When I taught homeschool art, the first rule I gave my students is, “You’ve got to have fun!” Art Fun
I mean that.
If art class is not fun, there’s really no point in having it. Art is about expressing yourself. It’s about exploring your creativity.
But it’s also about joy.
So how can you make art class fun? Here are five suggestions:
1. Lower your expectations.
I know this seems counterintuitive, but one of the main reasons children become frustrated with art is that they have an unrealistic expectation of what they should be able to do. In other words, there is a tendency toward perfectionism. Make sure your children know that it’s okay to not be perfect.
2. Resist the temptation to criticize.
When your children bring you a picture that they’ve drawn (and that they’re obviously very proud of), don’t single out the one (or more) little things that are wrong and need to be corrected. That’s one of the quickest ways to insure that their love of art class will be short-lived. Instead, find something to praise about the picture.
3. Get messy.
Try finger painting or other abstract art. Not all artwork needs to be representational. Sometimes it’s fun to just play with colors and see what happens.
4. Go outside.
Grab a sketchbook and some colored pencils (or crayons). Then go outside and find something to draw. Let your children choose the subject.
5. Go Fluorescent
Buy a black light, fluorescent tempera paints (or See the Light’s fluorescent pastels) and black poster board. Then darken the room, turn out the lights and do some “glow in the dark” posters.
In other words, don’t always feel like you’ve got to color inside the lines. Art is about self-expression. So have fun!
Now it’s your turn. Leave a comment with YOUR idea for making art class the best part of your child’s day.
Why not start with our 9-DVD set, Art Class?
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