I teach children's art and, quite frankly, the excitement on my pupils' faces whenever they accomplish anything is priceless! They accomplish so much in such a short period of time.
Well here are 10 tips to get you started:
1. Let your kids doodle
This is a great way to get them interested in art simply because you cannot doodle without being exposed to different shapes, colors and textures. Also, they can add any finishing touches on their artwork later on when they have the skills!
2. Let your kids use artistic mediums
Kids love playing with things that are new to them. Try to expose them to different artistic mediums, not only will they have fun but you'll get a chance to see what catches their interest the most.
3. Encourage your kids to draw what they see
Some kids learn to draw better by observing the shapes, lines, and designs of things they encounter in their everyday lives. They may even make simple doodles on a whiteboard or piece of paper! This is critical for letting them to enhance their drawing abilities later on! Pictures or real-life objects can be used to practice this.
4. Teach a new drawing technique
Again, use drawings of real life objects to teach them the fundamentals of different drawing techniques (e.g. shading, lines, textures), it will pique their interest and take their artwork to the next level!
5. Introduce your kids to famous artists
Some great examples are Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso. Introduce your kids to these names and let them see the sort of artwork these guys produced. This will inspire them to work hard at their own projects.
6. Enter your Kids in art contests!
There are several competitions for youngsters that you may fill out your children's forms for. Most importantly, it will provide them with the inspiration to give their best efforts!
7. Make art a family activity
This is very important, and something that rings true in every household! When children see that their parents are interested in arts and craft as well, they tend to take more interest themselves.
8. Design Artwork with your kids
You can design a mural for your house, use their drawings as art pieces or even make a collage that you all enjoy! Heck, the options are endless! This is something that they will treasure for years to come.
9. Let kids choose their own art supplies
One thing I noticed about children who don't like art is that they're often given art materials that they don't like or know how to use. So, let them choose their own supplies and introduce new ones as well! They will remember this and develop an interest for it.
10. Try drawing on a different medium
Instead of paper, try the wall next time your kids want to draw on! You can also use different media to create their artwork, such as using baking dough instead of paper and so forth.
Whatever you do – try not to ignore your kids' art work, it is a surefire way of making them lose interest in it and discouraging them from further pursuing it. So, try out these tips and let me know how you get on - I'd love to hear from you!