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Nurturing your child's artistic ability at home can be a fun and rewarding experience that boosts their creativity and confidence. Here are some simple ways to support your budding artist:
Create an Art Space OR Art Kit: Dedicate a small area in your home where your child can freely create or a space that can easily be set up. Stock it with basic art supplies like paper, crayons, markers, and paint. Having a designated space encourages regular practice and experimentation. If you can't dedicate a space I highly recommend creating an "art kit" or "artist briefcase." I created a "kit" for my son so that he can pull it out and create whenever he feels like it. He loves it because it has lots of compartments where he can store fun things and makes him feel like an real artist.
2. Encourage Exploration: Allow your child to explore different mediums and styles without pressure (this means that you don't need to give them an idea at the start or in the middle of making) -Let your child guide the process. Whether it’s drawing, painting, sculpting, or crafting, let them try it all. This helps them discover what they enjoy most and develop a range of skills. If you create an Art Kit like I mentioned earlier, a fun addition to it is an art grab bag.
The art grab bags I create are usually just random odds and ends and recycled goodies. So when my son has an artistic engineering project (like a boat, goggles, robot or any other thing he dreams up) he can use any and all supplies right there. It is also a great tool for using up scraps of art supplies that you might normally put in the trash or recycling.
3. Praise Effort, Not Just Results: Focus on the process of creating rather than the final product. Celebrate their efforts and creativity, which will help them build confidence and resilience in their artistic journey. I like to use these phrases and questions (notice the open-ended questions):
"Wow, you worked really hard on that!"
"Tell me more."
"What was the most challenging part?"
"I like the way you used ______ because it makes me feel _______"
"How did you make it? What was the process like?"
"I noticed that you ______. Can you tell me more about that?"
If you use these types of phrases you not only are supporting their artistic effort, but you are emulating how to discuss art/artmaking in a positive and supportive way. Kids will pick up on this and use the same feedback phrases to talk about other students art, their own, or in non art contexts as well.
4. Incorporate Art into Daily Life: Make art a part of your daily routine. Whether it’s doodling during a quiet moment, crafting together on weekends, or visiting local art exhibits, regular exposure to art helps keep their creativity flowing. If kids see their adults exploring art mediums, tools, and techniques without worry of failure, they will mimic that and know that art is an important part of your lives and also that it doesn't need to be perfect or complete to be "good".
5. Join Art Classes: Complement their home activities with structured art classes. Classes provide guidance, introduce new techniques, and offer a social aspect that can inspire your child to grow as an artist. Check out my current class offerings HERE.
By providing support and opportunities for exploration, you’ll help your child develop their artistic talents and a lifelong love for creativity which plays a huge role in our world in countless ways (more on that later).
Please add any questions or comments below. I love sharing ideas, hearing new ideas, and helping others on their creative journeys. :)
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