How can I support my child with art?

1. Get messy!

Let your child get creative and explore creating art using different materials if possible. For example paints, chalk, crayons, pens, pencils, modelling clay etc . Just don’t forget to put lots of newspaper down first!

2. Use household objects creatively

Alternatively, instead of buying materials, let them get creative using things around the house – for example, pasta and rice to create pictures using glue, old toilet roll tubes or cearl boxes for junk modelling and sculpture.

3. Keep a sketch book

Your child could keep a sketch book. They could take it with them when they go out so that they can look for things to sketch – a tree, a building, a landscape. Alternatively, if they see something they would like to draw, take a photo on your phone and let them sketch from it when they are home.

4. Celebrate your child's art

Positive praise for art is essential, encourage and praise your child’s creations and encourage them not to get disheartened if they feel they have made ‘mistakes’.  Praise mistakes and remind them mistakes can be beautiful in art; art is about being creative and trying out different things. There is no right or wrong way to do things. You could even ‘frame’ their work using coloured paper or card and create a little gallery on the kitchen wall or in their bedroom to display their work.

5. Discuss and enjoy art together

Find out about local art galleries or museums that you can visit with your child. Encourage them to talk about what they see and to share their opinions – about subject matter, colours, what materials the artist used, and so on.