Running Head: ART AS THERAPY

Art as Therapy in Childcare

A research proposal prepared
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Art Therapy
at
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Prepared by
Loren Sykes
December 3, 2021

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Table of Contents
Abstract-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pg. 3
Chapter 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pg. 4
• Introduction-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Pg. 4
o Statement of Problem------------------------------------------------------------Pg. 4
o Purpose of Project----------------------------------------------------------------Pg. 6
o Significance of Project-----------------------------------------------------------Pg. 6
o Theoretical Framework----------------------------------------------------------Pg. 7
o Definitions of Terms -------------------------------------------------------------Pg. 7
Chapter 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Pg. 9
• Literature Review ------------------------------------------------------------------------Pg.9
o Developmental Levels of Preschoolers----------------------------------------Pg.9
o Most Common Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Preschool Children and
The Impact of Art--------------------------------------------------------------- Pg.15
o Current Interventions -----------------------------------------------------------Pg.18
o Art Therapy for The Developing Child-------------------------------------- Pg.20
o Importance of Art Materials--------------------------------------------------- Pg.21
o Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC)-------------------------------------Pg.23
o Importance of Artistic Development------------------------------------------Pg.27
o Curriculum/Resource Foundations--------------------------------------------Pg.29
o Conclusion------------------------------------------------------------------------Pg.33
Chapter 3-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Pg.34
• Methodology -----------------------------------------------------------------------------Pg.34
o Introduction-----------------------------------------------------------------------Pg.34
o Population-------------------------------------------------------------------------Pg.34
o Setting/Structure-----------------------------------------------------------------Pg.35
o Conclusion------------------------------------------------------------------------Pg.36
Chapter 4-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Pg.37
• Activities-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Pg.37
Chapter 5-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Pg.51
• Discussion---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Pg.51
References------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Pg.54
Appendix-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Pg.64

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Abstract

Daycares are, for some children, to enhance learning before entering school and as a safe space
to go to after school. Not all children can go to daycare but of the ones that do, the emotional and
behavioral issues that arise during the day have become overlooked. Through this proposal, the
preschool stages of development are analyzed, behaviors that occur in children of this age and
how they are being helped specifically, are explored. This proposal also addresses the most
common behavioral and emotional problems as well as recognizing the skills that art helps
develop in preschool children. This project will present a resource/curriculum designed
specifically around the preschool child who displays emotional and behavioral problems in the
classroom. This resource/curriculum will be able to support the child through art as therapy
practices that addresses emotional regulation and behavioral issues by giving them an outlet that
is appropriate to display the emotions that they are feeling and going through. This
resource/curriculum aims to work through, talk about and show children of this age group, how
to get through their emotional and behavioral upsets through art as therapy.

Keywords: Art as Therapy, Emotional Regulation, Resource, Curriculum

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Chapter 1
Introduction
One in 5 children in the United States may experience a mental health disorder in any

given year (Prout & Fedewa, 2015, p.4). Emotional and behavioral problems “are often difficult
to be recognized early by the parents or other caregivers, as many children have not developed
appropriate vocabulary and comprehension to express their emotions intelligibly” (Ogundele,
2018). “When specifically looking at internalizing disorders in later years, pre-school-age
children with anxious-fearful behaviors as well as hostile-aggressive behaviors, as measured by
parent-report questionnaires, were at an increased risk for emotional difficulties at ages 10-12”
(Holland et al., 2017, p.20). Art has become a form of stimulation for children in expressing
themselves. Through the context of art as therapy, children can process emotions that they are
struggling with and learn to communicate and cope with their feelings.
As stated in How Art Therapy Can Help Children:
Children are naturally creative, and it is usually easier for them to draw a picture
as opposed to answering questions directly. They may be reluctant or even hostile
about discussing certain topics. Creating artwork is a non-threatening venue that
allows kids to tackle tough issues in a creative way (How Art Therapy Can Help
Children, 2013, p.1).
Statement of the Problem
Daycares are a form of secondary socialization that exemplify the process of learning
what is appropriate behavior as a member of a smaller group within the larger society
(Boundless, n.d). However, daycares can tend to be a busy and stressful environment for kids.
“Such behavior most often takes the form of disrupted sleeping and eating routines, physical and

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verbal aggression, property destruction, severe tantrums, self-injury, noncompliance, and
withdrawal. For young children, challenging behavior is embedded in the context of childcaregiver relationships and interactions” (Powell, Dunlap & Fox; 2006). By providing an art as
therapy resource/curriculum into this environment, it may help alleviate symptoms. “Art as
therapy involves students creating art without the interpretation and involvement of a licensed
psychotherapist and may be therapeutic (Kramer,2000). Children can express themselves
appropriately when they are having a meltdown through art as therapy techniques. Researchers
have suggested that the simple process of creating visual art may be a significant factor in
reducing stress and anxiety and increasing wellness (Eising, 2019).
As stated in Psychology Today:
Kids who spend long hours in a daycare have behavior problems that persist
well into elementary school. About 26 percent of children who spend more than
45 hours per week in daycare go on to have serious behavior problems at
kindergarten age. In contrast, only 10 percent of kids who spend less than 10 hours
per week have equivalent problems. (Lang, 2005, p.1)
“Temperament in terms of shyness, poor self-control and negative emotionality seems to
be associated with elevated cortisol levels among older children in childcare” (Allen,2017).
Unless emotional and aggressive behaviors are addressed through an early form of care, the
emotional and aggressive behaviors will persist into the future for the child which can lead to
further mental health conditions. “Children who frequently engage in externalizing or
internalizing problem behaviors are at a greater risk for a range of negative long-term outcomes
(e.g., Schaeffer, Petras, Ialongo, Poduska & Kellam, 2003; Sprague & Walker, 2000) Morgan et
al., 2008). Looking at emotional/aggressive behaviors that children exhibit during their time in a

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daycare facility and attending to those behaviors through having an art as therapy
resource/curriculum on site, may help prevent future behaviors from happening.
By looking at evidence of emotional and behavioral problems that arise in a daycare, the

art as therapy practices were determined and utilized in a resource that addressed these emotional
and behavioral difficulties. From this, a better understanding of the importance/need for having
an art as therapy resource/curriculum, as well an understanding of the benefits it has on a
developing child to help with emotional and behavioral issues, was gained.
Purpose of the Project
The purpose of this project was to create an art as therapy resource/curriculum to support
appropriate emotional and behavioral development in preschool students. An art as therapy
resource encourages a child individually to work through their emotions using tools they create.
For example, they can do this to cool down after an incident with another child or to help them
cope if something is making them angry or upset. An art as therapy curriculum would
encourage all children in the classroom to convey their emotions through activities that can be
implemented into their daily schedule and routine.

Significance of the Project
This project was to help with the problem of emotional and behavioral issues in
preschool children. By using an art as therapy resource/curriculum, children were able to
explore and learn how to handle their emotions and behaviors through sensory integration and
emotional regulation practices.

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Theoretical Framework
The theoretical framework that framed this project was Person-Centered Counseling.
Person Centered theory acted as a guide that helped the children deal with their emotional and
behavioral issues so that they were able to understand and process their emotions and see them
more clearly. “Person-centered therapy is based upon a phenomenological view of human life

and helping relationships. Its essentials were formulated by psychologist Carl R. Rogers in 1940”
(Raskin & Rogers, 2005, p.1). This theory promoted the idea that people can correct their own
behavior and it focused on three main concepts: the child, their world and self. The child is the
broken-down characteristics of what it means to be human: the thoughts, feelings, the physical
being and behaviors. The world is what goes on around them and what goes on in their mind and
the self is what the child thinks of him or herself and where they belong in the world. This theory
worked for my project topic because “children want to be valued, accepted and understood”
(Henderson & Thompson, 2016, p.184). When a child is acting out or causing a behavioral issue
with the classmate or teacher, it can be assumed that they are not feeling understood. In child
centered counseling “the child is to be understood instead of diagnosed, treated or changed”
(Henderson & Thompson, 2016, p.187). When a child goes through child centered therapy the
outcomes can be as follows: “fewer defensive behaviors; more tolerance for frustration; and
improved functioning in life’s tasks” (Henderson & Thompson, 2016, p.188). Utilizing a
curriculum with the roots in this type of therapy aided in decreasing behaviors and educating
children on ways to resolve conflict that might have prevented future behaviors.
Definition of Terms
Emotional Regulation- “Emotional regulation is the ability to exert control over one’s own
emotional state. It may involve behaviors such as rethinking a challenging situation to reduce

ART AS THERAPY
anger and anxiety, hiding visible signs of sadness or fear, or focusing on reasons to be happy or
calm” (n.a, 2021).
Emotional Dysregulation- “Emotional dysregulation is a term used to describe an emotional
response that is poorly regulated and does not fall within the traditionally accepted range of
emotional reaction. It may also be referred to as marked fluctuation of mood, mood swings, or labile
mood” (Contributors, 2020).
Person Centered Counseling: “Letting clients tell their own stories at their own pace, using the
therapeutic relationship in their own way. Client-centered therapists aim to understand how the
world looks from the point of view of their clients, checking their understanding with the client
when in doubt. Clients know more about themselves than the therapist can possibly know. They
don't need the guidance or wisdom of an expert. The therapist creates an atmosphere in which
clients can communicate their present thoughts and feelings with certainty that they are being
understood rather than judged” (Harvard Health Publishing,2006, p.1)
Sensory Processing- “Sensory Processing is the way the brain receives, organizes and responds
to sensory input in order to behave in a meaningful and consistent manner” (n.a, 2021).
Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC)- “A practical and theoretical way of looking at how
patients interact with art media in order to process information and form images” (Hinz, 2017).

