How to Teach Art and Music to Children
For a well-rounded education, it is important to teach art and music to children. They can enhance academic skills, as well as provide children with an opportunity to explore more about the world around them. Exposure to art and music can begin as young as infancy, and continue through adulthood. Provide opportunities for exposure, as well as hands-on practice to maximize exposure.
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Things You'll Need
- Art prints
- CDs
- Books about artists and musicians
- Rhythm sticks, maracas, castanets, etc.
- Colored pencils, markers, paints, crayons and paper
- Art museum
- Live musical performances
Instructions
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Exposure
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Look at works of art. These can be as simple as the "Touch the Art" board books or the board book series by Chronicle that allow even the youngest children to look at pictures of famous masterpieces. Or they can be more advanced coffee table books, based on artist, subject or style. Prints can be rotated on the walls or bulletin board.
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Listen to many varieties of music. Visit the local library to borrow CDs that span the entire spectrum of musical types. Play different styles of music each session, and name the style and artist every time.
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Sing lots of songs. Teach children lyrics by singing one line at a time, then having them repeat. Also practice rhymes and fingerplays, and read poetry, to train their ears for rhyme and rhythm.
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Take field trips. Local museums often offer tours designed for children. Theaters have special concerts for children. If field trips are not possible, look into borrowing kits, or having someone come in to do a presentation.
Experimentation
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Demonstrate proper use of artistic media. Show children how to properly draw with markers, colored pencils, etc. Show how to properly hold a paintbrush, and to wipe the brush on the side of the container before applying paint to paper. The process of how to use each art material is the initial focus.
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Demonstrate proper use of instruments. Show the children how to hold one rhythm stick in each hand, and firmly, yet gently, strike them together for a percussion beat. Model holding shakers in a hand, and holding on while shaking them. Emphasis is placed on properly manipulating instruments to achieve the desired sound.
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Allow for experimentation. Once the children are familiar with the process of using the art and music materials, they should be allowed to experiment with them, to get a feel for how they work.
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Combine art with music. Vary the musical selections played as the children experiment with different art media. They can connect how the two compliment each other.
Advanced Techniques
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Teach children the seven elements of art: line, shape, color, value, texture, form, and space. Use projects found in books such as "How to Teach Art to Children" by Joy Evans.
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Put together the elements of art and do an artist study. Read short biographies of artists and try projects, such as those found in "Discovering Great Artists" by Mary Ann Kohl.
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Teach children the meaning behind notations in music, such as notes. Have them try to play music by reading simple songbooks. Encourage them to write their own music.
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Tips & Warnings
Capitalize on each child's strengths in his or her project.
The broader the scope of exposure, the better. Then, focus on the children's favorites to maintain their interest.
Not all children are artistically inclined. Avoid harsh criticism and focus on the process of using the materials.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit art student image by feisty from Fotolia.com
