Children who develop a love of visual art at a young age continue to build upon this passion. Introducing first-graders to art could even define their future courses of study. Make art an enjoyable subject by introducing it to students through creative games. For example, show children slides of famous works of art and tell them stories about the characters who create each work, such as the sordid tale of Van Gogh cutting off a piece of his ear. Provide students with art supplies and encourage them to create their own masterpieces, drawing inspiration from the historical artists you teach them about. Turn the activity into a game by hosting a pretend art gallery, contest and awards ceremony.
An understanding of music can assist children in many areas of life, including math comprehension. Interacting with music in the first grade could inspire them to take up an instrument and begin playing in the school band or in a musical group with friends. Help children access their imaginations through a musical game in which the class collectively writes a song. Each child can make up a melody and sing or play it on a recorder or any other available instruments. Use a portable recording device to document the children’s work. They will feel proud of what they have made, which will help them develop a love for creative pursuits.
Most first-graders are drawn in by engaging narratives. Reading, writing and listening to stories helps students develop reading comprehension abilities that will aid them throughout their academic careers and beyond, even assisting them with graduate school entrance exams. Make storytelling appealing to children through creative games. For example, write a class narrative in which each student comes up with several sentences of a story. Write the sentences on sheet of paper and move on to the next student. In this way each child contributes to an entertaining tale you complete together.
Imagination games help children escape from packaged media that do not require them to think. Instead, imaginative play encourages them to be resourceful and create their own fun. By teaching children about accessing their imaginations, you are enhancing their ability to rely on their own minds for entertainment and to find solutions to problems in the future. For example, play imagination games by acting out a favorite story. Assign roles to each child and put on an informal play. Do not use props or costumes so the children must fill in these gaps using their imaginations.