MONICA LEENA RAJARETNAM

TABLE OF CONTENT

1.0 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................... 3
2.0 CONTENT................................................................................................................................5
2.1 ACTIVITY 1: LET’S MAKE A CATERPILLAR......................................................... 5
2.2 ACTIVITY 2: LET’S DO JELLYFISH...........................................................................6
2.3 ACTIVITY 3: RAINBOW................................................................................................ 7
2.4 ACTIVITY 4: PAINT THE DRAWING..........................................................................8
2.5 ACTIVITY 5: WHIMSICAL BALLOON HOUSE....................................................... 9
3.0 CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................11
4.0 REFERENCES......................................................................................................................12

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

In an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world, developing critical and creative
thinking skills in young children has become paramount. Young children, generally classified as
individuals aged between two to eight years, are at a crucial stage of cognitive and emotional
development. During this period, they are not only absorbing information but also beginning to
form their understanding of the world around them. Critical thinking, defined as the ability to
analyze information, evaluate evidence, and make reasoned judgments (Facione, 2019), is vital
for children to develop problem-solving skills and make informed decisions. On the other hand,
creative thinking, which involves the generation of new ideas and approaches to problems
(Runco & Jaeger, 2012), fosters innovation and adaptability, qualities that are increasingly
necessary in contemporary society.

Furthermore, learning in this context can be understood as a dynamic process through

which children acquire knowledge, skills, and attitudes, shaped by their experiences and
interactions with their environment (Bruscia, 2020). Psychological theories such as Piaget's
Cognitive Development Theory and Vygotsky's Social Development Theory provide a
framework for understanding how children learn and develop these essential thinking skills.
Piaget posits that children progress through stages of cognitive development, where they actively
construct knowledge through interaction with their environment, which influences their ability to
think critically and creatively (Piaget, 1952). Vygotsky's social development theory further
complements this understanding by emphasizing the importance of social interaction and cultural
context in learning, suggesting that collaborative experiences can enhance critical and creative
thinking (Vygotsky, 1978). These psychological theories underscore the importance of fostering
an environment that encourages exploration, questioning, and collaboration among young
learners.

The integration of critical and creative thinking into early childhood education is not
merely an academic endeavor; it is essential for preparing children to navigate the complexities
of the modern world. Moreover, the interplay of play-based learning approaches has been shown
to effectively cultivate these skills, as play encourages exploration, experimentation, and
imaginative thinking (Berk & Winsler, 2020). By understanding the significance of these

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concepts, educators and caregivers can create enriching environments and engaging learning
experiences that nurture these essential skills. This assignment will explore various activities that
can be employed to foster critical and creative thinking in young children, drawing on
contemporary research and theoretical frameworks.

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2.0 CONTENT

2.1 ACTIVITY 1: LET’S MAKE A CATERPILLAR

This activity is called “Let’s make a caterpillar”. It is for 2 years old and above. It can
build a lot of skills by doing this activity. For example, children's creativity skills. As we know,
children can think and see things differently than the adults. They have their own imagination in
doing things. This activity involves using colorful fur balls, and a color paper that is cut into a
leaf shape. Children will have to stick the fur balls on the leaf, to make caterpillars. The reason
why they use colorful fur balls is because the teacher wants the children to recognise colors, and
feel the texture of the furry balls. Other than that, children can make their own decision on what
color to pick, this is to strengthen their self-learning skills. Besides that, they can also learn how
to count from 1-10 and improve their hand-eye coordination skills.

Children will want to explore a lot of things and for 2-year-old children, that is the
beginning of doing a lot of arts and crafts activity. Teachers will provide simple and easy
activities with safe materials for the children. Doing this activity also can improve their language
and communication skills as they are learning how to talk properly, children will try to
communicate with teachers and their friends.

