How to Color With Crayola
The brand name Crayola conjures up images of brightly colored crayons for children and adults alike. Coloring with Crayola brand products is not just about crayons and coloring inside the lines anymore. Paints, markers, glow boards and of course, crayons, are all about creativity and having fun. There is no right or wrong way to color with Crayola. You can create an art center at home filled with various supplies for homemade works-of-art.
Things You'll Need
- Drawing and construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue sticks
- Crayons
- Pencils
- Washable markers
- Paint and brushes
- Shelving
- Plastic storage containers
- Drawing desk or table
Instructions
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Create an Art Center
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Creating an arts and crafts space begins with designating an area at home for working and storage. Playrooms, basements, children's rooms and the kitchen are just a few good locations. Young children can be supervised in the kitchen while older, independent workers can work in their own private area. Be sure the area has good lighting.
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Set up shelving to organize the art supplies that will fill the art center. Plastic containers can be purchased or created from items already in the home, such as coffee cans and food storage containers. Containers make organizing supplies much easier, and are sturdier than the original cardboard containers that some supplies come in. Have your child help organize her space and decorate the storage containers for a personal touch.
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Make available supplies that can be accessed at any time without special permission. These special supplies will depend on the age of the child, but can include colored pencils, washable markers, crayons, paper, glue sticks and safety scissors. Supplies a child can access without adult help should require minimal supervision and not be dangerous for the child to use or damaging to the surroundings. Responsibility is encouraged by letting a child access her own supplies and put them away.
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Encourage your child to expand her creativity by brainstorming fun project ideas with her. Or, simply talk about things she saw during her day that she can draw on paper. Even an ordinary day can turn into a story drawn on paper with captions and dialogue. Save these drawings in a folder as a portfolio of creativity or a memory book.
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Hang your child's artwork in your house to make her feel proud. Refrigerator doors are an excellent place to show off artwork. Want to get more creative? Frame a beach scene and hang it in the bathroom. A landscape picture or drawing of trees or flowers would look great in the living room. Friends and neighbors may also appreciate getting works of art as surprise gifts, for any occasion. An elderly neighbor may enjoy hanging a crayon drawing of his garden on his refrigerator. When it comes to making artwork for others, there is no wrong way to create the piece.
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Tips & Warnings
Encourage children to be free in expressing themselves through art activities. Be non-judgmental---there is no right or wrong way to use art materials. Children who are encouraged to do their own work build self-esteem and positive self-image. Look for inspiration in books, through creative play, in nature and at places such as children's museums and around your neighborhood.
Art supplies should be age-appropriate. Always check the age recommendation on the supplies and be sure that young children use art supplies under direct adult supervision.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Michael Hitoshi/Photodisc/Getty Images
