Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Death In Children's Literature, Joyce Ann Kaufman

Honors Theses

Mr. Wordsworth posed an interesting question. What should a child know about death?

Often we try to protect children from death. Euphemisms are used regarding death. People and pets do not die, they "pass away," "go to sleep," or "go to live in heaven." When a death occurs in a family, the adults often say of a young child, "It doesn't seem to bother him. Maybe he doesn't realize what has happened." Other people may mention that "He has accepted it so well. Children adapt so easily."

Creativity In Pre-School Art, Sharon Kluck

Honors Theses

"Children are wonderfully fresh and vivacious. What adult can compete with a child's energies? A child's mind runs like a mouse in a maze. He observes, perceives, imitates, and responds as a unique individual." His work is original, using foreign symbols for an image he pulls from his memory. All of the myriad elements, internal and external, influence a child's creation. These works for the young child are expressions of his life's experiences. As he matures in his thinking, he becomes more aware of himself, his family, and the people and things in his environment. He is curious and explore …