Children love to sing, dance, paint, and create from the moment they can walk on their own and hold a brush. Their little imaginations seem to hold more ideas than stars in the sky, so parents should naturally want to foster their artistic senses as a way to enrich their lives both now and in the future.
As kids grow older, they tend to refine their creative tastes, generally choosing one or two artistic endeavors to pursue. It’s just as easy for kids to lose that drive to create though, so you may be looking for concrete ways to encourage them. Well, to help you out, here are four ways to strengthen your child’s artistic mind.
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Invest in the right tools and equipment
You may be afraid of spending a lot on a musical instrument or a set of oil paints that your child may end up abandoning, but don’t be so quick to dismiss your child’s potential passions.
Buying equipment or an instrument is an investment, but it’s a good one for two reasons:
- It’s a way to entrust your kid with more responsibility, as they’ll have to care for and potentially clean their tools on their own.
- It lets them bring home their artistry, rather than limit creative time in an art classroom or a band room.
A classic example is with drumming. Drum kits are notoriously hard to transport, so kids can’t practice except during their hour of school band practice. But investing in a small kit, or even just an individual drum, is an affordable decision. Online resources like the Drumcenternh.com shop break down everything you need to know about the different types of drums, and their costs.
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Display their work
Kids who are serious about drawing and painting often use their artwork as an expression of their true selves and innermost thoughts. The most reaffirming thing you can do to encourage your child is to hang up their work around the house because it shows you’re proud of their creations and self-expression.
It’s even better if you can go a step beyond sticking a drawing to the fridge with a magnet. Buy a nice frame and display their artwork in a central location in the house. If your child makes you something special, hang it in your bedroom or home office.
And you’re not limited to only displaying visual arts! If your kid likes creative writing, help them print and bind their work into a book. If they like fashion, wear one of their designs. Record them singing or playing. It’s just a matter of finding a way to legitimize their work.
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Give them their own creative space
This one might require a little creativity on your end!
Is your garage particularly spacious? Got a screened-in back porch? Could the basement be tidied a bit? It may require a little organizing on your end, but transforming a space into a studio for your child will unleash their inner creativity more than you’d think. Move furniture or storage boxes out of the way, clear off a desk, and let your child decorate this space with whatever they please.
Unstructured creative time is key in allowing a child’s artistry to blossom. Let them make a mess. Let them get a little paint on the walls. Scientifically speaking, giving them an art room or studio a great way to let them develop their skills, both artistic and personal. Their own creative space lets them experiment, create, fail, and focus on building their own sense of self.
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Don’t force it
It can be tempting to just send your child to violin lessons or ballet class and be done with it. But the realm of creativity is vast – some kids shine in more conventional pursuits like piano or sketching, but many show their imagination and artistry in things we wouldn’t normally consider ‘creative’ fields.
Potential fields include everything from sewing and designing to physical activities like gymnastics or skateboarding, and even coding, programming, or doing science experiments. Some would even rather curl up with a book than make something on their own. That’s okay!
All kids are innately creative. It’s your job to help them find a place where they can express it in a way that they enjoy above all else. Just be sure to ask your kid what they like and would want to try – their own drive will speak for itself!
