How to Connect With Kids Through Art

Some of my favorite memories are the hours and days spent doing art projects with my daughter. When she was a youngster we dabbled in greeting cards, wrapping paper and paper chains. As our creative juices developed, we branched out. We discovered papier-mache and made bracelets, which 20 years later we still sell at art fairs and boutiques. Over the years we've beaded necklaces, created collages and altered books. Now that she's an adult and living on her own, we often get together for creative collaboration. Sometimes we invite friends to join us for dinner and art projects in the kitchen. Art is a great opportunity for parent-child bonding. Here's how to begin the art connection with your kids.

Things You'll Need

• paper
• pens
• paints
• coloring books
• canvas
• clay
• journal

Instructions

1. Begin now. Whether your child is just learning to hold a crayon or a teen about to graduate from high school, it is never to late to connect through art. Buy a coloring book and a big box of crayons. Color together. You're never too old or too young to enjoy coloring. One Thanksgiving I had all of the guests--from Grandpa to the toddler--coloring. Afterwards we hung our masterpieces on the refrigerator. Art on holidays has become a family tradition. It's an easy way for the adults and children to connect.

2. Encourage artistic leanings. All children are creative. Just because they haven't developed that side, doesn't mean they don't have it. It's never too late for creative juices to start flowing. Encourage artistic leanings. Make a paper chain out of colorful paper strips. Write inspiring words on each link. Hang it in the kitchen or over the front door. Go to a craft store and look at the possibilities. Let imagination reign.

3. Design an art space. Every emerging artist needs a room, a corner, a space for art supplies and contemplation. Make an environment that's suitable for inspiration. Hang a sign that says: "Artist here." Encourage your child to go to the art corner when they're bored. Notice how quickly they recover.

4. Understand the benefits. Art is the best tranquilizer. From colored pencils to paint, from rolls of paper to canvases, tension and worries quickly vanish when you're absorbed in a creative project. Creativity is calming.

5. Quiet the critic. Drop comparisons. Throw out the rules. One reason that creativity is stifled is the rules that kids hear: "Color inside the lines." "Color the sky blue." Give permission for your child to be an original.

6. Include boys. Don't leave the boys out. They have creative desires too. Buy a blank journal and show him how to turn it into a drawing journal. Take the journal everywhere. When waiting at the dentist or visiting relatives or attending a meeting, let your son draw what he sees. Notice how boys who can't sit still, suddenly can when their eyes and hands are moving over the pages.

7. Dabble dabble, dabble. If you begin with water colors and end up working in clay, that's perfectly acceptable. It doesn't matter what you do; it matters that you began. From cutting and pasting to clay or finger paints, let interest and curiosity lead. Artists use a variety of techniques and mediums. Expose your kids to creative possibilities.

8. Plug into creativity. Point out street art. Notice graffiti. Visit a museum. Walk through an art gallery. Stop to look at what interests your child. Count sculptures. Talk about the various forms of art. Bring art books home from the library. Let your child teach you about creativity.

9. Say: "I'm an artist." There's energy in creativity and art. There is energy in proclaiming your intention to develop your creative side. There is energy in looking at things in a new way. The artist's ability to transform her/his life and the lives of others is powerful. Use your energy and call yourself an artist.

10. If your child says "I can't draw," respond with "Yes, you can." When you hear yourself saying that, respond with "Yes, we can." You can learn; you can improve. Think about it; writing the alphabet on paper is really drawing. If you can print, you can draw.