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2.2 ACTIVITY 2: LET’S DO JELLYFISH

For the second activity, this activity is called “Let’s do Jellyfish!”. It is for 3 years old and
suitable for ages above 4 too. The materials that they will use are felt cloth, paper plates, and
jiggly eyes which are good for their fine motor skills. By glueing the materials, children will
develop and strengthen their fine motor skills, especially through tasks like attaching the leg.
Other than that, children also can identify the jellyfish legs and reinforce their understanding of
basic shapes and numbers. Furthermore, children will use their creativity and imagination during
this activity. They are allowed to choose any color for jellyfish legs and add any decorations for
its face. This can build better self-expression and imaginative play.

By doing this arts and crafts activity, also can introduce children to marine life,
specifically jellyfish, expanding their knowledge of the natural world and building early science
concepts. In addition, it can create social interaction and cooperation if it is done in groups or
pairs. Children can practice teamwork skills, learn how to share materials, and work together
promoting social and communication skills. This activity also can develop problem-solving skills
while the children are doing the activity, they will think critically about how to put on the glue
and paste the decorations to create a jellyfish.

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2.3 ACTIVITY 3: RAINBOW

This activity is called “rainbow activity” and is suitable for children aged 3 to 5 years.
This activity is made for 4-year-old children. Among the materials used are color paper, marker
pen and coloured wire. Rainbow activities are a great way to teach children color recognition,
providing opportunities to learn more about primary and secondary colors and the colors of a
rainbow. Rainbows can teach us so much about science and a lot about feelings, too. Books like
All the Colors of the Rainbow explain the why behind the colourful arch in the sky and even
introduce budding scientists to Isaac Newton. This activity helps to support hand-eye
coordination, fine motor skills, imagination and creativity.

Rainbow activities are very popular among young children for several reasons: Creativity
and expression. Rainbow-themed activities encourage creativity. Children can experiment with
color combinations, paint rainbows, or create rainbow crafts, allowing them to express
themselves artistically. Last, rainbow activities combine fun with learning, fostering both
cognitive and emotional growth.

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2.4 ACTIVITY 4: PAINT THE DRAWING

Painting and drawing is an activity for 5-year-old children. Why for 5 years old because
5-year-olds already know how to draw and color using watercolors. Among the materials used
are pencils, colored drawing paper, watercolors and cotton pads. Drawing art has numerous
benefits, including enhancing creativity, improving motor skills, and providing emotional
expression. Painting also produces a relaxing, open environment where artists feel safe to
explore their own creativity.

This activity also helps in their overall development. Among the developments is
cognitive development. Understanding colors, shapes and spatial relationships while painting can
enhance cognitive abilities, including problem-solving and decision-making. Next, relaxation
and stress relief. Painting can be a soothing activity that helps children focus, relax and manage
feelings of stress or frustration. Last, these benefits make painting a valuable and fun
developmental activity for young children.

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2.5 ACTIVITY 5: WHIMSICAL BALLOON HOUSE

This ‘Whimsical Balloon House’ activity caters to six-year-old children, it can foster
critical and creative thinking by engaging their developing cognitive abilities. At this age,
children are beginning to transition from concrete to more symbolic thinking, making this type of
activity highly beneficial for their intellectual and creative growth. The activity depicted in the
image, where children use colorful buttons, pom-poms, and a house drawing, encourages critical
and creative thinking in young children in several key ways.

First, exploration of materials and textures. The use of various materials, such as buttons
and pom-poms, allows children to explore different textures, colors, and sizes, fostering sensory
awareness. At this age, children are learning to make choices based on reasoning and evidence,
which are foundational to critical thinking. In this activity, the children decide which colors and
elements to use, how to arrange them, and how to achieve balance in their artwork. This process
requires them to think through different possibilities and weigh their options, promoting
decision-making and problem-solving skills (Case-Smith & O'Brien, 2019). Children explore
different possibilities and experiment with their own ideas, cultivating original thought and
self-expression.

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 According to Jean Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development, at this age, children are
entering a critical phase of their cognitive development, during which they begin to express their
creativity more openly and richly, particularly the preoperational stage (ages 2-7), explains that
children begin to engage in symbolic thinking. By using abstract materials such as pom-poms
and buttons to represent balloons, it shows that the children are engaging in symbolic thinking
which is an important aspect of creative cognition. The ability to assign new meanings to
everyday objects is a key component of creative thinking (Piazza et al., 2022). This is the stage
where their imagination flourishes, and they start to represent the world from their perspective,
promoting out-of-the-box thinking.

