Children are born artists.

 

They love to dress up and play make-believe, bang on pots and pans, squish Play Dough through their fingers, and paint colorful scenes of blue skies and happy families.

 

The arts – whether it’s music or drama, painting or sculpture – help children learn language, understand their world, express emotions and explore their identities.

 

Parents can play an important role in keeping the creative flame alive. Here are some tips from Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic:

 

·         Notice and encourage. Does your child show an interest in music, drawing or drama? Encourage it by taking your child to free community performances and exhibits designed for youngsters. Look for classes and activities in your school and community. At home, keep plenty of art supplies and dress-up clothes on hand.

 

·         Be involved and engaged. Draw your child’s attention to interesting patterns, colors, shapes and textures. Share your reactions to public art, and discuss performances you see, music you hear. Offer to help with a project or get involved with creative activities at your child’s school.

 

·         Show an interest in your child’s attempts. Don’t dismiss a drawing with a glance and a “That’s great” then throw it away the next day. Make specific comments about what you like in the artwork, and put it on display if possible.

 

·         Don’t try to correct or fix your child’s art: “That looks more like a rabbit than a cat.” Let your child express him or herself freely.

 

·         Praise your child’s persistence. Listen to them practice a musical instrument or offer to be their audience when they’re rehearsing a dance number. At the same time, don’t force your child to perform for others if they don’t want to.

 

·         Stick with lessons. Don’t let your child quit a class unless it is clearly upsetting him or her. If you allow children to quit because “it’s boring” or they don’t like it anymore, they will get the message that they can avoid things if they complain loudly enough. Let them try something new once the class is over.

 

·         Continue to encourage your child during times of lower interest, but don’t force them to stay with an activity that has long since lost its appeal.

 

·         If your child is learning to dance, play an instrument or perform a play, set aside space and time for regular practice. Try not to banish your child to a faraway room or the garage because you don’t like the noise.

 

·         Tolerate some mess. It’s part of the creative process, after all. But you can minimize it by setting up in an area that’s easy to clean, spreading out plastic tarps or newspaper and having your young artist wear an apron. Also, teach children to clean up after themselves and take care of their equipment and supplies.