Discovering your child’s talents is always special. It gives you a glimpse of what their future might be like or what careers they are most likely to pursue. It also says a lot about their personalities and makes it easier to create meaningful interactions. Above all, this discovery gives you the perfect opportunity to assist them in their development.
This is especially true if they are art savvy, as visual arts require a lot of tools and direction to be cultivated. Thankfully, both of you have the chance to explore this together while quarantining during the pandemic.
If you’re not sure where to begin, here are five tips that are guaranteed to let your child embrace their inner artist better.
Give Them Their Own Workspace
Giving them a designated workspace has multiple benefits. It lets them know that you support their passion and are willing to give them space and tools to pursue it. Children need this more when they are just beginning to explore their likes and dislikes in life. Even if you can’t give them the most expensive paintbrushes and easels, the simple act of setting aside a corner for them with whatever is available should suffice as encouragement.
Work on improving their workspace one step at a time, and let them own their corner. When you’re able to, you can buy them shelves for their art materials, but ultimately, let them decide on how they organize this space. This will motivate them to take time out of their day to make art and take full ownership of this hobby.
Invest in Other Tools
Visual artists thrive on inspiration when they are just starting out. They also need to take breaks and do other activities that will spur them to create some more. To give them more avenues to unleash their creativity, invest in items such as buildings and construction toys. Activities that improve their hand-mind coordination and problem-solving skills are great ways to tap further into their creative minds. You can also try out stitching, cooking, and gardening, as these are tasks you can bond over.
The best part is that they prevent them from relying too much on their gadgets to get inspiration for their next artwork.
Expose Them to Other Artworks
It’s tempting to download an e-book or to simply save images from the internet when doing this, but by all means, purchase a print copy if you can. There are plenty of good books about classic and contemporary artworks you can have delivered to your home. It’s not only the reduced screen time that you should be after but the added benefits of reading.
Even the act of flipping pages has wonderful effects on the brain and could make the experience more personal for them. After all, getting to know the great names and works in art history is a special moment for any aspiring artist. It shows them what they could be capable of doing if they pursue this path.
Tolerate Their Mess
One of the worst things you can do is to warn them not to create a mess every single time they make art. It limits their creativity and shifts their focus on pleasing you instead of expressing themselves. If they do tend to leave their workspace in chaos, the best solution is to set ground rules for them. Some effective ones include wearing old shirts when working to preserve their regular clothes and wiping off spills before they leave their workspace.
It’s also important to help them establish the habit of cleaning their brushes and capping their paint tubes right after use. This will spare you from needing to replace them too soon after your last purchase.
Talk About It
A lot of art is subconscious, even for children. If you want to know their current interests and what they consider important, you can encourage them to talk about their art. Doing so also tells them that you are interested not only in their creations but also in their thoughts and feelings. Point out their choice of colors and ask why some things are bigger or smaller than the rest. It’s a good exercise that will make them more comfortable to tackle their art verbally as they grow up.
Just because your child is art savvy doesn’t mean that you have to train them to become the next Picasso. Art is simply a passion and a form of expression at this stage in your child’s life. The most important thing is that they are having fun in the best way they know how.
