Activities for preschoolers that foster your child's inner artist

Parenting Young Filipino Artists_A How to Guide for Mom and Dad

As parents, we want to raise kids who will grow up to be successful adults. The workplace has been changing dramatically and it calls for continuous innovation and creativity making the demand for right-brained, creative individuals very high.

We must, therefore, adjust our parenting strategies in such a way that it will develop our kids’ creativity and help them learn to be more open-minded, observant and expressive. Here’s a list of suggestions you can try at home in order to raise little artists.

Give them space for creativity.

If you can, provide your kids with an art room wherein they can be free to just create and have fun. If space is limited, any area where they can be comfortable would also be suitable. Provide them with all sorts of art materials. They don’t have to be expensive. Just choose those that are made of kid-friendly ingredients.

Encourage questions and mistakes.

Kids are naturally curious so build on that and answer their questions as best as you can. Better yet, encourage them to find answers for their questions as well by teaching them how to research. Also, don’t be afraid to let your child make mistakes. Mistakes teach them valuable lessons too.

Embrace the mess.

Oftentimes, kids will make a lot of mess when they’re doing art projects. Although this can be frustrating to you, remember that the benefits of them learning art far outweighs the temporary mess. Plus, this also gives you an opportunity to teach them how to clean up afterwards.

Teach them to explore.

Exploring is a great way for kids to discover great things about themselves and the world. Just be there to provide guidance. Also, encourage them to explore new ways of doing things. Perhaps your child will discover a new use for a toy or another way to answer a Math problem. Your being open-minded about these things will benefit them too.

Use open-ended toys.

There are a lot of toys in the market these days that are entertaining but not all of them encourages creativity. When choosing a toy, remember that the quality of play that results from using it is also important. Close-ended toys don’t allow kids to use their imagination. On the other hand, open-ended toys, such as blocks, sticks, sand, and water, can be used in many ways and are open for creative interpretation.

Your child doesn’t necessarily have to grow up to be the next Picasso. Teaching them to be artistic simply opens them up to a world of endless possibilities and helps them develop the skills necessary for their success in the future.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Janice Lim

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Janice Lim

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