Abstract
This paper investigated children’s exploratory behavior in artistic play.
The observation and analysis of the resulting video led to several conclusions.
First, as the children made objects, they used tools and materials in ways that were unique to each child. Second, their artistic play exhibited characteristics. For example, formative acts of expression, such as material work, pattern making, and image making were found. Third, the children created and subsequently resolved problems, discovering the value of their own objects through artistic play. Fourth, exploratory behavior developed within a local culture that the children themselves had created. Finally, the exploratory behavior was motivated by their becoming aware of contradictions: by resolving the contradictions, the children were able to form their own logical concepts about the objects that they had created and their own acts of expression.
