An overarching theme of ‘empathy and otherness’ resulted in children from Little Barn Owls Nursery in Horsham, West Sussex spending a year exploring sculpture and ultimately designing their own sculpture garden.
‘We’re not afraid to look at big questions and consider life and what makes us human,’ says resident atelierista Dillon Howling. ‘Empathy is fundamental to building relationships. It is interesting to start looking at it from an artistic perspective.’
He showed the three- and four-year-olds examples of art, and while they initially described what was depicted, they soon started to read the emotions portrayed within the pictures. For example, Finlay said, ‘He’s standing on a ball with a box on his head. He’s doing a dance.’ And when asked how he thought the character felt, he replied, ‘Excited!’
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