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Chapter 2
Literature Review
Developmental Levels of Preschoolers
Cognitive Development
As children grow up, they progress through a series of developmental milestones that
help parents, teachers and doctors better understand their developmental progress. Looking at
Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, Piaget believed that children must go through

four stages of cognitive development. His stages are broken down into: Sensorimotor from birth
to 2 years old, Preoperational from ages 2 to 7 years old, Concrete Operational from ages 7 to 11
years old and Formal Operational from ages 12 and older. All these stages are important because
they all influence one another and more importantly can impact a child’s development.
Therefore, they are considered sensitive periods of a child’s developmental life.
The focus of this paper pertains to the preschool age child who experiences Piaget’s
Preoperational stage. The Preoperational stage is the developmental stage where preschoolers
are at because of their age range of 3 to 5 years. Perception difficulties are prevalent for young
children in this stage. For example, if a parent walked in with a mask on to scare them, they
would believe that their parent is the scary person they are dressed up as. “Preoperational
thinking is defined by what children are missing which is the ability to step back from their
immediate perceptions” (Belsky, 2019, p.140). In the simplest of terms, this is the stage where a
child believes what they see and hear regardless of logic. “They believe among other things, that
inanimate objects are really alive” (Belsky, 2019, p.140). At this point in development the child
is also seen as self-centered because they are unable to see another person’s point of view.

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Social Development

While children are navigating and developing their own perspectives of the world,
socially they should be seen actively engaging with their peers and those around them. The social
development of a child in preschool is another important focus of this paper. Understanding the
social aspects that children this age go through, may help one understand what a preschool child
is capable of or what they understand when it comes to interacting with others. The focus of
social development is the subject of play. “The child should become more social and may now
be able to cooperate with their friends, take turns, and may begin to show some problem-solving
skills” (Alli, 2020).

Play can be broken down into several categories for this age group such as: exercise play,
rough and tumble play, and pretend play. Exercise play is play that involves the behavior of
running around and chasing one another. This type of play is most likely seen within the
playground environment. Rough and tumble play “is the excited shoving and wrestling that is
most apparent in boys” (Belsky, 2019, p.154). This type of play is said to be a biological part of
male behavior (Belsky, 2019). At age two, children engage in what is called parallel play which
is playing side by side with one another. At age four they begin playing together which then at
age five, they are seen actively engaging in pretend play for extended periods of time with one
another. In pretend play, children can imagine scenes of their own desire. For example, they can
preten d to be pirates on a pirate ship or princesses in a castle. At age four and five, the child can
imagine and work together with a peer to create a scene and pick the characters they imagine
themselves to be. Through play the child can take on other roles which shows how in touch with
the world around them, they are. Girls pretend to be mommy to their baby dolls because they

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realize that women are the main child-care providers (Belsky, 2019). “Boys play soldiers
because the activity offers them built-in training for the wars they may face as adults” (Belsky,
2019, p.155). Play also gives the child control because they can pick the roles they wish to play.
Pretending to be someone or something other than themselves might give them insight into
another perspective and what it is like to be in another’s shoes.

When it comes to play in children, boys and girls engage in very different ways. Boys,
for example, are the ones that will be involved in the rough and tumble play as described earlier.
Hands on play such as tag and football are both activities that are likely to be enjoyed by boys
rather than girls because of the rough and tumble aspect. In social groups, boys are seen as the
ones that can be very competitive (Belsky, 2019). Girls, however, tend to be calmer and less
physical when it comes to play. When girls are collaborative with other girls, they are seen as
nurturing and can work together effectively (Belsky, 2019).

Emotional Development

When children are finally able to speak, parents and other caregivers may be seen being
encouraging and showing reflection on experiences they have had with the child. This is known
as past talk conversations. These conversations become more engaging for both child and parent
at ages 4 and 5 (Belsky, 2019). Conversations about trips that the child has taken to grandmas or
catching a ball at a baseball game are what links a child’s memory together so that by the time
that they are 16, they can remember and talk about events that reflect their own individual selves
(Belsky, 2019). These memories together that a person eventually reflects on, are called
Autobiographical Memories. These memories reflect a timeline of events that the child

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experienced. “Parents must engage preschoolers in a loving give-and-take talk” for this
connection of memories to occur (Belsky, 2019, p. 150).

Another important emotional aspect of a child at this age is the development of the theory
of mind. Theory of mind is the ability to understand that everyone has different views in
knowledge, feelings, and understandings of things. In early childhood children learn the skills
that they will need to develop theory of mind. “These skills include: the child’s ability to pay
attention to other people and copy them, recognize others’ emotions and use words to express
them, know that they are different from others and have different likes and dislikes, and
understand the causes and consequences of emotions” (Lowry,2016). When children reach ages
4-5, they begin to think about the thoughts and feelings of others and the skills of theory of mind
begin to emerge. Children now understand that people want things and may act in different ways
to get what they want. At this point they now have an understanding that other people think
differently and have their own beliefs. They can also grasp the concept that if they haven’t seen
something and someone else has, they are going to need more information to fully understand
what the person has seen. Lastly, they understand that people can feel different emotions other
than the ones they display (Lowry, 2016).

Emotional Regulation/Dysregulation

At this point in development, the child should be showing a range of emotions. When a
child is not experiencing these types of developmental milestones and they show things such as
not playing with peers and lacking self-control when they are angry or upset, it may be a cause
for concern (Alli, 2020). In an article written by Foothills Academy, they stated that selfregulation is so important it can be compared to a gas tank, it is something that needs to be

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monitored so that you are able to refuel before the tank gets empty. Due to self-regulation being
a limited resource, it is key to replenish it so that no child feels like they are unable to control
their emotions. Building up that tank with enjoyable things that the child enjoys, helps replenish
and keep the stressors in the child’s life from draining the tank (Yoo, 2018, p.1).

If children have not developed the ability to self-regulate, problems may become evident
in the emotional and behavioral aspects of the child. This mishap in emotional regulation is
called emotional dysregulation. Emotional Dysregulation is the poor ability to manage
emotional responses or the lack of keeping your emotions in an acceptable range of typical
emotional reactions (Cuncic,2021). Emotional Dysregulation can look like an emotion that has
been taken to the extreme and out of place, compared to the person or place that triggered it.
People who experience this type of emotion may not be able to calm down, avoid difficult
emotions and focus their attention on the negatives (Cuncic, 2021). “Emotional dysregulation
can lead to a lifetime of struggles including problems with interpersonal relationships, trouble
with school performance and the inability to function effectively in a job or at work”
(Cuncic,2021). Some causes of emotional dysregulation have been found in those who have
experienced a childhood trauma, neglect or have had a brain injury and/or genetics.
Due to healthy emotional regulation stemming from the effects of a loving relationship
between parent and or caregiver for the child, any interruption of this process, can have an
impact on the child’s ability to regulate their own emotions. It is important to understand that
children are not born with emotional regulation capabilities and therefore a nurturing relationship
is so important. Parents and caregivers are partly responsible in building up a child’s ability to
self-regulate. Parents and caregivers that are responsive to the child’s needs, understanding
during the learning process and encouraging as well as informative on the expression of

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emotions, can play a huge role in the child’s ability to self-regulate. However, “a child’s innate
capacities for self-regulation are temperament and personality based. Some babies have trouble
self-soothing and get very distressed when trying to bathe them or put on clothes. Those kids
may be more likely to experience trouble with emotional self-regulation when they are older”
(n.a., 2021). “The child may be taught helpful ways to think about problems rather than become
overwhelmed when facing a challenge” (Franco, 2018). When self-regulation is evident in
preschool children, they can be seen as being able to focus their attention and persisting on
difficult tasks for increased lengths of time, identifying solutions to problems, recognizing
feelings in their selves and others, and using things like deep breaths and self-talk to help
themselves calm down (Rosanbalm & Murray, 2017).

