Every kid is artistic, for the simple fact that every kid has an imagination! With just a little help from their parents each child can develop their inner artist even more. If you’re struggling to find your “inner-parental-artist-mentor”, following these 5 simple steps can help get you on the right path.
1. Art supplies!
Crayons and paper are fun (and you can do a lot with them), but there’s so much more! To help your kids from ever getting bored of art, mix it up. Buy a few bins and stock it with other supplies. Clay, disposable camera, markers, colored pencils, scissors, glue, tape, colored paper, are just a few ideas.
2. Art space
Having a dedicated space for you kids to do art isn’t always possible, but it’ll go a long way for both you and them. Pulling art supplies out of a closet and setting up a table can feel like a hassle. You’ll quickly find yourself encouraging them to do something else. Simply taking a Saturday to organize a few bins and setting up a workspace, will make art time quicker and easier.
3. Art time
Plan your week, and include scheduled time for art. If you don’t plan it you may still find time to squeeze it in, but most likely it’ll be infrequent (if at all). Some of the best time we’ve found is actually right before bedtime. All kids are different, but we’ve found that our kids concentrate…almost into a “zen” state. Art seems to be a great way to settle them down. Who knows, it may do the opposite for your kids…just experiment with different times. Find a time that works best for them and you.
4. Art direction
This secret is the reason why I started this site. My kids love art, but I’ve quickly found regardless of their amazing imagination that direction keeps art fun and new. My children can have a lot of fun with clay on their own, but I’ve noticed they have even more fun when I’m involved. Involvement means participating with them, but also means giving them tasks or challenges.
5. Art support
Most likely your kids won’t regularly ask you to paint (although they may start to after practicing these five things), so if you don’t promote it they won’t know what they’re missing. I’m not suggesting that you ever require art time, but I am suggesting that many skills (not just art) in your children will develop faster if there’s support from their parents. Take charge by leading, not requiring or forcing.
