The Importance of Making Art with Your Toddler

        From glitter and glue to crayons and collages, art making with your wee ones is not only fun, but important. Your child’s scribbles and doodles are significant first steps towards developing fine motor skills, writing, reading, storytelling, and interpretation. It not only teaches them how to express themselves using ordinary objects in a free-thinking way, but also instills pride by crafting something new that is all their own.

      Even though babies are not yet able to assemble art of their own, it’s not too early to expose them to the importance of looking at art. Long before children can speak, aesthetic experiences like viewing artwork help shape the way they look at the world and can enhance their own art. Take your baby to a museum or art gallery, to see an outdoor mural, or even take a tour of your own home. Hold them up to view the works at eye level or place them in a front carrier on your chest. Talk about what you see in the artwork, like identifying colors and shapes, in addition to what you don’t see, like who the artist was and how the object was constructed. Even after kids are capable of creating art, continue creating opportunities for observation: it promotes critical thinking and cultural sensitivity through storytelling and interpretation.

        One of the easiest art-making options for children around the age of one is painting. Since children are likely to put their fingers (and everything else!) into their mouths, be sure to use non-toxic materials to paint with. To preserve your sanity, be sure to create an appropriate surface for your painting project—high chair trays or a table covered with an inexpensive vinyl tablecloth are both good options and easy to clean. Finger-painting with simple things like pudding or water tinted with food coloring can be done right on the surface, to wipe away later. Non-toxic finger paints and watercolor sets are inexpensive and are great for painting on paper or recycled cardboard scraps. Kids of all ages love experimenting with paintbrushes of all shapes and sizes, and stamps are also a great way to create painted images. Pick up a few stamps at the craft store or make your own by carving simple shapes into the ends of wine corks or potatoes, both of which are the perfect size for tiny hands to hold.

        Around the age of two, and once your child masters the pincer grasp (grasping an object with the thumb and forefinger), creating collages is a perfect way to keep developing those fine motor skills. You’ll be in charge of the set-up and supplies, including the most important part—the glue. Glue sticks are less messy alternatives for younger ones, but you can also mix water and basic white glue in a bowl and allow your child to apply with a foam paintbrush. You can select any types of items to adhere to the surface—images from magazines, stamps removed from your mail, dried beans or noodles from the pantry, or let your toddler tear up pieces of colored paper. Attaching the items to the sticky surface teaches them cause and effect and allows them to create their own designs in an open space. Other easy collage ideas for youngsters include placing stickers on paper, using decals on a window, or using magnet shapes on a refrigerator. Later, your children will be able to use safety scissors themselves, allowing even more creative freedom in their collage making.

        Doodling and drawing is often the easiest way for preschoolers to creatively express themselves. It provides the opportunity to teach the proper way to hold a crayon or pencil and the process can be used to teach colors, shapes, and name recognition. For more structured teaching, you can draw a circle or square on a piece of paper and ask your toddler to trace it or try to create the shape themselves. Or ask them to draw a picture of the family pet or their favorite toy. When talking with them about their artwork, be sure to ask open-ended questions in a positive, supportive way. Be creative with your doodling environments; set up an easel outside and ask your little one to draw a picture of their backyard or provide chalk and use the sidewalk as the canvas. Think outside the box when it comes to drawing tools—use glue to draw on paper and let your toddler sprinkle glitter over the drawing.

       In addition to providing supportive comments and positive feedback for all your child’s artistic attempts, make a big deal about the final products. Set up an area to display them in your home, out of reach but not out of sight, whether they’re tacked to the fridge or clipped with clothespins to a ribbon strung across a wall. Pick up old picture frames at the thrift store and create a mini-museum installation of your own in your living room. Kids’ artwork also makes for great gifts for grandparents and friends. Either way, they’ll be proud to showcase their artistic and intellectual accomplishments, and you will be, too.    

Amy Pence-Brown has a master’s degree in art history and works as a local art curator and arts writer. She’s also the mother of two young creators, Lucy and Alice.