Capitalizing on the developmental readiness of the earliest years,
approaches that systematically combine interventions with
supportive caregivers and environments can proactively foster selfregulation skills and help children enter kindergarten ready to
learn. This is not to say that early childhood is the only
opportunity for self-regulation intervention-indeed, self-regulation
continues developing at least through young adulthood, if not
prevent childhood struggles, avoiding later need for more intensive
interventions, and thus may prove more cost-effective in the long
run (Meyer, 2017).

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Most Common Emotional and Behavioral Problems in
Preschool Children and The Impact of Art

Helen Egger and Adrian Angold studied research on the presentation, nosology, and
epidemiology of behavioral and emotional psychiatric disorders in preschool children. As a
result, they determined the five most common groups of childhood disorders. (Egger & Angold,
2006).
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD))
According to the American Psychiatric Association, ADHD is one of the most common
mental disorders affecting children. The symptoms of ADHD include trouble with focusing, not
being able to sit for long periods of time and acting out in the moment without thought (Parekh,
2017). As stated from a study on Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties and Impairments in
Everyday Functioning Among Children with a History of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder:
Children with a history of ADHD were 6 times as likely as those
without ADHD to have a high level of overall difficulties including
emotional, conduct, and peer problems and were 9 times as likely
to manifest a high level of impairment including interference with
home life, friendships, classroom learning, and leisure activities
(Strine et al., 2006, p.1).
According to diagnostic criteria set to define ADHD, the person must display symptoms
that are “severe, frequent, persistent and inconsistent with developmental level to be considered a
symptom of ADHD” (Egger & Angold, 2006, p.1). Diagnosing children at the preschool age
level would be difficult to do because the symptoms displayed are difficult to define between

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normal hyperactive and impulsive symptoms and clinical. When a child reaches the school age
level where they are forced to be attentive, symptoms become more prevalent or noticeable. This
disorder is “often first identified in school aged children when it leads to disruption in the
classroom or problems with schoolwork” (Parekh, 2017, p.1). Even though it may not be
diagnosable in ages younger than school age, it may still be evident that a child in preschool is
exhibiting emotional and behavioral issues that are like those of ADHD.
Art Impact
“Art activities depend primarily on visual, dynamic and sensory stimulants, which help
children retain skills they have learned for a longer period” (Nasser, 2004, as cited in Hariri &
Faisal, 2013, p.2). Thus, art activities are suitable for helping children with ADHD to normalize
their behavior (Al Khashramy,2004, as cited in Hariri & Faisal, 2013, p.3). Through this
approach done by Hariri & Faisal, 2013, they explored the effects of teaching certain art
activities like drawing and using clay to develop thinking and behavioral skills in preschool
children with ADHD. By allowing the children to use the play method to manipulate the
materials in their own way, as well as using the materials to display imaginative, individual and
group play, enhancing the effectiveness of the program. Results of the study showed that the
children’s thinking skills improved especially in the skills of attention and observation.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD)
ODD as stated in the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders, is a person that is angry
and irritable as well as argumentative and defiant in their behavior. The person usually shows
symptoms of losing their temper, blaming others for their mistakes, and being easily annoyed.
All symptoms of ODD have been found to last for 6 months. CD is defined as aggression to
people and animals, destruction of property, lying or stealing and violating rules. As it was with

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ADD, meeting the diagnostic criteria through signs and symptoms displayed by a child of
preschool age and below, shows much difficulty to determine if the symptoms shown are normal
for a child of that age or can be clinically defined. However, “the degree of anger as well as
other negative effects, and disruptive and defiant behaviors are severe, persistent and associated
with the development of later disruptive and affective psychiatric disorders” (Moffitt et al.,
1996; Nagin & Tremblay, 1999; Shaw et al., 2003 as cited in Egger & Angold, 2006, p.1).

Art Impact

In a study done on the effects of art therapy-based painting, in reducing symptoms of
oppositional defiant disorder in elementary school boys ages 7-12, it showed that out of 30 boys
that went through 12 sessions twice per week that lasted 40 mins, the experimental group had a
significant decrease in the symptoms of ODD, while the control group showed no difference
(Khadar et al., 2013, p.1).

Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Separation anxiety disorder is defined as excessive fear or anxiety from those that the
individual is attached to. In the case of children, the person is most likely a parent or family
member. The symptoms are exhibited by worrying, refusal to leave a place, fear of being alone,
refusal to sleep and repeated nightmares (APA,2013). The symptoms of anxiety disorders in
young children are easier to detect over behavioral disorders such as ADHD, ODD and CD, but
the symptoms are often mixed and show that of multiple anxiety disorders and not just one
disorder. “Spence and colleagues (Spence et al., 2001 as cited in Egger & Angold, 2006, p.1)
assessed anxiety in 755 preschoolers using maternal reports on the 28‐item Preschool Anxiety
Scale (PAS). A confirmatory factor analysis found that preschool anxiety symptoms clustered

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into five factors that resembled the DSM‐IV categories of separation anxiety, social phobia,

obsessive compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and specific phobias (here limited
to the specific fear of physical injury), suggesting differentiation of anxiety in early childhood”
(Egger & Angold, 2006, p.1). From the data collected on anxiety disorders in this study, it has
been suggested that anxiety disorders are common in preschool children and anxiety disorders
need to be a priority area for future work on preschool psychopathology.

Art Impact

In a study done by Nooruzi et al (2018), looking at the effectiveness of painting-based art
therapy on reducing anxiety and depression symptoms in preschoolers, they found that anxiety
and depression symptoms had a significant decrease and that the role of art therapy based on
painting should be considered as one of the strategies for treatment of disorders in children.

Current Interventions
Young children with developmental and relational trauma often are
referred for behavior problems. A common referral is the “out of
control” preschooler. Such children are disruptive in the group
setting, have lengthy episodes that are described as tantrums, and do
not respond well to the usual interventions used in the classroom
setting that help them become calm in order to cope (Chapman,
2014, p.130).
Studies have shown that impairing mental health problems such as emotional, behavioral,
and social relationship problems are evident in 8 to 10 % of children younger than 5 years
(Gleason et al., 2016, p.1). Traditional interventions for these children focus on helping the

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parents at home rather than the child. “Because the parent-child relationship is a central force in
the early emotional and behavioral well-being of children, a number of empirically supported
treatments focus on enhancing that relationship to promote child well-being” (Gleason et al.,
2016, p.3). Children are raised within a system of caretakers such as parents, teachers, day care
staff and extended family that help with the behaviors and emotions of children. This is only one
aspect of helping the child. Other potential intervention points for a child’s well-being may be
within the skills provided by school systems, day-cares, and other community programs. This
project focused on one of those points, the daycare, to develop another tool to address child-wellbeing.
In a study done by Miller, Smith-Bonahue and Kemple, they found that it is possible to
help with challenging behaviors in children. However, the difficulty is in finding teachers that
are trained and given the proper tools to help children that are displaying atypical features.
Teachers need the support and resources to help them with the behaviors that are in their
classrooms. “Recognizing the importance of well-prepared teachers, a growing trend in early
childhood education is to make available mental health consultants as a means of helping
teachers address challenging behaviors” (Miller, Smith-Bonahue, Kemple, 2017, p. 41). The
current interventions for handling those with typical preschool aggression is to redirect the child
onto something different so that it puts an end to the anger. However, according to Smart
Classroom Management, redirection brings on negative qualities in the child by “inciting a
defensiveness reaction and creates friction between the teacher and child” (Linsin, 2020). They
note that redirection is so ineffective because it might be helpful in the moment, but it is not
successful in preventing the behavior from happening in the future. Also, redirection does not
allow the child to think about their actions -realizing what they did was wrong.

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In preventing behaviors, teachers may also use the technique of a classroom behavior

chart that holds children accountable for their actions. Even those that have high behavior in the
classroom can be encouraged by seeing others move in a positive progression on the chart.
Another technique like this, is a token economy, which is a reward system that also offers
encouragement and reinforcement to help those with behaviors by helping them act in a more
positive way. Interventions such as these may be helpful, but teachers need to be consistently
working on behaviors. “Medication and/or punishment may decrease challenging behavior but
will not teach children the skills they need to manage their stress” (Yoo, 2018 p.1).
Art Therapy for The Developing Child
Though this project is not directed towards integrating art therapy into a preschool, it is
important to note the strengths that art brings to children in a therapeutic environment before we
can note the strengths of art in a non-therapeutic environment, such as that of a day care setting.
Knowing the strengths and important qualities that are rooted in art therapy can bring to light the
qualities that can be transferred and integrated into art as therapy.
When it comes to emotions in children, they are experienced more intensely because they
see the world in black and white and to the extreme; good things are great and bad things are
horrible (Smith, 2018). “Integrating art therapy into unconventional settings such as schools,
communities and hospitals, in addition to psychiatric treatment programs, creates opportunities
to help young people express their feelings and reflect on their experiences” (Councill & Rosal,
2016, p.243). Art therapy specifically can provide an emotional safety net that helps the children
process their emotions on their own terms. In the Wiley Handbook of Art Therapy, Art Therapy
with children is described as empowering to children because they can “create an oasis of
creative experimentation and curiosity in a treatment environment that is focused on defining

