Drawing Out Your Child’s Imagination Through Art

September 19, 2014

Learning has to be about trying something new. Applied learning is about expressing ourselves and our ideas. Drawing and painting gives us an experiential way to express ourselves and use our imaginations.

There is no “right”. There is no “wrong”. The artist’s painting belongs to the artist; their creation. Scribbles and finger paintings are the way most toddlers will begin painting. And you know what? It doesn’t matter what they create or what the paintings look like. The point is they are creating. They are taking one thing, paint and paper, and creating their masterpiece.

Now, you may not be able to sell it for a hundred bucks but the painting has value. Your child artist has tangible and reinforcing evidence that they are creators, inventors, doers.

Parents can be a big part of the positive reinforcement by showing support for their efforts. Posting the masterpiece on the fridge or wall gives your budding artist their first gallery.

Later in life, your child will need to innovate and come up with solutions in their lives, their schoolwork and their workplace. Creating at the easel or art table helps build their valuable creating skills.

Who doesn’t like to discover? Art is hands-on discovery. How does the paint feel? What do different brushes do? What happens when I mix colors? Or get paint in my hair or on the cat? Why does it go on so easy and come off so hard? How do I mix the paint, a solid, and water to make the color darker or lighter? How do I get the runny paint to stay on the page where I want it? What does paint taste like?

Painting builds patience and tenacity; “darn, that didn’t work, let me try this”. Innovating, in any field, is about trial-and-error. And the persistence to keep trying. Innovation come from thinking about and combining things in new ways. When we’re open to new ideas and new experiences, creativity happens. For some great quotes on Art and Creativity see this post at Artful Parent.

• “Logic will take you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” Einstein
• The future depends on what children imagine to be possible and how they work together to make it happen. International Child Art Foundation

In today’s fast changing world innovative people will continue to be successful and the cornerstone of businesses that prosper and grow. Encouraging your child’s imagination, creativity and innovation will equip them to assimilate and excel.

A few dollars of paint and paper will return huge dividends.