Vrsta študij ugotavlja, da likovne dejavnosti prispevajo k razvoju različnega znanja in spretnosti. Študij, ki bi empirično preverjale in dokazovale tovrstno napredovanje, je sicer manj, kar je tudi eden od razlogov udejanjanja naše raziskave. Pestrost likovnih dejavnosti je povezana z različnimi vrstami veščin, zato smo raziskovanje omejili na enega od najpogosteje uporabljanih materialov v predšolskem obdobju, tj. papir. Otroci se v vrtcu vsakodnevno srečujejo in rokujejo s papirjem. Z razvojem fine motorike otroci usvojijo prstne spretnosti, ki so potrebne za obdelavo papirja. To so mečkanje, pregibanje, trganje in uporaba orodij za obdelovanje papirja (škarje in šablona ali ravnilo) (Kurikulum za vrtce, 1999). Nekoliko kasneje k razvijanju drobnih gibov prispeva tudi rezanje in oblikovanje majhnih koščkov papirja. Pri tem imajo pomembno vlogo izkušnje in vaja. Slednja je najučinkovitejša, če je zasnovana v obliki igre. Papir so iz rastlinskih vlaken izdelovali že stari Kitajci, v Evropi pa ga poznamo od 9. stoletja naprej. Papir pridobivajo pretežno iz rastlinskih vlaken, katerim očistijo necelulozne sestavine. Uporaba papirja v likovnih delih je bolj vsestranska, kot si morda mislimo (Čadež-Lapajne, 1983). Vsaka likovna tehnika potrebuje primerno vrsto papirja. Seveda je pri tem pomembnih več lastnosti, od vpojnosti, gramature, pa vse do videza in teksture. Pred uporabo je pomembno, da poznamo osnovne značilnosti papirja. Pri nekaterih likovnih tehnikah pomembno vlogo igra tudi potek vlaken. To vpliva na zgibanje, trganje, rezanje in tudi zvijanje (Brodek, 2013). Akvarelni papir, recikliran papir, papir za origamije in prosojni papir so le nekatere vrste papirja, ki se med seboj precej razlikujejo. V vrtcu so sprva bolj prisotne preproste tehnike obdelovanja papirja, s katerimi razvijamo soročne spretnosti, kot so: mečkanje, trganje, gubanje in pregibanje, kasneje pa tudi rezanje, in lepljenje ter celo prebadanje, luknjanje in spenjanje. Pri rezanju, lepljenju, luknjanju in spenjanju za obdelavo potrebujemo orodja, medtem ko ostale tehnike izvajamo brez orodij. V vrtcu največkrat uporabljamo otroške škarje, škarje z vzorcem, luknjač, spenjač in različna ravnila oziroma šablone (Milčinovič, 1997). Otroške škarje se razlikujejo po velikosti, obliki držala, barvi, dolžini in obliki rezil (imajo zaobljeno rezilo), lahko so desnoročne ali levoročne, nekatere imajo pomagalo za odpiranje škarij, ki olajšajo uporabo. Otroci v vrtcu ravnila uporabljajo redkeje. Poleg klasičnega ravnila poznamo še trikotna ravnila in ravnila krivih oblik za risanje krivih črt. Če imajo ravnila na podlagi prazne prostore, namenjene risanju različnih likov in oblik, jim pravimo šablone. Pri risanju črt z ravnilom je pomembno, da držimo konico svinčnika tik ob stranici ravnila. Ta mora biti nagnjena v smeri, kamor vlečemo črto (Fošnarič, Slukan, Virtič, Puncer, 2004). S pomočjo luknjača v papirnatih gradivih izsekamo odprtino. Poznamo luknjače, s katerimi s pomočjo kladiva na trdi podlagi izsekamo luknjo, in tiste, ki so avtomatski (prav tam). Izbira spenjača je odvisna od števila listov papirja, ki jih želimo naenkrat speti. Namizni pisarniški spenjači lahko spnejo od 2 do 50 listov. Tudi ročni spenjači ali spenjalne klešče spnejo od 2 do 40 listov. Več listov pa lahko spnejo električni spenjači. Za odstranjevanje sponk iz spetega gradiva pa uporabljamo razpenjač. A number of studies have found that art activities contribute to the development of different skills. There are fewer studies that empirically test and prove this kind of progression, which is one of the reasons I decided to investigate it. The variety of art activities is linked to different types of skills, so I have limited my research to one of the most commonly used materials in the preschool period, i.e. paper. Children in kindergarten encounter and handle paper on a daily basis. As children develop fine motor skills, they acquire the finger skills necessary for working with paper: creasing, folding, tearing and the use of paper tools (scissors and a jig or ruler) (Kindergarten Curriculum, 1999). A little later, cutting and shaping small pieces of paper also contributes to the development of fine motor skills (Curriculum for Kindergarten, 1999). Experience and practice play an important role here. The latter is most effective if it is designed in the form of a game. Paper was made from plant fibres by the ancient Chinese and has been known in Europe since the 9th century. Paper is mainly made from plant fibres, which are stripped of their non-cellulosic components. The use of paper in fine art is more versatile than we might think (Čadež-Lapanje, 1983). Each artistic technique needs a suitable type of paper. Of course, several properties are important, from absorbency, grammage, to appearance and texture. Before using it, it is important to know the basic characteristics of the paper. In some fine art techniques, the fibre course also plays an important role. This influences folding, tearing, cutting and even curling (Brodek, 2013). Watercolour paper, recycled paper, origami paper and transparency paper are just some of the types of paper that differ considerably from each other. In kindergarten, simple papermaking techniques are more prevalent at first, which helps us develop related skills such as creasing, tearing, folding and creasing. Later, we develop cutting, gluing and even punching, hole-punching and stapling.Cutting, gluing, punching and stapling require tools, while the other techniques are carried out without tools. In kindergarten, children's scissors, pattern scissors, hole punch, stapler and various rulers or stencils are most commonly used (Milčinovič, 1997). Children's scissors vary in size, shape of handle, colour, length and shape of blades (they have a rounded blade). They can be right-handed or left-handed, and some have a scissor opening aid to make them easier to use. Rulers are less frequently used by children in kindergarten. Beside classic ruler, we also know triangular rulers and curved rulers for drawing curved lines. If rulers have blank spaces on the base for drawing different shapes and figures, they are called stencils. When drawing lines with a ruler, it is important to hold the tip of the pencil right against the side of the ruler. This should be inclined in the direction where the line is drawn (Fošnarič, Slukan, Virtič, Puncer 2004). Using a hole punch helps us to cut an opening in paper materials. There are punches that use a hammer to punch a hole in a hard substrate and those that are automatic (ibid.). The choice of stapler depends on the number of sheets of paper to be stapled at one time. Desktop office staplers can staple from 2 to 50 sheets. Manual staplers or staplers can also staple from 2 to 40 sheets. Electric staplers can staple more sheets. Paper clip remover are used to remove staples from stapled material.