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problems and creating measurable goals” (Councill & Rosal, 2016, p.247) without judgement of
what is happening.
In a case study of an 8-year-old boy who developed anxiety symptoms around the 1-year
anniversary of his cancer diagnosis, art therapy was able to help him better understand what
happened to him, be able to identify nameless fears, and discover coping mechanisms for his
fears. His anxiety was displayed as fearing situations where he might feel trapped such as in
elevators, restrooms, or stairwells. Using an art therapy technique of bilateral art where the child
uses his dominant and nondominant hand, allowed for information to be processed using both
hemispheres of the brain. This process allowed for troubling material or material not commonly
brought to the surface to emerge. With this the client came up with a drawing to help him with
his fears called “worry free man”. In a later session with the client, he developed another
character that was the opposite of worry-free man. He had displayed him as a man with a lot of
holes but with a big heart to represent that he was a caring person. Within the heart was a small
red circle that represented bravery (Councill & Rosal, 2016, p.247). The client stated that this
circle would get smaller when he went outside because of all the holes (Councill & Rosal, 2016,
p.247). Through discussion and expression, the child was able to process what he was feeling on
the inside, what he really wanted to feel like and expressed it in a way that felt comfortable for
him.
Importance of Art Materials
In art therapy and art as therapy, the art becomes a tool that allows for creative
expression. Without the materials and supplies that coincide with art making, this expression
would not be possible. Materials are very important when it comes to therapeutic art making.
Some materials can be more fluid where they allow for more creative flow such as watercolor on

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wet paper. Fluid materials are more uncontained and flow on the paper or soak through.
Emotions such as sadness are easily expressed through paint, a fluid material. The paper chosen
for fluid materials is also important. Some paper can be more resistive such as newspaper
compared to fingerpaint paper which is smoother to the touch. “Fluid medias are much more
likely to elicit an emotional response whereas restrictive medias are likely to evoke a cognitive
response” (Hinz,2017). Other materials such as crayons or clay are more resistive that
individuals might have trouble with using them. Resistive materials are those that stay in place
and do not flow as well on the paper. Clay by itself would be resistive but add water to the clay
and it can then become a more fluid material. “When the client is regressed or very emotional,
resistive materials that have their own inherent structure can help produce a sense of internal
control” (Hinz, 2017).
Carr and Vandiver (2003) as stated in Moon (2010), examined the effectiveness of art
therapy with children in a stressful situation that related to the number of materials given and
how complex the instructions were. They found that art projects with a limited number of
materials and simple instructions “are more likely to foster formed expression and creativity in
children, and to diminish stereotypic art” (Carr & Vandiver, 2003; Moon, 2010, p.11). From this,
we can gather that the less instructions and materials given, the less stress involved in the process
of the art making with children. In children with behavior disorders, Rozum (2001), as stated in
Moon (2010), found avoiding school materials would be best because they foster stereotypical
artwork rather than artwork that is creative. In doing artwork with children with behavioral
disorders, the supplies given is only what is needed, and materials are introduced slowly and in
small steps. (Rozum, 2001; Moon, 2010). Rozum explains that it can be problematic if the focus
is too much on structuring the environment and once that has been figured out, bringing in

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materials that would help with sensory stimulation can be introduced (Rozum, 2001; Moon,
2010).
Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC)

The expressive therapies continuum is an assessment tool that art therapists use to track a
person’s progression of expression and techniques, through their artwork. This tool can show an
art therapist the processing level that the person is at (see figure 1). “These levels represent
information processing from spontaneous reaction to the expression of feelings and thought
through art media” (Lusebrink et al., 2016). Each set of levels goes from the bottom up starting
at the kinesthetic/sensory level as the first level. The next level is the perceptual/ affective level,
and the top level is the cognitive/symbolic level. Creative expression can occur at any level and
each level incorporates the level before it. For example, if someone is showing evidence of being
at a perceptual level, they also have the skills of being at a kinesthetic level.
The focus of art therapy in the context of the ETC is to
emphasize and enhance the client’s strengths on different levels,
while at the same time addressing problems on levels which may
display variation in visual expressions possibly related to the
individual’s difficulties in psychological functioning or his/her other
problems in life. (Lusebrink, Mārtinsone & Dzilna-Šilova,2015).
Depending where a person falls on the ETC can indicate the level that the client could
show more expression in. It is a pull and push, using the pull of what material interests the client
as well as the push from the clinician to explore the other materials that the client may not
gravitate towards. With this the client can then move from one level to the next or from one side
of the continuum to the creative in between.

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Figure 1
Creative (level)
|
Cognitive----------------|-----------------Symbolic
Perceptual---------------|-----------------Affective
Kinesthetic--------------|------------------Sensory
|
Kinesthetic/Sensory (K/S)
The Kinesthetic component is movement, which can be seen as scribbling within
boundaries, rolling playdough or clay. At the most extreme expression of K the individual has
no sensory awareness which might indicate pathology (Lusebrink et al., 2016; p. 58). This can
look like frantic scribbling, disregard of boundaries, using materials in a way that causes
destruction to them or showing no sign of movement at all.
The Sensory component is exploring the senses through materials and textures. When a
person is fully engaged in work that has more emphasis on sensory, this slows down any
kinesthetic processing due to a person using their senses to navigate the work that is being
created. At the most extreme of this level, it can be seen as “over-absorption in the sensory
experience, extreme sensory sensitivity, and slowed down movements involved in expression”
(Lusebrink et al., 2016; p.58). Materials used on the sensory level are fluid such as paint and
scented markers or oil pastels.
Perceptual/Affective (P/A)

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25

The Perceptual component of this level is shown by figures and shapes that are shown
within boarders or outlines drawn by the client. Images on the perceptual level have a foreground
and background. When a person is on the most extreme end of the perceptual level, figures are
seen as incomplete, and details are not evident or overemphasized. It can also be seen as “very
small forms, minimal or no color to define forms” (Lusebrink et al., 2016; p. 59). This level is
where composition of the work should be evident if there is creativity involved.
The Affective component of the ETC is shown as appropriate color association and
details to objects and figures drawn that shows emotions. The affective level is the emotional
component of the artwork. At the extreme, the affective level is seen as “disintegration of form,
indiscriminate mixing of color, clashing of colors or colors inappropriate to subject matter,
interpenetration of forms, and/or merging of figure and ground” (Lusebrink et al., 2016; p. 59).
Cognitive/Symbolic (C/Sy)
The Cognitive component of the ETC is shown as the ability to make decisions
and problem solve. The person chooses where they want the figures and objects to go in the work
and they use the full space of their paper. When creating a clay sculpture, they problem solve to
know what will work and what will not work with this material. The person might use words in
their piece, but they are integrated throughout the work. When a person is on the most extreme of
the cognitive level, it can be seen as, “disintegration of surface and spatial structure, illogical
relations between forms, loss of conceptual meaning and over-inclusion of words” (Lusebrink et
al., 2016; p. 59). The cognitive level by itself shows more use of resistive materials such as
collage, clay, or crayons.
The Symbolic component of the ETC is shown as “affective images, symbolic use of
color, symbolic abstractions, and intuitive integrative concept formation” (Lusebrink et al., 2016;

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26

p. 59). When a person is at the most extreme of this level, they are unable to find symbolism or
meaning in the work, they reverse where the figure and the ground should be in the image.
Example of the ETC at work
The following is an example from Expressive Therapies Continuum: A framework for using art in
therapy
First the client was asked to scribble on the paper with another person guiding them. The green is
the child, the blue marker is the instructor.

Next the child was asked to find images within the scribbles and create their own picture using
the scribbles. When the picture is complete, the child is asked to tell a story about the image and
what it means to them (Hinz, 2009).

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From this activity the levels were used and integrated to show expression among all levels of the
ETC. The kinesthetic/sensory level was shown through the scribble drawing task by using a fluid
material such as a marker as well as showing and using movement in expression of the material.
The perceptual/affective level was shown through having the client find the images in the
scribble drawing and drawing those figures as complete. The cognitive/symbolic level was
shown through having the client explain the meaning of the picture and the Creative level was
expressed at all levels (Hinz, 2009).
Importance of Artistic Development
Art is a natural activity that allows children the freedom to manipulate materials in their
own way that is unstructured, so they can explore and experiment in any way they choose. Art
not only gives others creative freedom, but it also teaches skills as well. There are several skills
that play a part in artistic development: Fine Motor, Cognitive Development, Math Skills and
Language Skills.

