Do you have a pre-schooler who loves to draw cats and ONLY cats repeatedly, and while you love it, you also can’t figure out why? Or maybe you have a six-year-old who brings a list of requested art supplies the length of a CVS receipt to you each week while your eight-year-old is about to launch a cardboard sculpture business, or at least you hope, as that would get the cardboard out of your house, and help to pay for the six-year-olds supply list.
While you want to support your kid, and you love seeing the work they create, you aren’t sure how to support your kid because you describe yourself as someone who can’t draw.
The first step to supporting your kid’s interest in art is to stop saying things like:
- I can’t even draw a stick figure.
- I can’t even draw a straight line.
- I don’t understand how you can draw like that; where do you get the talent?
All of the statements above imply that the ability to create art is something that you are born with or you aren’t and don’t encourage experimentation and practice to develop and strengthen the skills that your kids are demonstrating.
You can draw a stick figure; I promise you, YOU CAN! You can also draw a straight line, primarily if you use a ruler, which, spoiler alert, artists use to draw a straight line. A large part of the reason you aren’t comfortable or skilled in drawing is that you chose to practice and study other things.
To help your creative kids continue to explore their interests, try the following:
- Give them access to supplies. These supplies don’t have to be expensive, especially if your kids are young. Create a challenge to see how many FREE supplies you can find. Think cardboard, paper bags, envelopes, and sticks.
- Ask them to tell you about their art. How did you decide what colors you wanted to use? Tell me more about your drawing. I see lines and shapes; can you tell me about those choices? This helps your kids to learn how to talk about their art and avoids you misidentifying something that they drew.
- Show them art. While that could mean taking them to galleries and museums, it can also mean showing them picture books and helping them to understand that an artist made the drawings, paintings, and illustrations in the books.
- Designate a space for them to create. Creating is often messy, and it can be helpful for all involved if you have a specific area for your kids to be creative. A bonus tip is to purchase wax cloth to cover any surfaces where they’re painting or gluing. You can thank me later.
I’ve made things my entire life. My childhood memories include drawing the Rice Krispy characters by referencing the cereal box, melting crayons on my desk lamp, and making endless paper balls by soaking receipt paper in water and then carefully wrapping them, one layer on top of the next (note FREE or VERY cheap supplies). Yes, it does stick together as it dries.
While my parents always ensured I had access to supplies and a space to create, I didn’t grow up with fancy or expensive materials. Instead, I grew up in an environment that encouraged curiosity and experimentation, which, in some ways, was fueled by my lack of endless supplies. When I wanted to create 3D forms, I wasn’t handed clay or any sculpting material. Instead, I rummaged through the cabinets and mixed a dab of toothpaste with a few spoonfuls of flour and a dash of water, keeping careful notes in my notebook as I poured the mix into my molds.
If your kids are interested in art, encourage them by helping them to understand that there are materials and ideas all around them waiting to be discovered.
