How can a creative corner encourage a group of 3-4 year old Essay

How can a creative corner encourage a group of 3-4 year old mathematical development - Essay Example Often, creativity is not a word associated with formal learning of subjects such as mathematics (Hall and Robinson, 2003). However, many researchers and scholars have been exploring the effectiveness of using creativity for mathematical development (Hall and Robinson, 2003). This article tries to explore whether a creative corner can encourage a group of 3.-4 year old children with mathematical development. It attempts to look at some of the creative activities that are used, the benefits and also the role that a practitioner has to play in promoting mathematical development. Young children have a natural ability to create fantasies, ask questions, explore their surroundings and carry out experiments. Therefore, the toddler age is one where the level of creativity is often maximum (Prentice, 2000). According to Prentice (2000), as children get older, the level of creativity reduced and hence, creativity is seen more in children who are in the age group of 3-4, when compared to the children who are in the age group of 5-6. According to Russ, (2003), creativity in young children can be fostered through three main aspects - they include setting up a creative environment, developing creative modules and programs as well as the skill or ability of the instructor in using these aspects. According to Talboys (2004), creativity is something that can extend to all the aspects of learning, including mathematics and not necessarily limited to activities such as art, theater of dancing. From a conventional perspective, children were encouraged to learn only very limited things through creative activities such as role play. Most of the curriculum, especially subjects such as mathematics and social science, were approached only from a formal classroom environment (Russ, 2003). According to Jean Piaget’s theory on mathematical development, the children undergo a staged development, where by between 0-2 years