For children, creativity is a way of interacting with people and things in their environment. As children mature and begin to take different roles in their play, their creativity is evident in the language and actions of their characters. Art and design, is important in helping children develop creativity because it allows them to move beyond the concrete and into a world where imagination is in control.

Helping learners develop creativity is a primary goal of our Art and design program at Sonshine.

Art activities can serve as a bridge to understanding for students; in addition, art has the potential to act as therapy for students with emotional issues.

Because learners need time, space and materials to realize creative potential, our classrooms and our curriculum are designed to support exploration and problem solving. Our day is organized into blocks of time during which learners can explore without rushing to the next activity.

Our art lessons take place inside and outside classes, in which learners can explore with paint and other art materials without worrying about too much mess or noise. As a school, we support every child’s creativity by being nurturing responsive but also by enforcing expectations for every child’s behaviour.

Our school environment is very conducive and learner centred, because creativity flourishes in environments where children feel safe to explore and experiment.