Do you always say “it’s beautiful” and “I love it” when your child shows their drawing, painting, or craft piece? You are not alone, many parents are not sure what to say about children’s art. But making meaningful conversations with children about their artwork is useful for their language development and thinking process. And it’s easy to do. We’re here to help you!
You need to say more than it’s beautiful and you love it. What’s beautiful about their artwork? What do you love about it? Perhaps you like how the crayon covers the whole paper? Maybe you like pink colour? Generic praise may lose its charm if you keep repeating it and child development experts tell us that when we pile on the praise, children may start making art for our reactions instead of creating for their own joy.
It can be instinctive to guess and judge what your child makes. You may want to say, “Is this a palm tree? It’s too short, a palm tree is tall” but you must avoid it. Instead, narrate what you observe – I see something green here. I see a big triangle. I see these squiggly lines.
Once you have stated your observations, get asking! Here are some question ideas:
What’s going on over here?
What materials did you use to create this?
How did you choose those colours?
What would you call your work?
What do you want to do with your artwork?
How do you feel now that you’ve completed your task?
Asking open-ended questions makes your child feel valued because you are interested in their work.
Your child has started telling stories? It gets easier. Just ask them to tell you about their work. It’s an engaging response that gets them talking and keeps the focus on the child and their own opinions.
In visual art studies, there is something called the elements of art. We use these terms when we guide children to reflect on their work:
Line
Value
Colour
Shape
Form
Space
Texture
Choo Choo Train students are given plenty of individual art exploration. Our teachers introduce the medium and tools, demonstrate the techniques, let children make their marks, and guide them throughout the process. There is no need for a separate art class outside the school 😉