Children can develop their creative and imaginative skills through drawing. There are several benefits of drawing for children. Children learn to communicate their thoughts, ideas, and feelings through drawing. Children use their creativity to effectively express themselves. Parents and guardians can also become aware of their children’s feelings through their drawings.
When you begin to notice the creative prowess and artworks of your children, encourage them. Use positive statements to appreciate what they have drawn. Ask questions about their drawing. Display them in visible areas.
Create a sense of pride and confidence in your children. Leave them to explore their creativity.
Children also develop their motor skills with drawing. They learn movement and control of their fingers as they illustrate their artwork.
The benefit of drawing for toddlers
From about 12 to 18 months, toddlers start to scribble. They get sensory enjoyment, independent play, and physical movement as they scribble. Scribbling allows them to coordinate their muscles and eyes. They also enjoy emotional release when scribbling. At this age, scribbling is more important to them than drawing an actual object.
Parents are to inspire their toddlers’ creativity by cheering them whenever they scribble. Also, ask them questions, and take part as they are scribbling. Participate as they join shapes together as a way to develop their social interaction skill. Do not draw their artworks well, leave as they have scribbled the objects.
Benefits of drawing for older children
When they grow from toddler age, they begin to try drawing actual objects. Their hand and eye coordination and motor skills have improved. At this stage, they will start to label their drawings. It is also the time they use more zig-zags, circles, and crosses.
They also begin to decide to use colors on their drawings at this stage. Older children would learn to use more drawing materials like crayons, chalk, thick markers, pencils, and a paintbrush.
Tips to encourage children’s drawing
- Find the Sunshine Kids Art YouTube video clips that have explanations on different drawings. They have videos that explain how to draw objects like flowers, rainbow butterflies, Murakami, and many more.
- Ensure you encourage whatever they draw. Avoid giving them what to draw. Allow your children to watch the videos on their own. It helps them to boost their drawing skills. A step by step tutorial is on Sunshine Kids Art Video. It helps kids to learn how to draw and easily improve their drawing skills.
- Be interested in what they draw. Make positive comments on every line, shape, and color on the child’s drawing. Ask them questions about their drawing and what they intend to draw next. This way, you can encourage them to add more details and creativity to their drawings
- Put their drawing at places they can view them in the house. As they often see their artwork, they would appreciate and be more inspired.
- Parents are to avoid comparison with other children’s artwork. Likewise, do not utter negative comments on what they have drawn.