In addition, this activity also encourages curiosity and exploration. Children are naturally
inquisitive and open to trying new things. This activity allows them to explore different textures,
colors, and patterns while making decisions on how to represent their ideas. Fostering this
curiosity is linked to creative thinking, as children learn to approach problems with an open mind
and explore multiple solutions (Beghetto & Kaufman, 2021). It also promotes creative
expression and divergent thinking. The open-ended nature of the activity encourages children to
explore different configurations and possibilities, nurturing divergent thinking which is a core
component of creativity (Runco, 2019). The freedom to choose colors and placement allows
children to experiment and generate new ideas. Divergent thinking is crucial in the development
of creativity, as it allows children to explore many solutions rather than settling for a single right
answer. Thus, hands-on experiences like this collage craft activity facilitate both creative and
critical thinking in a fun and engaging way.

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3.0 CONCLUSION

Ultimately, developing critical and creative thinking skills in young children is essential for
their overall development domains, especially in cognitive development. These skills enable
children to analyze information, solve problems effectively, and express their ideas creatively.
Moreover, the integration of arts and crafts into early childhood education serves as a powerful
catalyst for fostering critical and creative thinking skills in young children. Through hands-on
engagement with various materials and techniques, children are encouraged to explore,
experiment, and express their ideas freely. This process not only enhances their ability to think
divergently but also cultivates problem-solving skills and resilience in the face of challenges.
Furthermore, arts and crafts provide a unique platform for children to communicate their
thoughts and emotions, thereby promoting emotional intelligence alongside cognitive
development. As educators and caregivers recognize the profound impact of creative activities
on young children, it becomes imperative to incorporate arts and crafts into educational
curricula, ensuring that children are equipped with the essential skills needed for future success
in an increasingly complex world.

By integrating both creative and critical thinking, the scrapbook emerges as a vital tool in
cultivating comprehensive and multifaceted intellectual development in children, thereby
significantly enhancing their capacity to comprehend, engage, and navigate the complexities of
the world around them. Furthermore, these activities are meticulously designed to align with
established educational frameworks such as PERMATA and KSPK, which guarantees that they
are specifically tailored to meet and accommodate the diverse developmental requirements that
are characteristic of children during their critical early childhood years. Moreover, the scrapbook
functions as an invaluable asset in the promotion of children's innate curiosity and cognitive
growth, thereby playing a pivotal role in shaping their intellectual trajectories. In this regard, it
not only serves as a medium for creative expression but also as an instrument for intellectual
exploration, ultimately contributing to the holistic development of young learners.

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4.0 REFERENCES

Berk, L. E., & Winsler, A. (2020). Scaffolding children's learning: Vygotsky and early childhood
education. National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Bruscia, K. (2020). Defining music therapy. Barcelona Publishers.

Beghetto, R. A., & Kaufman, J. C. (2021). Nurturing creativity in the classroom: Creative
thinking and collaborative learning. Cambridge University Press.

Case-Smith, J., & O'Brien, J. C. (2019). Occupational therapy for children and adolescents.
Elsevier Health Sciences.

Facione, P. A. (2019). Critical thinking: What it is and why it counts. Insight Assessment.

Piazza, E. A., Kresovich, S., Memel, M., & Sweeny, T. D. (2022). Creative cognition and
symbolic play in early childhood development. Developmental Science, 25(3), e13111.

Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. (M. Cook, Trans.). W W Norton & Co.
https://doi.org/10.1037/11494-000

Runco, M. A., & Jaeger, G. J. (2012). The Standard Definition of Creativity. Creativity Research
Journal, 24(1), 92–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2012.650092

VYGOTSKY, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: Development of Higher Psychological Processes

(M. Cole, V. Jolm-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman, Eds.). Harvard University Press.
https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvjf9vz4

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