Art exploration, or process art, is a creative endeavor that focuses on the process of art making, rather than the production of an end result. It may look messy and nonsensical to some, but for the maker, it provides opportunities to express emotions and ideas that they may not have the vocabulary or technical skill to represent. Through process art, makers also get to explore materials from a sensory perspective, follow feelings and trains of thought without constraint, and practice intellectual, social, and emotional skills.

Because there are essentially no rules to art exploration, it gives children opportunities to explore a number of concepts in a non-directive, non-judgemental way. For example, children can experiment with cause and effect, they take initiative and make self-directed choices. Though it may not be obvious, while creating art, children are developing early literacy, math, and scientific thinking skills.

Process-oriented art can be done by anyone and is developmentally appropriate to a wide range of ages. While a toddler’s gestural pencil marks and a 10-year-old’s found object sculpture may differ in their respective levels of technical skill and sophistication, they are equally as meaningful to their makers as forms of creative expression!