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Fine Motor skills are developed through art by using materials and developing the ability
and strength to grasp materials such as pencils, crayons, markers, brushes, and other supplies that
encourage the grasping motion. Grasping onto supplies such as these develops the fine motor
muscles that are needed throughout life. From this skill, children will have better practice when it
comes to learning to write, button, or zipper their coats among other fine motor functions they
will need.
Cognitive development is built through art by allowing the child to explore the cause and
effect of materials that they use. They can experiment with colors by mixing paints and seeing if
by combining colors, what other colors can be made? They can also learn cause and effect by
experimenting pressure of materials such as what will be the result if they use crayon and then
draw with marker over the crayon. Cognitive development skills are also utilized through the
critical thinking skills children use when they are deciding the work they wish to create; what
materials do they want to use, what kind of paper would work best with that material they are
using, what do they want to draw, and would they be able to draw more than one image on the
paper they chose? This thinking then starts the use of math skills that are utilized- such as
learning the size of paper they will need. If they are drawing something from real life, they
might also need to think spatially and recognize how much space they need to leave between
each image they want to draw on their paper.
Language skills are built through art in the child’s ability to talk about what they have
created and expressing their thoughts and feelings. Actively listening to children and asking them
open questions about their work may help encourage this skill. “The arts may create space for
children from diverse backgrounds to bring their lived realities into the classroom, fostering a
sense of belonging, contentment, and pride (Allen & Boykin, 1992; Allison & Rehm, 2007;

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Griffin & Miller, 2008; Hall, 2007; Young, 1990; Brown & Sax, 2012). Also, successful

experiences in the arts may foster positive emotions for children with developmental difficulties”
(Darby & Catterall, 1994; Eisner, 1998; Brown & Sax, 2012). In a study published in the British
Journal of Clinical Psychology “it was found that all study participants who participated in artsbased groups reported a significant increase in positive emotions along with a decrease in
negative emotions during and immediately after an arts-based activity” (Bergland, 2017 p.1).
Having arts-based programs provides people with social support, distraction from the negatives
and gives participants something to look forward to (Bergland, 2017 p.1).
Along with the skills that art may produce in young children, there is also a meditative
element to art that helps one relax, stay focused and release built up stress/anxiety. This element
may be found in the materials that are used in art, but it may also be brought out in the action of
creating works such as those that involve repetitive patterns like the mandala. “Creating
mandalas or other highly structured geometric patterns could produce a meditative state in
children that may alleviate symptoms of anxiety” (Losinski & Hughey, 2016). Another calming
aspect of art is the process of it. Those that experience process focused art have no restrictions or
step by step instructions that create a barrier on their creativity. The art created by those that
enjoy the process are unique and original because it does not have to turn out a certain way.
Artists have the freedom to create without expectations or rules. “The art making process is the
healing agent, rather than the art product as an entry way to the unconscious” (Junge & Asawa,
1994; Moon, 2010, pg. 7).
Curriculum/Resource Foundations
For the resource development of this project, both the “Zones of Regulation” framework
developed by Leah Kuyper as well as the “Emotions Based Prevention Program” developed by

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30

Carrol E Izard was utilized and integrated with artistic structuring to give aid to those in a
preschool classroom with emotional regulation and behavioral difficulties. “Collaborative and
Proactive Solutions Model” developed by Ross Greene was also integrated into the curriculum to
enhance the idea that this project can be utilized as a behavioral resource tool in a preschool
classroom.
Zones of Regulation
The Zones of Regulation was developed by an occupational therapist and autism resource
specialist, Leah Kuyper. Leah’s work is influenced by many people, including Ross Greene who
wrote in his book “The Explosive Child”, “Students were frequently being punished for
disruptive behaviors rather than being taught skills to control their behavior” (Greene, 2006).
Kuyper was influenced by Greene’s words and many others and wanted to create the zones
concept of wanting to teach students to self-regulate their sensory needs as well as emotions and
impulses so that they could be successful academically and socially (Kuyper, 2021). Through
this curriculum, students are taught "to identify their feelings and levels of alertness,
understand their feelings in context, effective regulation tools, when and how to use the tools,
problem solving solutions, and to understand how their behaviors influence other thoughts
and feelings" (Kuyper, 2021).
This curriculum uses the colors of red, yellow, green, and blue to identify where the
person is at emotionally. If the child is in the green zone, they are in a calm state of alertness
and might have feelings of being happy, focused, calm, and ready to learn. The red zone is
used when a child is in a state of heightened alertness and has intense emotions that they
cannot control. The yellow zone is similar to the red zone, but the child has more control over
what they are experiencing. The blue zone indicates a low state used when a child is sad,

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tired, sick, or bored. Kuyper has compared The Zones of Regulation to traffic lights. When a
child is in the green zone, they are good to go, they are in a state where they can learn and be
okay. The yellow zone is a cautious zone for the child to be in because they are feeling
emotions good or bad that are intense, but they can control them. The red zone puts the child
at a complete stop, the emotions they are feeling are too intense. When they are in the blue
zone, this can be compared to a rest stop where they need to refuel. “Creating a system such
as The Zones of Regulation to categorize all the complex feelings children experience, eases
their ability to recognize and communicate how they are feeling, as well as tap into strategies
to aid them in self-regulation” (Kuyper, 2016).
EBP (emotions-based prevention program)
Emotions Based Prevention Program (EBP) was developed by Carrol (Cal) E Izard a
psychologist that was most interested in emotion competence and the two branches that make up
emotion competence: emotion knowledge and emotion utilization.
Emotion knowledge is the knowledge of identifying emotions and what emotions are.
Emotion utilization is the “utilization of discrete emotions. Examples of this include using anger
to motivate self-assertion rather than yelling or hitting, sadness to motivate seeking social
support rather than withdrawal” (Trentacosta & Schultz, 2014). It has been noted that Cals
definition of emotion utilization is like the definitions that have been used for emotional
regulation (Trentacosta & Schultz, 2014). However, “existing operational definitions of emotion
regulations in the literature often miss the adaptive value and motivational qualities of discrete
emotions” (Trentacosta & Schultz, 2014)
EBP is based on differential emotions theory “which emphasizes the inherently adaptive
and motivational functions of emotions and recognizes that poor emotion understanding, and

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regulation may put children on a trajectory toward psychopathology” (Finlon et al., 2015). Cals
research points out that understanding emotions and what emotions are, is important. Through
this program children discuss ways to regulate emotions, identify what causes emotions/what
may come from expressing one’s emotions, expressing emotions in front of others, naming their
emotions, and identifying how intense emotions are (Finlon et al.,2015). This program was
implemented at a Head Start program by their teachers in a real-world environment. Results
showed that “EBP led to greater gains in children’s emotional knowledge and an increased
teacher emphasis throughout the day on using language to help children connect words and
feelings as well as engage in discourse regarding emotion” (Finlon et al., 2015).
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions Model (CPS)
Developed by Dr. Ross Greene, The Collaborative and Proactive Solutions Model
works to help children with social, emotional, and behavioral issues as well as their families
with an approach that is evidence-based and trauma-responsive. This approach to helping
these individuals is first collaborative. Children are attended to in ways of partnership rather
than ways that put them in a position that is exclusionary and punitive. “The emphasis of the
CPS model isn’t on modifying concerning behavior by imposing consequences. Rather it
focuses on identifying unsolved problems and then engaging kids solving them” (Greene,
2021). Secondly, this approach is proactive. When it comes to solving problems, Greene
states “If you’re going to be solving problems collaboratively, your timing is going to be
crucial. You don’t want to be in crisis management mode; you want to be in crisis prevention
mode” (Greene,2021). This model is done through 3 steps by first showing empathy next
defining the problem and lastly involvement. For the empathy step to this model, one should
first gather information so that one can understand the reason that the child is having a hard

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time meeting the expectation of what is expected from them. Next, one should define the
problem and ask themselves why it is important that the child meets this expectation (this

information can be gathered from a parent or other caregiver). The final step to this model is
invitation, this step involves the collaboration of the adult and child and discussion of
solutions that work for both the child and adult. “The CPS model has been shown to be an
effective way to solve problems, reduce conflict, improve behavior, and enhance the skills
kids need to function adaptively to the real world” (Greene, 2021).
Conclusion
From acknowledging this research and finding out more about the issues that are shown in
preschool children, it has been brought to light the importance of having behavioral resources to
help with behaviors and emotions that arise and/or already exist. Through the following literature
research, it has been determined that children with behavioral issues such as attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder and anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety are prevalent in
preschool age groups. However, ADHD cannot be clinically diagnosable at this age due to
problems with familiarity to normal characteristics of a child of preschool age. Regardless,
several studies have been done that show that art can still be of use for children with symptoms
of these disorders that appear in the classroom. Paint as a medium has been found to be a
common applicant in reducing symptoms of children with the forementioned issues. Regarding
materials in general, the lowest number of materials and instructions, the better, with the
preschool age group. Art has been identified as being beneficial cognitively, but also in building
up one’s fine motor, language, and math skills. Current practices identify temporary solutions to
behaviors in a preschool classroom that are dealt with and not worked through.

