With today’s busy lifestyles and the pressure to bring up high achieving children, simple playtime may not be on our agendas. Quite often we feel that everything we do with our children has to have some kind of educational component otherwise we are not doing the best for our children. Building relationships however, is the best thing that we can do for our children. Being able to adapt and work with other people, respecting their boundaries and appreciating others points of view is a key element in sustaining relationships throughout life. Making art together, we can show our children that we love and value their point of view, and that we are amazed by the scope of their imagination. Learning happens naturally, self-esteem and self-mastery is developed, and all while the child believes they are just playing. Through art making, children can learn that it’s ok to make mistakes while learning how to be flexible and effective problem solvers.
The art project can be simple and inexpensive. Some ideas to try include:
Doodling together either on individual pieces or collaborative pieces.
Pudding/yoghurt painting.
Utilizing free newspapers/magazines to paint and draw in.
Enjoying the sensory experience of home made play-dough together.
Using recycling items and glue to build robots, houses, villages, machines etc.
Collaging.
Baking and decorating cupcakes.
Planting colourful garden pots.
Of course, art making and playing with art materials without the pressure of making something “perfect” is good for all of us!