It is a fun time to work on a design with preschool children. At the same time, it is time to face the essence of expression and creation as a teacher.

This time, the children and I discussed that anything can be displayed nicely depending on how we put it.

First, we went into a forest and I let the children pick up anything they got interested in.

When we went back to the preschool, we considered how we could display them.

Putting them on a board, propping them against a wall, stringing them from the ceiling, putting them in a box… depending on how we display them, something that looks garbage if it is on the ground could look like a piece of artwork inside a house.

As I show what the children made to their parents, I saw the children saying to their parents, “I want to bring them home and display them at home as soon as possible!”, or “Don’t forget to bring them home!”. I was happy listening to those conversations.

This time was also a good opportunity to think about the essential meaning of an expression.

“To display what we make by ourselves in our living space, and to enjoy it.” This kind of thing gets difficult when we become adults. We tend to think it is a little bit embarrassing or it is not so good enough to display or shop-bought artwork is more beautiful.

Children never get bothered by those things. They make what they like, so they enjoy displaying them. They come up with new ideas for creation. They remember when they made things. They come up with new ways to enjoy. This is very personal enjoyment.

Anybody can express. To enjoy it personally is one of the meanings of the expression.

The workshop was a good opportunity to think about those things.