Toddlers and Art

My 20 month old is just starting to really enjoy scribbling.  And not just scribbling, but scribbling with purpose!  Just this morning she drew a lovely picture, and when I asked her about it she enthusiastically said "Fa-Fwy, Fa-Fwy" which is "Butterfly".  It is always an exciting moment for me when my children start labeling their scribbles, and this morning was no different!  As I was talking to my toddler about her drawing, I was reminded of a couple "rules" I made 11 years ago when my first daughter started drawing, and I realized I need to renew them with our whole family.

The first rule is:  If you want to ask what a picture is, do NOT ask "What is it?".  Instead say "Tell me about your picture."  The reason for this is simple.  If you tell a child they've drawn a really  nice picture, and then in the next sentence ask them what it is....isn't that a contradiction?  The problem, however, is that in the early stages of drawing it is IMPOSSIBLE to know what a child has drawn.  I have found it VERY effective to follow a compliment with a statement like "Will you tell me about it?".  Inevitably, my children then begin to label their picture, and depending on what they say I can follow up with intelligent statements.  "That is a very nice butterfly!  Will you tell me more?"

My second rule is:  Never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever EVER draw for a toddler or preschooler.  If my young child ever asked me to draw something for them (ie. a horse), I have always deflected it and said something to the effect of "Oh, but you draw so nicely!  Why don't you show me how you draw a horse!"  The reason I do this is because I have experienced & witnessed when you start to draw for a child above their ability, they lose the desire to draw themselves because it never turns out as good.  If a child persists and keeps asking me to draw something, I will draw it, but at THEIR level.  Horses don't look nearly as nice with just a couple of circles and sticks...but if a child can duplicate it...fantastic!

I have also expand this second rule into later years by not telling my daughters how to do crafts.  A perfect example is just this last weekend my daughter and friend had to make 14 thank you cards for their 4-H club.  I gave them all the supplies and essentially said "go to it!".  The cards look like they were created by 9 year olds...and in my opinion...that makes them just perfect!

I do realize that these rules may not be applicable with every child, but I noticed with my own children that they have a great love for drawing, crafts, and art and feel very proud of the items they create, and I think part of that is because I have done very little for them.  They have always had free reign to create and design to where ever their imagination takes them.

I must warn though, there is one disadvantage to following the second rule.  My children don't think I have any artistic or crafting talent!  During a Super Saturday activity where I was painting and sanding and doing a variety of "artistic" stuff, one of my daughters looked at me astounded and said "I had no idea you knew how to do this stuff!!!!"  ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Magical Words

I have a daughter...well...actually I have 5 daughters.  But this one particular daughter...we will call her "N"...is super sensitive.  When she was little, and would get hurt, naturally she would come and cry on my lap.  Sometimes for quite a while.  Until one day I discovered 15 magical words.  They go like this "Stay as long as you need to.  You can go play when you are ready."  And when I say they are magic...I mean they are magic.  It does not matter how badly she gets hurt, or how hard she is crying....as soon as I say these 15 words she IMMEDIATELY wipes away her tears and runs off to play.  No joke!  I knew validation (a topic I will cover in another post) was important…but I had no idea it could be this magical!

So...I just have to ask...does anyone else out there have magic words that can fix anything!?