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Home › Articles › Play Time › Artsy Kids

Artsy Kids

The Art of Teaching Art to Children

By Nancy Beal and Gloria Bley Miller

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Although adult participation can be fun from time to time, if the situation feels competitive or controlling in any way, it should be avoided. It certainly is not a good idea if the parent seems to be saying, "You should do it this way. You have to put the roof on the house like this." This kind of approach locks the kids out forever. They will think that there is only one way to do something and it is the way the adult has said it is.

Some parents find that their kids are good at art. They are amazed at their children's ability and frequently ask me, "Shall I send my child to a special art class?" Such classes are available in some towns and cities under the auspices of museums, colleges, community centers, etc. (They may offer family art activities on weekends.) There are also children's museums and park department programs that feature summer art classes for children. Some of these are excellent, while others are not. You need to check them out.

Although advanced 9- or 10-year-olds might begin to take classes in drawing from observation, it is known that most children don't begin to see that way until they reach junior high school age. So I usually suggest that parents put off considering classes on drawing or painting from life for their children until then.


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