All kids are arty

Picasso once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

Give a child a blank piece of paper and a few pots of paint, and a world of limitless possibilities opens up in their mind. As a youngster, ideas, imagination and creative expression come more readily than at any other time of life. Yet as parents, we often pigeon hole our children as ‘arty’ or ‘sporty’, encouraging some doors to open while closing others off – perhaps for life. This is usually done unintentionally of course.

There are loads of benefits from drawing out your child’s natural creativity. Art and other creative pursuits can help a child’s hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills to develop, as well as their cognitive and problem-solving skills and their concentration. And attending a children’s art, craft or cookery class is also a great way for a child to develop social skills.

Jennifer McNamara, director of Art Est. Art School, agrees with Picasso’s point of view. She observes, “All children have some sort of creativity. They just express themselves in different ways.”

It’s about tapping into your child’s natural bent. Some children might find drawing difficult because they think in a more three-dimensional way – and their gifts come to the fore when they sculpt. Others might have a penchant for computers – and so movie making and film editing brings out their natural creativity.

There are always school holiday activities to match your child’s particular niche. But at home you can also bring out your child’s inner Picasso. For example, try:

• cooking up a big batch of play dough;
• making puppets from a paper bag;
• using odds and ends from around the house to create an ‘invention’;
• have your child create a ‘menu’ for everyone to read at dinner time.

The important thing for parents to remember is that the creative process is much more important than the outcome.

Jennifer says, “Some parents have such high expectations of their children. If they draw a vase, they want it to look like a vase. Whereas a child sees something completely different. It’s not just about what their artwork looks like. It’s the whole creative process, and how important art is in unlocking their creativity. It’s about enjoying the process and exploring what’s inside you.”

Kids’ activities should ultimately be fun!

For more information about school holiday art, craft and cooking classes, click here http://www.schoolholidaydirectory.com.au/category/ArtCraftCooking