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Chapter 3
Methodology
Introduction
The goal of this resource is to help preschool teachers alleviate behaviors associated with

emotional dysregulation in the preschool classroom. Emotional Dysregulation is the poor ability
to manage emotional responses or the lack of keeping emotions at an acceptable range of typical
emotional reactions (Cuncic, 2021). With this art as therapy resource, art can act as an outlet for
the emotional and behavioral issues that arise in a daycare setting. Preschool teachers can utilize
the interventions to help the child understand their emotional and physical needs more on an
emotional level by understanding the importance of art, materials, and their role in art therapy.
Population
The interventions included in this resource are for preschool children ages 3 to 5 years
old that attend preschool and display emotional and behavioral challenges during their time in
daycare. Social and emotional development at this age is critical and art has been shown to
positively impact children in this regard. Socially at this age, the child should be actively
engaging with peers by taking turns and problem solving (Belsky, 2019). In social groups, boys
are seen as the ones that can be very competitive (Belsky, 2019). Girls, however, tend to be
calmer and less physical when it comes to play. At this age children should start having the
emotional capability of being able to pay attention to and recognize the emotions of others, use
words to express the emotions they themselves go through, and understand that emotions have
consequences (Lowry, 2016). If children have not developed the ability to self-regulate,
problems may become evident in the emotional and behavioral aspects of the child. “Emotional
dysregulation can lead to a lifetime of struggles including problems with interpersonal

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relationships, trouble with school performance and the inability to function effectively in a job or
at work” (Cuncic,2021, p.1). It has been found that art plays a factor in increasing individuals’
ability to emotionally regulate. In a study published in the British Journal of Clinical Psychology
“it was found that all study participants who participated in arts-based groups reported a
significant increase in positive emotions along with a decrease in a negative emotion during and
immediately after an arts-based activity” (Bergland, 2017 p.1). Having arts-based programs
provides people with social support, distraction from the negatives and gives participants
something to look forward to (Bergland, 2017 p.1).
Setting/ Structure
Emotional issues may influence children’s behavior, so a focus of the resource was on the
improvement and building up of emotional regulation. The “Zones of Regulation” framework
aided in the process of building an art resource that was both arts and emotions based in helping
those with emotional regulation issues. Using the bases of the “Zones of Regulation”, an activity
was developed that gives children the opportunity to develop their own emotional color wheel.
This individualized the zones in a way that displays how each child sees their own emotions and
what color they perceive happiness, sadness, or anger to be.

This resource was developed for those without an art or psychology background to create art
with children (3-5) in a preschool classroom helping to improve emotional regulation. When
utilizing this resource/curriculum in a preschool classroom, it is recommended that art supplies
as well as a table and chair is available to be used. These interventions are to be used as a
resource that helps deescalate a child in destress but also to teach children the importance of
expressing emotions and ways of handling them to calm themselves down. Each activity is

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designed to be utilized in a group setting to introduce emotions through art. The result of several
of the activities uses the child’s creation as an emotional tool that the child can use by
themselves or with a staff member. The goal for these activities is for them to become a part of
the classroom curriculum so that children can talk about their emotions, what emotions look like
to them and how they can express them through art as therapy practices. Teachers need to make
sure that the children are aware that the purpose of these activities are not as a reward for their
behavior but as a resource to help them through the behavior they are displaying.

Conclusion
This methodology was written to help explain the purpose of the interventions given and
how the following resource is to be used. Knowledge in art therapy can help those outside the
field to understand the therapeutic aspect of art. Children can learn from art to be more aware of
the emotions they are going through as well as learn new ways to help themselves through these
emotions. If the art interventions are used when a child is showing signs of distress, it may help
the child calm themselves as well as teach the child to use art making as a coping mechanism.

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Chapter 4
Art as Therapy
Activities
The following activities are to be utilized during times that the child or children become upset

and need help in calming themselves down. These activities are for both individual situations and
for groups* It is suggested that these activities are incorporated into the daycare curriculum so
that the children understand their emotions and learn ways they can help themselves calm down.
Teachers need to make sure that the children are aware that the purpose of these activities are not
as a reward for their behavior but as a resource to help them through the behavior they are
displaying.

*Noted near the title of the activity in parenthesis () whether the activity is for group, individual
or both

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Activities

Mandala Making(G/I) …...…………………………………………………………… Pg.39-40
Mindfulness Sense Cards(G/I)…..…………………………………………………..... Pg.40-41
Breath Painting(G/I) ..…….…………………………………………………………. Pg.41-42
Control(G)……………………………………………………………………………… Pg.42-43
Emotions Color Wheel(G/I) …………………………..…………………………..……Pg.43-44
Mindfulness Breathing Wand(G/I) ……...……………………………………………. Pg.44-45
Scribble Drawing(G/I) ....……..………………………………………………………. Pg.45-46
Glitter Jar(G/I) …...……...……………………………………………………………. Pg.46-47
Monster Yarn Ball(G/I) ……………………………………………………..…………Pg.47-48
Creating Security(G)…….….………………………………………………………………Pg.48
Emotions Expression(G)……………………………………………………………..…Pg.48-49
Anger Sculpture (G) ………......…...…………………………………………….……. Pg.49-50
Shaving Cream Sensory Bag(G/I)………………………………………...…………….Pg.50

(G/I): Group and Individual
(G): Group

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❖

39

Mandala Making (Group and Individual) (taken from

Chambers, 2018)
➢ Mandalas are beneficial in their use of repetitive patterns that help a person
focus, decrease impulsive behavior, and help recognize the mind body
connection. They can be created using paper and art material or through
found materials in the classroom (Chambers, 2018)
Found Materials
• Cardboard circles precut out
• Pipe cleaners, string, yarn
• Marbles, small toys, play food, small stones etc.
Art Materials
• White Paper (8.5” x 11”) with circle already on it
• Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
Instructions
• Ask children what a pattern is? Give an example (see appendix A)
• Ask them to practice their own patterns
• Give children the cardboard circle if using found materials and/or paper with
circle if drawing their own pattern
• Ask children to fill the circle with their pattern
• Give examples of mandalas/patterns to children so they can see how they
might fill the circle (see appendix A)
Explanation
• Creating patterns can help keep our minds busy. Children can use this
technique by creating a pattern inside a circle like a mandala or go outside of
the circle. This activity uses fine motor skills because of the child’s ability to
hold crayons or markers or any found materials. The cognitive level of the
ETC is activated with the child’s ability to think of patterns they want to
draw. “Creating mandalas or other highly structured geometric patterns
could produce a meditative state in children that may alleviate symptoms of
anxiety” (Losinski & Hughey, 2016).
Example:

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❖

40

Mindfulness Senses Cards (Group and Individual)

(Adapted from Sargent, 2015)
➢ Being present is a mindfulness technique that helps to stay calm and
focused. Creating cards that can be colored and the child can keep that
focuses on what they can hear, what they can smell, what they can touch and
what they can see in the moment can help them stay grounded in the
moment and can be a useful tool that can be taken out when needed.
Materials
• Paper (colored or white) (8.5” x 11”)
• Crayons or markers
• Can trace their own hand and use pictures of an eye, ear, and nose for
reference (see appendix B)
Instructions
• Fold paper in half twice so that when it is unfolded you have four sections
• Hand out reference sheet to children
• Have the children to draw an eye, ear, nose, and hand in each square
• Once items are drawn, cut out each square
• Staple or put a hole punch in the corners of each and tie squares together for
safe keeping. Lamination of squares is optional but recommended
Explanation
This activity uses the fine motor activity of using scissors and language by having
the children describe what is going on around them. During this activity ask the
children what they hear, smell, see and touch. Explain that sometimes when we get
upset by crying or wanting to yell, one way to help ourselves calm down is to take

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time to notice what is around us and we can take out our cards and find things we
see, things we hear, things we smell and things we can touch.
Modifications
When a child is upset and the cards that they created are not available, one can also
ask the child to find the colors of the rainbow. This can also help distract them
from their initial upset and get them into a calmer state of mind.
Example:

(Sargent,2015)

❖Breath Painting (Group and Individual)
➢ Paying close attention to our breaths/breathing is another mindfulness
activity in helping one to become focused and calm. Painting activates the
child’s kinesthetic level of the ETC because of the body movements one
needs to activate when painting. The sensory level is also activated because
of the paint’s fluid quality. This activity also explores the child’s fine motor
skills in their ability to hold the paint brush.
Materials
• Large white paper (18” x 24”)
• Watercolor or acrylic paint
• Paintbrushes
• Calm music (sounds of nature, piano music etc.)
Instructions
• Put on calming music of your choice
• Ask children to close their eyes and just listen to the music
• Ask them to breathe in through their nose and out through their mouth for a
few minutes
• Have children one by one, pick one color of paint

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• Once paint has been chosen and child is seated in their chair, ask that when
they feel the air in their nose use your paint brush and paint and when they
feel the air leaving their mouth, paint again. (Repeat as needed)
• Have them change the way they breathe (fast, slow), how does the line
change? For fast breathes use one color and for slow, use another color.
Explanation
The instructor can paint alongside the child when they do this activity so they
can visually see what is meant by painting while breathing. The instructor can also
go around and help guide the child when they are painting. This activity brings
together a mind/body connection. When they physically feel the breath enter their
nose they paint and when the breath physically leaves their mouth they paint.
“Activities that enhance the mind-body connection help kids learn how their bodies
react to different mental and emotional states. This can lead to a greater ability to
control physical factors impacted by stress, including breathing, heart rate, and
muscle tension.” (n.a, 2021).
Modification
This activity can be taken out for individual use when paint is not available. The
teacher and child can take the time to count their breaths together until the child is
calm.

