Children’s creativity – encouraging drawing and coloring
The simple acts of drawing and coloring are literally childs’ play, however, they both play an important role in your child’s physical, emotional and cognitive development. Like no other activity, the hobby of drawing and coloring allows young children to express emotions, experience autonomy and build their confidence.
Parents and caregivers such as teachers and grandparents can promote the hobby of drawing and coloring as a way to improve physical, social, emotional and cognitive development-and to have a lot of fun along the way too. Here are some suggestions:
1. Provide your grankids with nontoxic materials, blank sheets of white paper and coloring pages.
2. Model drawing. Show children that you enjoy drawing and coloring too – make designs but do not show your children what they should draw.
3. Encourage all drawing and coloring efforts by talking about the beautiful colors, the lines and shapes the child has made.
4. Rather than ask “What is it?,” say “Tell me everything about your drawing”.Asking “What is that?” suggests to the child that s/he has failed to depict what they intended.
5. Talk about concepts like thin, thick, wide, narrow, dark, light, edge, shape, contour, etc.
6.Display their art in a prominent place – such as the kitchen fridge, and in places where visitors to your home will see them. Point them out to visitors – the praise for the work will boost a child’s self esteeem and confidence.
