An elementary art portfolio houses the artistic endeavors of a child from the beginning of his formal schooling. It gives the child the opportunity to practice the use of his hands, fingers and brain in controlling writing and drawing implements, paintbrushes, adhesives and many more tools toward artistic creations. The drawings will begin as squiggles and lines, then develop with the child's skills and imagination.
One of the best ways to encourage a child's imagination is to ask her about her work. What is actually produced may not fully capture the passion of the story, but the adult listening can write down the ideas, and the image thereafter has deeper meaning. The child will be able to look back on her portfolio and recall her thought process and be able to develop it further. The communication of thoughts, feelings, dreams and ideas will be evident in the child's artistic wanderings for her to share for years to come.
In a practical sense, an elementary art portfolio allows the child the ability to evaluate his own progress in different media. For example, he may take to painting right away in kindergarten, and develop it as he progresses through school to the point where he is able to paint freely and be expressive with his ideas. The opportunity for the student to look at his earlier work is crucial in terms of how he sees his own work and how it is valued by others.
Many art schools require a portfolio for admission. The portfolio should include any and all works that the student feels proud of, but also ones that show her abilities in different media. Some schools ask for specific types of pieces depending on the program and some even want recent work alone. An elementary art portfolio can be a starting point for a later portfolio to be developed, building on previous work and allowing the child to blossom into an adult artist.