❖Control (Group Activity)
➢ This activity helps the children in gaining control of their own emotions and
actions
Materials
• Paper (white or colored) (8.5” x 11”)
• Crayons or markers
• Pictures of remote controllers for reference
• Remote Control Outline (see appendix D)
Instructions
• First go over with the children what it means to have control. Explain what a
remote controller does (might be good to have one as an example)
• What do they use a controller for? (Video games, tv etc.)
• Ask that they create their own remote control with buttons that help them
control their actions and emotions when they become upset
• When the children are finished ask them how their controller can help them
when they are upset. Ex: if you were feeling angry, sad, etc. what would you
want your remote to do to help you?
Explanation

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43

• This activity uses the cognitive level of the ETC because the child needs to
problem solve and choose what they want their buttons on their controller to
look like or where they want them to go. Fine motor skills are used through
holding a crayon or marker and language skills are used through having the
children explain what they want to control. This activity can be modified to
preprinted outlines of a remote and ask the children to color it in and then
ask how their remote can help them when they are upset and what their
buttons would be used for.
❖

Emotions Color Wheel (Group and Individual)
(Adapted from Corrington, 1970)

➢ This activity can be an aid in understanding emotions. Children can choose
emotions that they know and represent them in their own way.
Materials
• Large white paper (18” x 24”) with divided circle
• Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
• Faces of Emotions Handout (see appendix C)
Prep-work
• Draw a circle big enough to fill the middle of each paper
• Divide circle into 8 sections
• Write above each section an emotion from the faces of emotions handout
Instructions
• Hand out to the children the faces of emotions handout, ask the children
if they have ever felt one or more of the emotions and have them match
the emotions
• Demonstrate for the children using your own facial expression, what the
feelings look like
• Ask children to choose two colors for each emotion that they have felt
• Hand out white paper with divided circle to each child
• Ask children to draw how that emotion looks like to them with the colors
that they chose
Explanation
• This activity helps the child explain the emotions that they are feeling.
Through this activity they can express the way they see emotions. The child
can use their fine motor skills in holding the crayon, marker, or pencil. This
activity can show expression on the ETC through the kinesthetic level.
Through this activity the child must stay within a boundary with each color
that they chose. The cognitive level of the ETC is also activated because the
child needs to think about what emotions look like to them.

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44

Modification
• This color wheel can be taken back out when the child is expressing some
type of emotion. The teacher can then ask the child what color they are
feeling from their color wheel to get a better understanding of how the child
is feeling.
❖

Mindful Breathing Wand (Group and Individual)
(Taken from Sargent,2014)

➢ This activity helps one stay mindful by making a mind and body connection.
Through this activity, children can see their breath as they breathe.
Materials
• Toilet paper or paper towel roll
• Acrylic paint or markers
• Stickers (optional)
• Tape
• Ribbon (any color of their choice)
• Paint brushes
Prep-work
• Cut one inch off the top of each paper towel or toilet paper roll, set aside
• Cut a straight line up the remainder of the paper towel roll
• Use the cut to tighten the roll and roll it thinner and tape on top and on
bottom
Instructions
• Hand out the taped-up roll of toilet paper or paper towel roll, tell children
that today we are going to make our own breathing wand that can help us to
calm down when we are feeling upset
• Ask children to decorate their toilet or paper towel roll using the paint or
markers
• When the children are done decorating, have them set their rolls aside to dry
• Ask children to choose the colored ribbon they want
• Help the children tape the ribbons they chose to the small ring that was cut
earlier
• With help attach ring of ribbons to the decorated roll with tape
• Breathe using your brand-new breathing wand
Explanation
• This activity uses the kinesthetic/sensory level of the ETC. They need to
only decorate the roll that they are given. They are using many materials
such as paint and ribbon which helps them visually see their breath.

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“Activities that enhance the mind-body connection help kids learn how their
bodies react to different mental and emotional states. This can lead to a
greater ability to control physical factors impacted by stress, including
breathing, heart rate, and muscle tension.” (n.a, 2021). Fine motor skills are
also utilized through taping and decorating.
Example

(Sargent, 2014)

❖Scribble Drawing (Group and Individual)
➢ This is a mindfulness activity that uses the whole body to control the
movement so it can be useful for children that are frustrated. “Can be helpful
in calming clients at the end of a difficult session or can teach clients an easy
art activity to do at home for relaxation” (Mehlomakulu, 2016)
Materials
• Large white paper (18” x 24”)
• Markers
• Timer
Prep-Work
• Tape down paper to a surface before activity
• Make sure paper is spaced far enough apart from the next one
Instructions
• Tell children that they will need to stand for this activity and use both arms
• Announce that a timer will be set for 2 mins and before that timer goes off, I
want you to scribble all over your paper using both hands and making sure
you’re only scribbling on the paper. When the timer goes off, put your
maker down.

ART AS THERAPY

•

46

Can you find any hidden images in your work? Use a different color and
circle the hidden images that you find.
• You can color in the images that you find in your work
Explanation
• The instructor can go around and help children find images in their work if
they are having trouble. This activity can be changed to just having the
children scribble all over the paper with different colors without finding
shapes. This activity uses the kinesthetic/sensory level of the ETC by using a
fluid material such as a marker as well as having the children moving with
the material using both arms. The cognitive/symbolic level is also being
used due to the children having to find images within the scribbles that they
have created. Fine motor skills of holding a marker in both hands and
language skills of explaining the images found in the work are also shown.

❖Glitter Jars (Group and Individual)
➢ This activity can be taken out whenever the client may need it to help
themselves calm down
Materials
• Empty plastic water bottle (12fl oz)
• Glitter (any color)
• Beads (optional)
• Hot Glue Gun
• Duct tape
• Plastic funnel
• Tablespoon
Instructions
• Have children choose the colors of glitter/beads they want (if there is more
than one option)
• Place plastic funnel in empty water bottle
• Pour 2 tablespoons of glitter/beads into water bottle
• Have children fill the rest of the bottle with water
Instructors Only
• Using the hot glue gun, put hot glue on the opening of the bottle and then
place cap back on the bottle
• Once glue is dry, place duct tape around the cap of the bottle.
• Test for any leakage before giving bottle back to the child

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47

Explanation
• This activity is one that the child can take out to help themselves calm down.
Teachers can ask the child to sit and watch the glitter fall until they are able
to feel calm. It is suggested that this item is stored in the classroom and
not taken home. This activity uses the kinesthetic/sensory level of the ETC
because of the body movement involved in using this activity and the
fluidity of the water. It is also on the cognitive level due to the planning of
what color glitter they want and if they want beads. Math is expressed
through this activity cause the child needs to measure 2 tablespoons of glitter
for their bottle.

❖Monster Yarn Ball (Group and Individual)
➢ Can help with emotions of anxiety and anger. Gives the child an outlet to let
out their anger without harming others around them.
Materials
• Colored yarn
• Googly eyes
• Glue
• Scissors
Instructions
• Wrap yarn around hand loosely until it covers all fingers
• Remove the yarn from hand and cut yarn from attached yarn ball
• Tie a piece of yarn around the middle of the wrapped yarn
• Cut access pieces of tied yarn
• Add googly eyes to the middle of yarn ball
• Throw monster when needed
• Can make as many as needed
Explanation
• This activity can be made one on one with a child or with a group. This
activity helps release feelings of anger in a harmless way because it can be
tossed on the ground. Children can make one or more monster balls and
take them out when feelings of frustration or anxiety arise. This activity
is on the sensory level of the ETC because of the material of yarn as well as
the cognitive level of having to figure out how much yarn is needed to tie the
monster together. Fine motor skills of holding, wrapping, and tying the yarn
as well as using scissors are utilized.
Example

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ART AS THERAPY

❖Creating Security (Group and Individual)
➢ This activity goes over safe environments/people/things that they can go to
or think of when they are upset
Materials
• Paper (8.5” x 11”) colored or white
• Acrylic paint or markers
• Paint brushes
Instructions
• Paint or draw a person, place or item that makes you feel safe
Explanation
• This activity uses the kinesthetic/sensory level of the ETC by the fluidity of
the materials, marker/paint as well as the cognitive/symbolic level because
of the children having to decide what is safe for them and how to display
that using the material of paint or markers. The perceptual/affective level
can also be seen depending on what the child draws. The children also
practice language skills through having to explain what they made. The fine
motor skill of holding the paint brush or marker is also utilized.
Modification
• When one child is showing physical emotions of being upset, the teacher can
take them aside and go over safe environments as well as utilize breathing
techniques to help the child calm down.

