By The Other Sarah of Salt & Nectar
When I found out I was pregnant with my son, I naturally spent the months leading up to his birth dreaming about our future life together. I imagined us enjoying “cuddle time,” those first five minutes following lights out where we’d lay our heads together on the pillow, share secrets about our favorite parts of the day, and sneak Eskimo kisses. I thought about boarding pirate ships (climbing trees) and escaping sharks (playing tag) together. And I knew we’d love exploring art together.
Then my son was born. I met him for the very first time. I saw that he brought with him his very own energies, interests, and needs. Quickly, I learned to let go of any preconceived notions about what I thought his childhood should look like and encouraged him to develop his own interests free from my interference or direction, except when it came to art.
To me, learning to love art is up there in importance with mastering the potty, eating balanced meals, and sleeping through the night. The reason I feel this way is because exposure to art provides numerous cognitive benefits — it provides children with a new language to communicate and express emotions; it offers an open-ended opportunity to make new discoveries because there is never a wrong way to create art (your child does not need to know or be the next Picasso); and it encourages creative play, imagination, and open-mindedness to name a few. All worthy lessons to be learned, or rather experienced.
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” – Albert Einstein
So when my son showed me that he preferred to run freely in our backyard or give life to his favorite trucks in our sand box instead of contentedly sitting at a table coloring, I didn’t give up on my dream of having a little artist. Rather, I set out to create an art space that was inviting to him and encouraged kinetic exploration and learning. Following the guidance of Teacher Tom, I set up an outdoor art table where my son can stand and move around freely. By design, this is a win-win situation for both parents and kids. Moving the art table outside of a traditional classroom or home space allows my son to take risks and learn in a lively environment, while I don’t have to worry about containing or cleaning messes (don’t all toddler boys—and girls—love this?).
Next, when we undertake an art “project” we focus on the process and sensory aspect of using different materials and never set out to make a specific final product, unless he decides to do so (creating helicopters are a fave!). This means that, as a parent, you don’t have to feel intimidated by art or the pressure to produce anything perfect. Forget coloring within the lines! Instead, use non-traditional art tools to create a masterpiece and inspire imagination and innovation. We run matchbox cars through paint and roll them over paper. We use dish soap, watercolors, and straws to blow designs and make bubble patterns. We find tools from nature—sticks, rocks, leaves—and explore using them. (Looking for more ideas to fill your preschool art box? Pink and Green Mama offers her suggestions here.)
Finally, if your son doesn’t have a desire to participate in the hands-on aspect of art (it’s not for everyone), you can still keep the door of opportunity open by exposing him to the arts in other forms. Maybe he likes reading? Introduce him to books such as Olivia and When Pigasso Meets Mootise that touch on art. Maybe he likes music and movement? Consider enrolling him in performing art classes. Maybe he likes introspective and meditative activities? A trip to a quiet art gallery or a library poetry reading might be in store.
~ To find out more about The Other Sarah, visit Salt & Nectar
Photo by James Emery