❖ Emotions

Expression (Group) (Adapted from Lorig,2021)

➢ To help identify emotions and how we express them
Materials
• List of emotions (See appendix C)

ART AS THERAPY

49

• Open space
Instructions
• Have each child one by one pick one emotion from the list
• Ask each child one at a time to move their body and face to show what the
emotion would look like in a physical form (Ex: jumping up and
down=excited)
• Ask children if there are any emotions, that they don’t know how they look
• Instructor can pick the emotion and have children express one emotion as a
group (Ex: what do you all think being happy looks like?)
Explanation
• This activity helps children physically see how emotions can be expressed,
mind and body connections are made, and they learn about emotions that
they might not be aware of. From the ETC the kinesthetic level is expressed
because the children are using their bodies to show expression.
❖

Anger Sculpture (Group) (adapted from Youhjung, 2021)

➢ “Clay work is a kinesthetic experience that releases tension,
stimulates energy, and helps discharge it through movement .”
(Youhjung, 2021)
Materials
• Air dry clay
• Clay tools (can use play dough tools)
Instructions
• Have each child choose two colors of air-dry clay
• Ask children what it looks when we are angry and what it may feel like in
our bodies when we are angry (Give examples if children are unsure)
• Ask each child to make an angry object or animal out of the clay they chose
• When children are finished, ask what they have made and what their object
or animal would sound like if they were angry?
Explanation
• This activity uses the kinesthetic and sensory level of the ETC. Children
need to interact with the material through movement of their bodies and by
touching the material under their fingertips. The cognitive level of the ETC
is also expressed because the child can think of what they want their object
or animal to look like. Children can learn how anger can be expressed and
understand what anger may look or sound like. Fine motor skills are utilized
because the child will need to grasp and mold the clay. Language skills are
utilized because the children will be asked to explain what they have made
and the sound it would make.

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50

Modification
• This activity can be used with other emotions
(Reilly,2021)

❖Shaving Cream Sensory Bag (Group and
Individual)
➢ Provides sensory stimulation that may help in calming one down or keeping
one calm
Materials
• Shaving cream
• Food Coloring
• Ziplock Freezer Bag
• Duct Tape
• Beads
Instructions
• Distribute shaving cream into the Ziplock freezer bag filling bag a quarter of
the way.
• Ask child or children what color they would like to put in their bag
• Tell each child to add 4 drops of food coloring to their bag
• Give each child a handful of beads to put in their bag
• Ziplock each bag shut
• Using duct tape, tape each bag to a surface using tape across the top and
bottom of each bag
• Allow each child to sit and explore the mixture they have created
Explanation
This activity can encourage sensory exploration without the mess. This activity
uses decision making because the child need to be able to choose what color or
colors they want to add to their shaving cream. This activity also encourages
mindfulness because their focus is on the pinch, squish and mixing of the shaving
cream and food coloring. “Sensory activities, in addition to being fun and
interesting for babies and young children, encourage children to explore and
investigate. Furthermore, these activities support children to use the ‘scientific
method’ of observing, forming a hypothesis, experimenting, and making
conclusions” (Goodstart,2018)

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Chapter 5
Discussion
This curriculum/resource was designed to teach children 3-5 years of age about emotional

regulation in a daycare setting through art as therapy activities. Having the opportunities to talk
about and express one’s emotions early on in a daycare setting can lead to better social emotional
skills that can help in calming oneself down, problem solve and build better relationships. These
are the skills that the child can carry on throughout their lives.
The thirteen art as therapy activities were specifically chosen with the child’s emotional
development in mind as a way to help increase their emotional knowledge, as well as get a closer
look to how they view emotions. The underlying therapeutic benefit of art as therapy helped
introduce coping skills that the child can use in, as well as outside of the classroom setting. Each
activity was designed to be utilized in a group setting to introduce emotions through art. The
result of several of the activities uses the child’s creation as an emotional tool that the child can
use by themselves or with a staff member. The goal for these activities is for them to become a
regular part of the classroom curriculum so that children can talk about their emotions, what
emotions look like to them and how they can express them through art as therapy practices.

Daycares might already be making glitter jars and shaving cream bags. However, the difference
is the fact that they make them as an art project, so kids make them and then forget about them.
This project is to show that those activities can be utilized as coping tools that can be used
repeatedly to help with emotions and behaviors and the important part that art plays in making
those tools.

ART AS THERAPY

52

Limitations

Some limitations to this resource include the fact that, teachers would need to take the time to
read the entirety of this paper to become familiar with the reasoning behind the activities and
how the children will benefit. Teachers might not have the time to do this. Some of the activities
in this resource require preparation time and this may not be available for administration to large
groups. For a child to create an art as therapy activity for individual use when they are
overwhelmed, there would need to be another teacher in the classroom to watch the other
children, which is not always possible. Lastly, these activities produce coping tools that may not
work for all children and situations.

Future Plans

If the author was to continue working on this topic and activities, the author would present these
activities to preschool classrooms in their hometown area and have them become integrated into
the curriculum. Once that was accomplished, they would then check back in a few months time
to see if the children, as well as teachers, gained any insight about their emotions through art as
therapy practices. The author would also take this time to ask if the activities provided were of
any help with guiding children through their emotions during their time at daycare.

Conclusion

Beyond the limitations, the art as therapy practices expressed in this resource/curriculum,
encourages children to work through their emotions, giving them a way to speak about their
emotions in their own way. Children are provided the opportunity to create their own personal
coping tools that they can use whenever they need them. Tools made from activities such as

ART AS THERAPY

53

breathe wands can be utilized to help encourage deep breathing, mindfulness sense cards can be
utilized to help the child become calm and focused, glitter jars can be utilized to help the child
become calm, and monster yarn balls can be utilized to help the children express anger in a safe
way.

54

ART AS THERAPY
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Appendix
Mandala Making (Pg.39)

(A)

Reference:
White, C. (2018, June 8). Outline of simplified mandala useful for coloring pages and books.
iStock. Retrieved November 7, 2021, from https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/simpledesign-of-mandala-line-art-isolated-on-white-background-gm971630128-264609832.

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Reference:
Greek vase worksheets and pattern samples. Teachers Pay Teachers. (2020). Retrieved
November 7, 2021, from https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Greek-VaseWorksheets-and-Pattern-Samples140492?epik=dj0yJnU9b3pMeV95dUcyNWZhNzNPd2h6YjRkcm43dFQtOGU2UGUm
cD0wJm49dFBaVDlvamVHMEVuRGZ2WGp2Um5odyZ0PUFBQUFBR0dJUlA4.

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Mindfulness Sense Cards (Pg., 40)

(B)

Reference:
Free icon: Eye outline with lashes. Freepik. (2014, August 30). Retrieved November 7, 2021,
from https://www.freepik.com/free-icon/eye-outline-with-lashes_739510.htm.

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Reference:
Ear outline free vector icons designed by Freepik. Flaticon. (2021, November 7). Retrieved
November 7, 2021, from https://www.flaticon.com/free-icon/ear-outline_30683.

Reference:
Win, V. (n.d.). Anatomy, face, human, men, nose, organ, outline icon - download on Iconfinder.
Iconfinder. Retrieved November 7, 2021, from
https://www.iconfinder.com/icons/6056508/anatomy_face_human_men_nose_organ_outli
ne_icon.

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Emotions Color Wheel (Pg. 43) and Emotions Expression (Pg.48)

(C)

Reference:
Image result for feelings and emotions worksheets: Feelings and emotions, expressing emotions,
how to express feelings. Pinterest. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2021, from
https://pin.it/4TIgJmL

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Control (Pg.43)
(D)

Reference:
Anatolir. (2021, March 30). TV remote control icon outline style vector image on vectorstock.
VectorStock. Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://www.vectorstock.com/royaltyfree-vector/tv-remote-control-icon-outline-style-vector-37161125.

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Reference:
Koop, J. (2021). Console, controller, PlayStation, PlayStation 4, ps4, video games icon download on Iconfinder: Game Controller, PlayStation, Console. Pinterest. Retrieved
December 4, 2021, from
https://www.iconfinder.com/icons/1468801/console_controller_playstation_playstation_4_
ps4_video_games_icon.

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